Project Purpose 

“Things I Wish I Knew Before First Year” exists to share the advice, truths and tools we all wish we had before starting university. It is designed to help students navigate their first year with clarity, confidence and access to support in academic, social and emotional aspects.  

Author's Note 

When I started my first year at Western, I was an international student in a completely new program, far from my family and everything that felt familiar. I went into my first year hopeful, but also quietly overwhelmed. I dealt with racism, imposter syndrome and anxiety, often all at once and there were moments when I genuinely wondered if I belonged at Western. By the time first semester had ended, I was exhausted in ways I could not express. 

When January came around, I didn't magically feel better. I didn't have things figured out. What I did have was a small but important realization: I couldn't keep doing everything on my own. That second semester became my own kind of reset. I started reaching out for support, both personally and academically. I booked counseling appointments. I talked to advisors. I stepped out of my comfort zone by joining clubs. I finally let myself admit that I needed change. Those choices didn't fix everything overnight, but they gave me room to breathe, reflect and slowly learn how to take better care of myself.  

Looking back now as a fourth-year student, I can see how many supports were available to me all along, many of them free, many designed for moments like that January slump. Even if your semester went really well, those same supports still go a long way. Asking for help doesn't have to mean something is wrong; it can also be a way to stay grounded and build good habits.  

First Entry - Take Advantage of the Supports Available to You 

January isn't about becoming a brand-new person or suddenly having it all together. It's about giving yourself a chance to reset, try again and to ask for help in ways that support your growth. Mid-January is sometimes called “Blue Monday”. This is known as a time of “winter blues”, when many people feel more tired, less motivated and emotionally drained during the winter months. After the holidays end and school or work picks back up, it’s common to feel a bit low. Shorter days, less sunlight and colder weather can also affect how we feel. It helps explain why this time of year can feel heavier for many people. You don't have to go through this alone, there are people and resources here to support you…which is where the Campus Care Toolkit comes in! 

Campus Care Toolkit  

These are some of the key supports available to you at Western. You can search each of these names on the Western website for full details.  

One of the biggest myths in university is that you can only use supports when you’re failing or falling apart. In reality, these supports are often what allows students to grow stronger and feel more confident, even when things are going well. A student leader shared this about Western’s writing support service: 

“Amazing service, incredibly helpful and provides an informed third-person perspective on any piece of writing. I needed help writing a scientific review, and even though the assistant who helped me did not have a science background, she helped me tremendously improve my paper.”