High school students get a warped image of what university is like from a bunch of sources: older friends and siblings, university catalogues, movies, and TV. After two weeks of classes we wanted to know what you were expecting… and what you weren’t. Here are the top four.
You expected to get lost?
UTM isn’t a very big campus. Still, more than half the froshies we polled thought they’d get lost. Don’t let your guard down, though; the Davis Building still has a few labyrinthian underground tunnels.
You expected people to be meaner?
Even if you do get lost, you’re more than likely to find help. Many of you were surprised to find that your older peers were pretty friendly—at least, friendly enough to point you in the right direction.
You expected less freedom?
In many high schools, you can’t roam the halls without a pass. You can’t skip class whenever you want. About a third of the first-years we polled were pleasantly surprised by the freedom that comes with university classes. In your words, “The profs aren’t after us!”
You expected a heavier workload?
After the first week, many of you were happy to find that the workload wasn’t as heavy as you expected. All I can say is don’t be fooled. Just wait.
