Hometown Volunteer - Justin Toh

I think the most important thing to realize is that the cliché is true: university life really is whatever you make of it. 

You now have more control over your lifestyle than ever before. No one is forcing you to do anything you don’t want to do. You determine what you do, when you do it, and who you do it with.  You engineer your experiences. So if you want to wake up in the afternoon, you can. If you want to spend 12 hours a day studying, you can do that too. Whether your pursuits are mundane or insane, you can find a way to do it and people to do it with.  

Some additional advice:

Get involved! The reason it’s said so often is because it cannot be said enough. There are awesome things to do everywhere, both on-campus and off. You have over 150 clubs to choose from, guest speakers to see, festivals, performances, exhibits and events to attend almost every day.   Plus, when you go out and participate, you meet people - smart, interesting and fun people who care about what you care about.  People you can spend your weekends with. People who will probably be worth driving out of town to see long after you’ve graduated. 

Last but not least, go to class and do the readings (it’s kind of the reason you’re here). Spending a few hours in the library regularly is very effective and really isn’t as hard as it might seem. Besides, the material is actually interesting!

I only just finished first year myself, but I can tell you that it’s easy to survive and thrive if you make an effort. And if you ever feel homesick, you can always call your parents (or do a video call if need be).

- Justin Toh, Year II 


 

 

Comments

[roulette]

a debt of gratitude is in order regarding the volunteers, university essence totally is whatever you build of it.