Using Humber’s resources was the biggest piece of advice from students for newcomers on campus.
“You should really take a walk around the Arboretum,” Manan Nijhawan, a final-year Journalism Diploma student said.
Nijhawan said he loved exploring the campus as a first-year student and suggested walking around the soccer and baseball fields.
He also recommended the gym to people who enjoy working out.
“Enjoy yourself but try to have the correct balance,” he said, adding that free time will be less available as you approach your final semester.
Another final-semester student, Deborah Akintola, part of the business management program, suggested getting involved with First-Year Experience to new students attending Humber.
“First-Year Experience is a great way to start,” she said about the mentoring program for new students at Humber. In it, new students are paired with an upper-year student in a similar program who can help make the transition easier, academically and socially.
Akintola is now a mentor for first-years but recalls joining as a mentee when she was new to Humber.
“In addition to asking related questions, I learned about campus life and everything else,” she said.
IGNITE, the student union of Humber, offers many different resources to students as well. Everything from events to clubs and services, Akintola said that IGNITE can be a great way to meet other students with similar interests.
She highly recommends the Humber Learning Skills Workshop that offers note-taking, study and test preparation skills. Students can also find free peer tutoring for extra support.
“My greatest advantage is knowing the best way to balance my schedule,” Akintola said. “First year students should do things they like and make time for schoolwork.”
Malkeet Singh, a first-year Broadcast Television and Videography student, highly recommended using Humber Library’s Idea Lab. It offers an audio studio, video studio and 3D printers. The facility has podcast equipment, green screens and cameras that students can also access.
Singh works as a Student Lab Assistant for Idea Lab and recommends first-year students to get a job on campus. He says it can be a way to meet faculty members and shorten travel time between work and school.
The biggest piece of advice Singh had for first-year students is to form a solid group of friends and stay one week ahead of your program.
“Humber makes you independent. You have to do everything on your own,” Singh said. He recommended the Student Wellness and Accessibility Centre for students who need any health, counselling, accessible learning or fitness services.
Advice from journalism Professor Kelly Roche is to try everything.
When it comes to the journalism program, she said “don’t put yourself in a box.” She encourages students to be open to everything when it comes to ambition and goals.
Roche emphasizes the importance of being on time and having manners.
“All of these little things add up and can help you leave a strong impression on your prof. and on your peers,” she said.