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Academic Preparation Week
Prepare yourself for a successful first year at Laurier!
Running from Aug. 15 to 19 and as part of our Laurier 101 programming, Academic Prep 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 mock lecture, participate in an academic success session, check out our online resources, join our senior student panel and more!
Activate Your Student Email and Zoom Account
Registration is required for academic prep week events that are hosted through Zoom. You can register for each event by clicking the Zoom link in the schedule below.
Remember to:
- Activate your student email and check it regularly to stay informed.
- Set up and configure your Zoom account.
Schedule of Events
Check out the session descriptions.
Monday, Aug. 15
- Criminology Mock Lecture: Toxic Fandoms on the Internet| 11a.m. to noon | Register for the event.
- Academic Expectations in University | 1 to 1:45 p.m. | Register for the event.
Tuesday, Aug. 16
- Academic Skills: Reading, Note-Taking, Studying | 1 to 1:45 p.m. | Register for the event.
- Senior Student Panel | 5 to 6 p.m. | Register for the event.
Wednesday, Aug. 17
- Preparing for University Now! | 1 to 1:45 p.m. | Register for the event.
- Business Mock Lecture: An Introduction to Business Models | 3 to 4 p.m. | Register for the event.
Thursday, Aug. 18
- Student Support at Laurier | noon to 1p.m. | Register for the event.
- Transition to University Writing Strategies | 3 to 3:45 p.m. | Register for the event.
- WYTNK: Textbooks and Course Materials | 7 to 8 p.m. | Register for the event.
Friday, Aug. 19
- Science Mock Lecture: Phylogenies: Building, Testing, and Reading Trees of Life | 11a.m. to noon | Register for the event.
- Library Services | 1 to 1:45 p.m. | Register for the event.
Can't Attend a Session? Check out our Online Resources
Start with the Academic Preparation Certificate. This is a collection of modules and activities to help you get ready for your academic life at Laurier.
If you are preparing for a math course this year, watch our Key Strategies for Learning Math video to help with your math strategies!
Check out the session descriptions to find online modules for our sessions about Academic Expections in Univeristy, Academic Skills: Reading, Note-Taking, and Studying, and Preparing for University Now!
Session Descriptions
Check out the schedule to see when these sessions are offered during the week.
This mock lecture will look at the impact of toxic fandoms from ‘review-bombing’ movies and/or video games to online harassment on social media. We will define ‘toxic fandoms’, look at specific case studies, and discuss these cases in the context of subcultural theories of deviance. Registration is required.
In this webinar you will learn about the differences in academic expectations from high school to university and how to use your syllabus to your advantage. We will also cover the student life cycle transition, hear from some senior students, and discover how to get connected on campus. Registration is required.
Can't make this session? Check out our asynchronous module!
You may need to refine or discover new academic skills and strategies to help you succeed in university. Join us to learn some quick tips and tricks to help you prepare for the university classroom. We will discuss strategies for reading, note-taking, studying, and how to put everything together. Registration is required.
Can't make this session? Check out our asynchronous module!
Come connect with senior Laurier students to hear about how they managed their transition to Laurier and what new strategies they implemented to help them. Make sure to bring your questions with you to ask about life at Laurier! Registration is required.
You can start preparing for your first day, month, and semester now! Join us to start thinking about your thinking. In this session, you will learn about time management strategies, complete a self-assessment of your learning, and set goals for your first semester! Registration is required.
Can't make this session? Check out our asynchronous module!
This lecture will introduce attendees to what a business model is, why it's important and how companies that offer similar products can use vastly different models. We will discuss some business model patterns such as 'Bait & Hook', 'Hotel California Trap' and 'Freemium', and highlight a few model mechanics that make these business models effective for companies like Gillette, Nespresso, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, Spotify, and Netflix. Registration is required.
Your academic success and personal well-being is at the heart of our caring Laurier community. Join us at this webinar to learn about campus resources that support your transition and first-year academic success. We will also discuss the many services available that support your physical and mental health. Students and their parents and supporters are welcome to attend. Registration is required.
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. Registration is required.
Join the Bookstore team to learn more about textbooks and course materials! Learn about the differences between textbook options, how to order your materials, and get your questions answered by the experts. Registration is required.
This lecture will focus on how biologists attempt to understand and organize our knowledge of the incredible diversity of life on Earth constructing phylogenetic trees to attempt to describe the evolutionary relationships among different groups of organisms. We will examine what information is (and is not) useful in constructing such trees, how to (correctly) interpret these trees, as well as how to judge competing hypotheses about the true pattern of ancestry within a group. Registration is required.
Laurier Librarians will introduce you to the services and supports offered by the Laurier Library across all campuses and online. We will discuss getting research help, finding your subject librarian, accessing course reserves, and using the OMNI to find research material for your classes, and more! Registration is required.
Many of us find learning math, and subjects that involve a lot of math, challenging. During this asynchronous 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!
- Watch this session now!
Want More Strategies?
Follow us on Instagram @LaurierStudentSuccess to get more tips, tricks and strategies to prepare for September.