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Academic Preparation Week
Prepare yourself for a successful first year at Laurier!
Academic Preparation Week is designed to set you up for academic success in your first year and allow you to experience what being a university student is like. Follow along with the Student Success team to learn about how to prepare and adapt your skills for university level learning. Attend a student panel, participate in an academic success session, check out our online resources, and more!
Another great resource that you can review in addition to our Academic Preparation Week sessions below, is our Academic Preparation Modules on MyLearningSpace! The Academic Preparation Modules include a collection of activities to help you get ready for your academic life at university and set yourself up for success in your first year.
Activate Your Student Email and Zoom Account
Registration is required for Academic Preparation Week events. You can register for each event by clicking on the Zoom registration link in the schedule below! Before you register and attend the events, make sure to set up and configure your Zoom account. Remember to activate your student email and check it regularly to stay informed.
Schedule of Events
Monday, Aug. 17
- Managing Expectations: Time Management in University | 1 – 2 p.m. | Register here!
- Transition to University Writing Strategies | 3 – 4 p.m. | Register here!
- Effective Study Strategies: Level Up Your Learning | 6 – 7 p.m. | Register here!
Tuesday, Aug. 18
- Real Talk: Senior Student Panel | 12 – 1 p.m. | Register here!
- Key Strategies for Learning Math | 3 – 4 p.m. | Register here!
Wednesday, Aug. 19
- GenAI and University| 12 – 1 p.m. | Register here!
- Professor Perspectives: Faculty Panel |2 – 3 p.m. | Register here!
- What Even is a Lecture? | 4 – 5 p.m. | Register here!
Thursday, Aug. 20
- The Library Advantage: Resources for Academic Success | 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Register here!
- Reading & Note-Taking Strategies for University Learning | 1 – 2 p.m. | Register here!
Starting university often brings more responsibilities and higher expectations and we want to ensure that you are prepared to manage that effectively! Join us to learn more about time management strategies and the steps you can take to stay organized and on top of both your course work and “adulting tasks”
Nervous about writing university-level assignments? Not to worry! Writing Services can help you make the transition from high school to university writing. In this workshop, we’ll talk about the differences between high school writing assignments and university writing assignments. We’ll also talk about how to use university-level writing strategies to brainstorm, compose, and revise the assignments you’ll get at this new stage of education.
You may need to refine or discover new study strategies to help you succeed in university. Join us to learn how you can “level up” your learning through effective study strategies! We will discuss ways that you can be more effective and efficient with the way that you approach studying.
Come with your questions in mind! Senior Laurier students will share their experiences, advice for a successful first year in university, and what they wish they had known entering their first semester.
Many of us find learning math, and subjects that involve a lot of math, challenging. During this workshop, we will discuss why this might be, identifying factors related to the nature of math itself, as well as to ourselves. Then we will look at some key strategies you can try in your courses this year which can help make learning math more effective!
As a student, knowing what to do with gen AI chatbots like ChatGPT and CoPilot can be tricky. You may have concerns about academic misconduct, plagiarism, and questions about the ethical implications of using gen AI chatbots in your coursework. These are worthy concerns, and it is worth taking time to learn more about how gen AI tools work and appropriate ways to approach them in your coursework.
Connecting with your professors can seem intimidating, but we promise, they are here to help you succeed! Join us to hear insights and advice from some of our great faculty members here at Laurier, and also for the chance to ask your questions!
Attending your first lecture at university may be something completely different than you have experienced before. You may be wondering how is a lecture different from one of my lessons in high school? Or, how do lectures compare to a professional development workshop? Join us as we talk about topics like how to prepare for your first lecture, how to access course content, and learning the overall structure of university lectures, labs, and tutorials.
Reading deeply, and taking effective notes at university is a skill that we can all develop! In this session, we will cover some reading strategies to help you better understand and retain what you are reading for your courses. We will also cover ways to improve your note-taking in preparation for university.
Meet with a Peer Academic Coach
Our Peer Academic Coaches are senior students who are here to help make your transition to university a little easier. During your 25-minutes appointment, you can ask questions, talk through any concerns, and learn what to expect in your first few weeks as a student. Whether you're feeling excited, nervous, or a bit of both, our Peer Coaches are ready to offer support!
To sign-up for a Peer Coaching Appointment, follow the steps below and watch this video for a demonstration:
- Go to the Student Success Portal
- Log in using your Laurier credentials.
- Your username is your mylaurier email, but leave out "@mylaurier.ca" (ex. abcd1234)
- Your password is the same as what you use to access your account
- From the main menu, scroll down to find "Virtual - First Year Peer Academic Coaching Appointment" and select "Book Appointment"
- Choose a time that works with your schedule!
After booking your appointment, you can expect to receive an invitation to meet virtually over Microsoft Teams. If you have any questions about booking a Peer Coaching Appointment, you can contact laurier101@wlu.ca.
There are limited spots during Academic Preparation Week, so if you are unable to book an appointment don't worry! You can always book an appointment during the fall semester to connect with a Peer Coach or a Learning Consultant for support after you have settled in at Laurier.