Why YOU Should Complete the Pre-arrival Program

It’s hard to believe that a year ago I was counting down the days until I started my first university class. When the day of my first class came, I felt prepared to join the hundreds of other students.

Completing the pre-arrival program was one of the best things I did to prepare myself for university life. Here are some reasons why you too should do the Pre-arrival Program.

The Pre-arrival Program is one of the best ways to prepare yourself for university life.

You’ll get familiar with Brightspace

If you haven’t taken many online courses before, using a learning management system (LMS for short) can be a little confusing.

The Pre-arrival Program is a great way to get familiar with Brightspace and learn how to navigate it. By the end of the Pre-arrival Program you’ll be a Brightspace pro!

Get your brain ready for September

Chances are if you’re starting studies at UVic this fall, you’ve taken a break from regular learning. The Pre-arrival Program can be a nice way to ease yourself into academics or keep your brain sharp.

Think of it as warming up before a workout; you’re getting your brain into learning mode.

It’s specific to UVic

There’s a good chance that you’ve asked older siblings, cousins, and friends about their university experience, or you’ve gone down a YouTube rabbit hole of university advice videos.

The Pre-arrival Program can help you take what you know and put it in the context of life at UVic, not to mention give you specific info like UVic’s community values.

You’ll learn how to make the switch to university an easy one

UVic built the Pre-arrival Program to address the needs of new students in what is often one of the biggest transition stages in their lives.

This is why the program covers topics that students struggle the most with (new academic expectations, finances) or are curious about (how to get involved, how to navigate campus, where to go if you have an issue with your course load).

Academic tips to help you succeed

Knowing how to study and the best techniques to use for academic success are a major topic covered by the Pre-arrival Program. This year the program will also include information specific to online learning.

You’ll learn skills and tricks that make adult responsibilities manageable

Not sure how to budget? Don’t know the best ways to keep yourself healthy while living on your own? Want to know how substances can be used appropriately and safely?

Want to know how to prevent and appropriately respond to sexualised violence? The pre-arrival program is a great way to start familiarizing yourself with strategies and resources to make adult responsibilities easier.

Taking charge of your well-being can be challenging, but the Pre-arrival Program can help you out!

Ways to get involved with the UVic community

Community involvement is a great way to meet new people, learn new things, make memories and, depending on what you do, help you build your resume or make a difference in your campus community.

The Pre-arrival Program will help you get started in finding the best ways for you to get involved.

Prizes

If you’re not convinced quite yet, knowing that any eligible student who completes the Pre-arrival Program by Wednesday, September 9, 2020 has the chance of winning a $200 UVic bookstore gift card might do the trick.

There are also prize packs that you can win if you complete certain parts of the pre-arrival programs by certain dates so be sure to check out this page for details.

Obviously, these are just some of the benefits to completing the Pre-arrival Program and I’m sure it’ll help you just as much as it helped me.

Good luck and welcome to UVic!