Learning Well in First Year is a 4-part workshop series to help you adjust to university learning and develop more effectively as a learner in your first year through meaningful conversations and connections.
Join us each week to check in on your experience so far, and gain tips and strategies in a supportive environment. In our virtual sessions, discover what it means to learn well in your first year. We recommend that you attend all four workshops, but feel free to choose the sessions that feel right for you.
In these sessions you will:
- Reflect on your experience up to now as a first-year student.
- Discover ways to manage the new challenges of university learning.
- Practice new strategies to become an effective learner.
- Have fun and build connections with other first-year students.
Learning Well in First Year is part of the Academic Resilience Initiatives at Academic Success on the University of Toronto’s St. George campus. We support academic resilience by developing group programs that foster community and belonging through learning strategies, productivity habits and well-being supports.
Additional opportunities include Learning Well in Second Year and the Learning How to Learn workshop series.
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Program Eligibility
Undergraduate students in their first year of study
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How The Program Works
Sign up for any or all weekly sessions hosted by Heather Nelson, Learning Strategist to:
- Make sense of your transition to first-year university learning.
- Reflect on your academic strengths and challenges to become an effective learner.
- Connect with other students and learn about U of T resources and communities.
Workshop 1: Don’t Agonize, Organize – Adjusting to University Learning
You’ve made it through your first few weeks at U of T! What has gone well? What has been more challenging? With so much newness, it can be hard to get your bearings and feel confident. Join us to explore this transition and how to stay organized along the way:
- Reflect on your experience of transitioning from high school to university learning.
- Build a dynamic schedule and routine that is suited to your needs.
- Learn best practices for prioritizing tasks and staying organized.
Workshop 2: Managing Procrastination to Build Your Motivation
Everyone procrastinates – we all put off or delay work. But this can lead to feelings of overwhelm and burnout. Join us to learn how to manage procrastination and build sustainable motivation:
- Understand procrastination and how it affects our learning.
- Explore the ingredients to create sustainable motivation with your energy in mind.
- Practice developing a growth mindset to support feelings of failure.
Workshop 3: Action Planning for Tests & Assignments
When you have a lot on the go, planning early for tests and assignment deadlines can feel impossible. Join us to explore effective strategies for breaking down test and assignment prep into manageable steps:
- Understand how to apply active study strategies to prepare for tests and exams.
- Learn how to decode an assignment and plan for success.
- Know the difference between planning versus doing the task and how to manage both.
Workshop 4. Befriending Your Body – Stress, Rest & Finding Balance
This time of year can feel challenging. You’ve been busy, but there’s still a lot left to do. Join us to reframe stress, create more time for rest and learn how to find balance over Reading Week:
- Understand how stress can impact your learning.
- Learn ways to build rest and restoration into your routine to avoid burnout.
- Apply self-compassion as you attend to your holistic needs as a human and learner to help find balance.
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Program Registration
Each Learning Well in First Year event is hosted virtually on Zoom.
Sign up for any or all the weekly sessions on CLNx through the links below:
- Workshop 1: Don’t Agonize, Organize – Adjusting to University Learning on Thursday, October 12 at 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Workshop 2: Managing Procrastination to Build Your Motivation on Thursday, October 19 at 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Workshop 3: Action Planning for Tests & Assignments on Thursday, October 26 at 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Workshop 4. Befriending Your Body – Stress, Rest & Finding Balance on Thursday, November 2 at 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Please email Heather Nelson at heather.nelson@utoronto.ca if you have any questions.