{"id":59455,"date":"2026-04-25T14:25:05","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T18:25:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.society19.com\/?p=59455"},"modified":"2026-04-25T14:25:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T18:25:05","slug":"tips-every-first-year-ubc-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.society19.com\/ca\/tips-every-first-year-ubc-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips Every First Year At UBC Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

My first year of university was a colorful blur of late night pizza orders, laughing until my cheeks hurt, frantic calls to my parents, and bills of\u00a0what was I thinking\u00a0<\/em>purchases. All I\u2019m left with now are collections of photos of nights gone perfectly wrong, and stains of dinners I wish I could re live. Here are\u00a0some survival tips for your start as a first year\u00a0at UBC.<\/p>\n

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1. Your first year at UBC is a time for\u00a0“firsts.”<\/h3>\n

Be curious and open minded. Try out the activity you\u2019ve always wanted to do but were too worried what your parents would think; or go to the event nobody else wanted to accompany you to in high school. You may surprise yourself along the way.<\/p>\n

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2. Take advantage of starting over.<\/h3>\n

One of the best feelings about being a part of somewhere new is knowing that you can change whatever you want about yourself, and that your past won\u2019t follow you. No one knows about your embarrassing incidents, who you used to date, or what you used to listen to. If anything, the new environment should make you want to be more confident in trying new things.<\/p>\n

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3. Don\u2019t be stuck in the past.<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s that time to befriend people you never thought you\u2019d be close to and try out things you thought you weren\u2019t into. You may be homesick. You may have a case of FOMO as you see photos of your high school friends all together at the university you didn\u2019t choose. I committed to UBC with my heart set on a different school, but once I came, I realized there\u2019s a reason I\u2019m here and not anywhere else.<\/span><\/p>\n

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4. Control your judgments.<\/h3>\n

Easier said than done, but when you\u2019re thrust into a pool of people of all backgrounds and cultures, remind yourself to be accepting. Not everyone was brought up like you were or has a similar mindset. Despite any preconceived notions or knowledge, someone is enduring a struggle you never thought existed.<\/p>\n

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5. Know when to be selfish.<\/h3>\n

This doesn\u2019t mean being less thoughtful or inconsiderate. It just means knowing when and how to take care of yourself first, as you\u2019re all you have left at the end of the day. The future will only bring more responsibilities and obligations, and less leeway for you to do what you want compared to now. Take this time to get to know yourself better. Don\u2019t apologize for having a preference or an opinion, and save your sacrifices for those who are deserving of them.<\/p>\n

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6. You\u2019re only human.<\/h3>\n

We\u2019re not just students; we\u2019re family members, friends, significant others, employees, athletes, and much more. Writing it all down makes it seem like we\u2019re all expected to have powers of deities. But remember that you\u2019re doing the best you can. And if you\u2019re not, start.<\/p>\n

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7. Don\u2019t spread yourself thin and find the balance that works for you.<\/h3>\n

I still haven\u2019t mastered this and probably won\u2019t anytime soon. The balance of school, friends, and clubs\/jobs won\u2019t be the same for everyone; but it’s vital for maintaining relationships, responsibilities, and grades, as well as deciding what\u2019s\u00a0priority.<\/p>\n

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8. It\u2019s okay to have absolutely no idea what you\u2019re doing.<\/h3>\n

You might not know what you want to do with your life. You might not even know how to do life. For me, I thought I did, realized I didn\u2019t, and at the moment still don\u2019t, but I\u2019m a lot closer than I was 10 months ago. If anyone seems like they have it all together, they\u2019re probably just skilled at hiding the fact that they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

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9. Don\u2019t be a waiter.<\/h3>\n

Instead of thinking, “I\u2019m glad that happened,” think, “I\u2019m glad I made that happen.” You may be a believer in fate, but the things you want won\u2019t be handed to you and the people you want to meet won\u2019t necessarily walk right up to you. But of course, there comes a limit in actively seeking out what you want. Because the things we want will only come once we\u2019re ready.<\/p>\n

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chrisatley.com<\/h6>\n

10. It\u2019s okay, and even healthy, to be alone from time to time.<\/h3>\n

There always seems to be a negative connotation that follows being in solitude. Even if it appears like everyone is always with their friends or has found their niche, it doesn\u2019t mean you have to be the same. Don\u2019t depend on others to be your entertainment, because sometimes the only companionship you need is yourself. Going to one place solitary and with friends are two vastly different experiences, but both are equally rewarding.<\/p>\n

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11. No one cares as much as you expect or want.<\/h3>\n

People will sympathize, but no will care about your issues like you do, because they\u2019re yours and not theirs. It\u2019s always comforting to vent and seek advice, but there\u2019s only so much those around you can and would do. Because when did listening to someone apologize about what you\u2019re going through ever make you feel better?<\/p>\n

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12. Learn to stand on your own.<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s never too late to practice. At home, whenever you had a bad day, you had your safe place, your dog to cuddle, or your mom to talk to. You may have become accustomed to leaning on someone else\u2019s shoulders, but what we consider to be our safety net won\u2019t always be there.<\/p>\n

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13. Enjoy the moment!<\/h3>\n

This means living through your eyes and not through your cracked iPhone screen. Not everything has to be documented and broadcasted. Sometimes, the most authentic memories you have are the ones no one else knows about, because you lived through them not for a reaction from others, but for yourself, simply because you wanted to.<\/p>\n

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There is no right or wrong way to have lived your first year. Treasure this year, because this will be the only time you have to use your first year\u00a0status as an excuse for a questionable decision or a low grade. Remember that the best days are the ones unplanned, and the best nights are when you didn\u2019t get a lot of (or any) sleep. Most importantly, make memories that are going to make you smile four years from now, because you\u2019re never going to have a first year of university again.<\/p>\n

Have any other tips every first year at UBC\u00a0should know? Comment below!<\/h2>\n

Featured image source: huffingtonpost.ca<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My first year of university was a colorful blur of late night pizza orders, laughing until my cheeks hurt, frantic calls to my parents, and bills of\u00a0what was I thinking\u00a0purchases. All I\u2019m left with now are collections of photos of nights gone perfectly wrong, and stains of dinners I wish I could re live. Here…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19309,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":true},"categories":[1],"tags":[7736],"thb-sponsors":[],"class_list":["post-59455","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-ubc-tips-advice"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTips Every First Year At UBC Should Know - Society19 Canada<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.society19.com\/ca\/tips-every-first-year-ubc-know\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tips Every First Year At UBC Should Know - Society19 Canada\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"My first year of university was a colorful blur of late night pizza orders, laughing until my cheeks hurt, frantic calls to my parents, and bills of\u00a0what was I thinking\u00a0purchases. 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