September is my favourite month of all. The weather is perfect, summer jobs are finished, and it’s finally time to head back to campus! There are always fun and exciting things going on during the first month of school, but what about the rest of the semester? Here’s how you can make it feel like the first month all year long!
Free Swag
It seems like in the first few weeks of school, you can pick up pens, coupons, and other swag wherever you go. Seriously, take advantage of it! The amount of free items will diminish throughout the school year, and you won’t want to be stuck without a pen come midterm time! Looking for swag during the chillier months of the school year? Be sure to check out career fairs, open houses, and businesses advertising around campus.
Free Food
Save your grocery money for next month! Watch for free pancake breakfasts, barbeques, and other delicious snacks around campus during the first month of school. During the rest of the year, watch out for student group BBQs on campus! They are usually more affordable than eating at a restaurant, and they support a good cause. If you’re really in a pinch, the Campus Food Bank is always there to help out!
U-Passes
You have to admit, not paying full price for public transit is pretty awesome! You’ll appreciate it even more when that cold Alberta winter arrives. Your U-Pass is valid until the end of December. Fear not if you haven’t picked it up yet, the stickers will be available for most of the semester from InfoLink.
School Pride
I love the U of A so much that I might actually bleed green and gold… so I love noticing how proud other students are to be at this school! Nothing starts the year off like being surrounded by green and gold decorations, high-fiving Patches and Guba, or sitting in Quad and basking in the excitement of WOW. I encourage you to keep that school spirit up during the rest of the year! Go to a Golden Bears or Pandas game, and scream your lungs out for our team, applaud your fellow students and cheer on your favourite profs at Celebrate! (our school's achievement awards), wear our colors on September 27 for Green and Gold Day, mix an mingle with our Alumni while enjoying a tuck shop cinnamon bun during Alumni Weekend, pull together a team and compete for fame and glory in AntiFreeze... and most of all and never forget to be proud of what a wonderful school you go to!
Going to Class
Don’t get me wrong, I love my classes, but there’s something so nice about easing into the semester with those days where the professor just hands you a syllabus, does an icebreaker, or lets you make name tags. For the rest of the semester, be prepared to learn! Make sure you go to class well rested [or well-caffeinated], find a buddy in class to share notes with in case one of you is sick, and make sure you stick to your reading schedule. If you stay on top of things in the first month, the rest of the semester will feel much easier!
Mornings
Being on campus early enough to appreciate things like the early morning sun rising over Quad makes waking up for 9am classes feel a little more worth it. But with school back in action, you’re going to need to come to campus extra early if you want to skip the line-ups for coffee – especially during exam season!
How do you make that new-school-year feeling last throughout the year? Hit the comments and let us know!
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About the Author
My name is Erin and I’m going into my eighth, and final, year at the University of Alberta. When I grow up, I want to be a fairy princess… but since the U of A doesn’t offer that program, I am working on completing my Bachelor of Elementary Education.
I can usually be found consuming excessive amounts of caffeine in the library, volunteering with my sorority sisters, or hitting up the latest campus events.
What I love most about the U of A is how different the experience is for everyone, and how many experiences each student can have. I hope to share my stories and yours, so that together we can discover what this amazing campus has to offer!
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