By: Hussam Zbeeb

It’s almost the end of your first month here. You’re in a place of higher learning now; a place that brings some of the most captivatingly diverse people from all around the globe. You’ve met all your professors, gone to all your classes, and are starting to get a grip on how to manage your time here at university. There are still a lot of things you have yet to discover, however. Your professors are telling you that midterms are coming up. (The word midterm, I’ve realized, is merely a post-secondary education’s way of saying test, but I digress). There’s a massive amount of people you’ve met over the course of the past few weeks, and to say you remember all of their names would simply be a bluff. You’re anxious, nervous, worried and excited all at the same time. So far, you’ve got a pretty good idea of what first year is like, but not really.

As a residence advisor this year, I’ve been asked several times what my advice to first-years should be. You want my honest advice? My advice would be to not take anyone’s advice on what your first year should be like. There, I said it. The experience you go through in your first year is simply something that cannot be put into words. Your transition from high school to university may not be an easy one, but the most important thing is to learn some important lessons and discover different aspects of yourself. How do you adapt to change? How do you handle high stress situations? Do you have wholehearted interest in the courses related to your major? Decide what it is that you want from here on out. After all, Tuum Est, or simply put, it is up to you.  Regardless of what made you choose to come to UBC, the reflection of your choice of university at this time of the year is almost inevitable. One thing I can tell you for sure though, it’s the greatest decision I’ve ever made.