September Top Tips for Students

Whether you are new to university or returning,   there are certain things you do and ways to do them that can improve your chances of success (or conversely, if ignored or contravened, improve your chance of failure).  For international students for whom English is not your first language, there are additional challenges to do with language and culture.  

Here are our top ten tips to make your university experience this year more successful and enjoyable.   (We have included links to previous blog posts.)

1. Don't assume that learning at university in Canada is the same as in your own country.  The  expectations of teachers may be very different.   The way students learn may be very different.  For example,   students are expected to be very active in class rather than just sit and take  notes.   It can take time to become comfortable with these news ways of learning and studying.
2. Connect with other students,  either Canadian or international students who speak a different  language from you.   Form study groups with classmates.   Join a club.   For example, English  Language Support has a Global Round-table Discussion group that meets weekly.  Or go for coffee with a classmate.
3. Get digital.   Master D2L as almost all teachers at VIU use it for teaching.  Learn to manage your email effectively.  Explore VIU's Learning Matters website.     Read an ebook.
4. Connect with your teachers.   Find out what they like and don't like from students. Make sure they know who you are and let them know about any difficulties you are having.  Meet with them once in their office so they remember you.   This can sometimes make the difference between passing and failing a course.
5. Know about and use the resources available at VIU for students including international students. The Writing Centre is a good place to start.    There are language coaches and peer coaches. There is a campus career centre.     And don’t forget about  English Language Support -- we offer drop-in three days a week in the library and can also be found in our office  (Room 211) in building 255.
6. Know yourself.   What are your strengths and weaknesses?   For example,   what is your vocabulary knowledge?  What is your reading speed?    Use your strengths,  develop your weaknesses.   
7. Read effectively.   University requires a great deal of reading and because this is in English,  it will take English as a second language learners much longer to read and there will be many words you  won’t know.   Therefore,  you need to have strategies to compensate for this.
8.  Manage your time well.   This is one of the biggest problems faced by university students.  You need to provide yourself enough time for sleep and recreation, so this means making good use of study time.   Be an efficient learner.      Have a schedule and follow it.   Don’t procrastinate. 
9. Stay healthy.    If you are sick,  you will not be a very successful student.   Staying healthy requires eating and sleeping well,  which many students do not do.    You also need to provide time for some fun.  Exercise is also critical.    1 hour of exercise can give you an extra two hours because you have more energy.     Balance is the key word.
10. Make a plan.    Get a free planning diary from the VIU Student Union.   Write out daily, weekly and monthly to do lists.   Establish some goals for the semester and the school year.  Without some direction,  it is easy to get lost or wander without getting anywhere.

There is certainly more you could do, but this would be a good start.  Don't think you can master all these good practices at once.   Progress takes time.     But every great journey begins with a single footstep.

Have a successful semester and school year.