September 2011

As a first-time college student, I had many apprehensions as the beginning of September rolled around: How will I find my classes? Will I make new friends? Most importantly, I was concerned about the seemingly simple task of getting (and keeping) my grades up as the year would progress. The first day of the new school year, September 6th, was Orientation Day for First-Year students like myself. Sectioned off by program, I sat in a room of 50 or so other students, all listening attentively to the Faculty members in front of us. Our professors spoke to us about what we could expect from the program in the coming weeks and months, and answered any questions we had about the school year, program and even the industry. When asked for advice regarding maintaining our grades, one of the faculty members referred us to the Student Academic Learning Services centre (located on the second floor of the new Student Services Building). After my orientation session, I took a tour of the SALS centre and learned of the many services available to me as a student. At no additional cost, I could sign up for workshops of my choosing: Time Management and Organization, Listening and Note-taking Skills, Test and Exam Preparation, Computer Basics, and more! Subject specific workshops are available, too. The SALS Centre is also equipped with several cozy-looking study spaces for students to use. Needless to say, I was glad to see that so many services were available. In addition to the workshops mentioned above, there are several Writing-specific clinics available for students needing assistance with citation styles, avoiding plagiarism in reports, or just general writing tips. At the end of my tour, I picked up a calendar of the upcoming workshops and signed myself up for a Time Management and Organization workshop on September 22nd. Check back to read about my workshop experience or visit the SALS centre today to sign up!

– Kayleigh Johnston