Bucket List for First Year Students

Heading into first year this September? Here's a bucket list you don't have to wait a lifetime to complete.

Starting first year can be tons of fun, but it can also be a lot to take in. Capilano University has built this bucket list for any first-year student who needs a hand orienting themselves to a new world of campus life!

Some of these things you can do RIGHT NOW, so don't wait. The more you prepare, the better your first weeks and months of university will be.

Start with a light course load

We recommend 3-4 courses, if you have the choice. Some students are in cohort programs and are told exactly what to take each term, so this wouldn't apply to those students. You can increase or decrease your course load each term.

Attend the first week of classes

This is where you'll learn about your instructor's expectations: how they'll grade your work, how to prepare for large exams and projects and how to succeed in their course.

Create a calendar after the first week of classes.

Keep track of assignment due dates, midterms, and finals from the course outline you get in each course. Make sure you include blocks of studying, commuting, work, hobbies. Update it frequently. Deadlines and midterms will come up quickly, so don't lose track of time.

Try a few calendar types to see which one clicks. You might find you're drawn to a weekly calendar or perhaps you prefer a semester calendar where you can see the entire term at a glance.

Add the add/drop deadline and withdrawal deadline to your calendar

If you're considering decreasing your courseload, find out from an Academic Advisor the benefits or impacts of dropping a course during these times.

See your instructor during their office hours at least once in the term

Instructors block off time every week to be available for their students — these are their office hours specifically for your class. You are not a burden to them for asking for help or clarification. You can ask about a future assignment, an exam you've taken already, or discuss content of the class you're struggling to grasp.

If you've had a major life event and something out of your control has taken priority, your instructors may be able to help with adjusting deadlines and due dates.

Check your myCapU email daily to stay on top of all your important updates

University is full of deadlines and sometimes they have repercussions for missing them (see the fee payment deadline for example).

Learn a new studying, note-taking, and/or time management technique to manage all that you will be learning in your classes

What worked for you in your previous school may not be as effective here. Cater to how your brain learns in this new environment. Tip: learn about a studying technique based on the "Curve of Forgetting."

Book an appointment with our Learning Strategist to find out what you can do differently.

Stay on top of your weekly readings

Avoid missing your readings and playing catch up — this will be overwhelming and more difficult than doing a bit of reading every day.

Attend a CapU Blues game (soccer, volleyball, or basketball)

The women's soccer team is hosting Nationals this year in November at the Squamish campus!

Prepare for spring course registration with an Academic Advisor.

If you wait until November to see us, the wait time for an email reply is longer and bookings are harder to come by.

Spring course offerings will be released in October, this is a great time to see us before the rush. We look forward to meeting you!

Welcome to CapU and all the best with your first term!