In high school, you may have had your work laid out by teachers, with easy-to-follow instructions and homework check-ins to make sure you stayed on track academically. In university, you will learn to build your own schedule, as homework and problem sets aren’t always mandatory, and your plan must be feasible while still allowing you to attain your goals. After the first few months of EngSci, you might notice that it takes a while to adjust to a heavier workload and that your learning strategies might change. There are various initiatives (listed below) that can help you develop your academic skills, including task management, critical thinking, problem-solving, and coping with stress and anxiety.
Get to know the resources available to you, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. For example, you can ask your professors what you are expected to know, ask upper years for advice, or check out some of the programs listed below. Positive learning strategies will help you throughout university and beyond!
Available Resources
Most of these initiatives are run by U of T’s Engineering Learning Strategist, who you can also speak to individually to create a learning plan that works for you. Learn more about the role of a Learning Strategist here.
For a list of updated initiatives and programs run by the Learning Strategist check out the U of T Engineering Learning Strategist website.
There are four modules on time management skills created and developed by the Engineering Learning Strategist. If you would like to build better time management to prepare for EngSci, you can try these out right now and learn about organization and planning, scheduling, and self-reflection.
engSuccess is a mentorship program that starts in September where you can meet upper-year engineering students across disciplines with diverse backgrounds. Book appointments with them to help enhance your time management, work-life balance, healthy habits, and more.
Guided Engineering Academic Review Sessions (GEARS) mentors are upper year EngSci students who can also help you build academic and time management skills based on their own experiences, in addition to helping you with course content.