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Your first-year learning journey

What you might notice this fall, and how to adapt and build skills to succeed.

Like training for track meet, rehearsing for a performance, or studying a new language, learning involves a skillset that improves with practice. As you grapple with new subjects at university, make a habit of reflecting on your study methods and adapting them. With practice, you’ll find your studying becoming more effective, efficient and enjoyable.

Use this guide to learn what to expect, how to adapt and where to find support as your first term unfolds.

Stage 1:

Beginning the Adventure

Stage 2:

Discovering the Landscape

Stage 3:

Encountering Challenges

Stage 4:

Transforming and Reflecting

Beginning the Adventure:
Getting Oriented to University Learning

You may notice:

You might feel a mix of excitement and nerves as the semester begins. Soon after, you might realize that some of your high school study habits no longer work well and that you need new strategies for academic skills like reading, note-taking, problem-solving and academic English to meet the demands of university learning.

Remind yourself:

New experiences often reveal the limits of your previous knowledge and approaches. It’s normal for high school strategies to no longer work in a university setting, and it’s possible to make small changes that have a big impact. Asking for help with learning may be a new experience, but one that might be key to making your life as a student much more manageable and enjoyable.

Try these strategies and resources:

Learning Strategies:

  • To keep track of deadlines, use a calendar to create a 4-month semester plan. Then, to be more intentional about studying, develop a weekly schedule that prioritizes your health (sleep, nutrition, breaks) and study time.
  • Choose one learning strategy that feels doable from the CLSS Resource Library (PDFs) or Learning How to Learn video playlist (e.g., strategic reading or effective notetaking) and incorporate it into your weekly study practice.

Learning Communities and Resources:

Additional considerations:

Building social connections is another key to a rewarding learning experience at university. You may even find that some of your best ideas come to you while spending time with others, having fun and taking care of yourself and your health. Academic learning is easier when you feel fulfilled by a balanced life.

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Discovering the Landscape:
Experimenting and Building Routines

You may notice:

As the semester progresses, you may find it harder to keep up as you try out new strategies and routines. You might notice, in turn, new challenges with procrastination and focus, school-life balance, and workload while tackling assessments.

Remind yourself:

It’s challenging for most of us to balance academic deadlines and projects with life, and it’s normal for workloads and energy levels to shift from week to week. Try to manage your expectations for an idealized schedule and bring a flexible and realistic mindset to your planning. Feeling out of your comfort zone is not a bad thing. It means you’re learning and growing.

Try these strategies and resources:

Learning Strategies:

  • Action sparks motivation. Don’t wait for perfect conditions to start drafting an essay or solving a problem: set a 5-minute timer and start. Starting can help warm up your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Routines do not have to be elaborate. Start with one small and helpful strategy that you can do consistently, like setting your phone to “Do not Disturb” when studying.
  • To make the most of your study time, prioritize active learning strategies like selective reading, active note-taking, and self-testing, and focus less on timewasters like excessive highlighting and rewriting notes.
  • Look ahead and start your next few assignments at least two to three weeks before they’re due. Break these down using the Assignment Planner and reach out for research and writing support well in advance.

Learning Communities and Resources:

Additional considerations:

As you try new routines, you may find some habits harder to stick with. Studying with others can boost motivation and help you make friends to share strategies with. No matter what you’re contending with, you’ll find you’re far from alone.

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Encountering Challenges:
Navigating Assessments and Feedback

You may notice:

As midterm season progresses, you may be feeling stressed or wary about the road ahead. If you’ve already received some critical feedback or realized that a lifelong study strategy isn’t working anymore, you may be feeling demoralized. You may also notice unexpected wins: an unusual study tip that helped you or a bold essay topic that paid off.

Remind yourself:

Any uncertainty or disappointment you may be feeling is normal. It’s a prompt to start experimenting with new approaches, reaching out to new communities, and setting new boundaries.

It’s common for grades to dip in your first year. The good news: they can improve over time. Setbacks, frustration, trial and error, and even “failure” play a key role in learning any new concept or skill.

Feedback is meant to help you understand what’s going well and where you can improve. It’s okay to recognize your limits and make strategic choices, including scaling back on courses or co-curriculars. Trust your intuition on when to keep pushing and when you’d benefit from pulling back.

Try these strategies and resources:

Learning Strategies:

Learning Communities and Resources:

Additional considerations:

You may find your energy starting to drop as the weeks go by. This is normal and a reminder that cognitive demands are physical demands. Sleep, nutrition, and exercise directly affect your learning and so, this is a good time to intentionally add what restores your energy back to your schedule.

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Transforming and Reflecting:
Aiming for Sustainability

You may notice:

You’ve learned and changed… and you may feel there’s still a long way to go. You’ve put in the work, discovered what does and doesn’t help you, and are shifting to bigger-picture thoughts about who you are, what you care about, and how to work sustainably toward your long-term goals. You may also be realizing that even if effort doesn’t always yield rewards, it can still yield new realizations.

Remind yourself:

It takes time and energy to build new habits while also learning new material. You may not see your efforts translating into grades immediately, but you’ve achieved so much—and come so far—just trying your hand at university-level learning. As your journey continues, remember that you can always reset, reflect, and rebuild.

Try these strategies and resources:

Learning Strategies:

  • Reflect, in writing, on your experience so far with a focus on celebrating wins and considering what adjustments you’d like to make to your study habits and strategies going forward.
  • Don’t forget: rest, downtime, and play are study strategies that nurture your creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Build breaks and rewards, no matter how small, into your routine.

Learning Communities and Resources:

  • Attend the Learning How to Learn “Getting Ready for Reading Week” session or the Exam Prep series.
  • Connect with a Learning Strategist for tailoring evidence-based strategies to your needs.
  • Now that you know more about your needs as a learner, this is a good time to check in with your Registrar’s Office for advice if your courseload feels unmanageable or Accessibility Services if you’re noticing difficulties with your learning and suspect you may need accommodations.

Additional considerations:

Remember, grades and learning aren’t synonymous. Sometimes, adjustments to new ways of learning include dips in grades. No matter where you are in your academic journey, keep reflecting on what’s working and not working, and adapt your habits as you gain new insight. This fine-tuning process will help you throughout your academic journey and your life as a whole.

You are so much more than your grades and your identity as a student. You are a whole human who is valued here at U of T and beyond.

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Support for your first-year learning journey

Self-paced resources:

Workshops:

Community connections:

Coworking groups:

Immediate counselling support:

One-to-one support:

Workshops to help you learn well in first year

Join Learning Well in First Year sessions to get practical ways to learn better, stress less and meet other first-year students who understand what you’re going through.

View sessions and register