First-year students share how their experiences differ from their expectations
From senior high school graduates to freshman university students, this significant life transition creates unique experiences for every individual.
Three first-year students, Isobel Mario, Memphis Hartman and Amber Fink, reflect on their personal experiences thus far at the U of R. Mario and Hartman envisioned a much different version of university filled with late-night study sessions, a jam packed social calendar and the excitement of newfound independence.
As the year unfolds each are navigating the reality of virtual classes, balancing the stress of academic and personal life as well as coping with a lack of socialization, being which are all far different from what they were anticipating the experience to be.
“It is so different from the experience I had in high school. From my perspective, the point of university has always been a sort of temple of knowledge, and knowledge is shared through interaction with one another and engaging with new perspectives,” Hartman expressed.
With the pronounced presence of technology and a limited feeling of opportunity to get involved, first year students are finding it difficult to really engage in the university experience they had hoped.
Hartman continued, “I saw university from afar as this place for new social engagement, and it really hasn’t been that period. I don’t know if it’s the cell phone epidemic, however I do generally feel like my peers are super disengaged and maybe not very interested in interacting with me or one another.”
Despite the fact that technology makes the accessibility to knowledge quite efficient Memphis stated, “It doesn’t make sense why [technology] has been so all consuming. However I also want to live my life and experience things with my own eyes and ears and speak to people.”
A study done by the Canadian University Survey Consortium (CUSC) in 2022 on first-year students examined the students’ overall university experience. The survey showed that at the University of Regina, out of 488 students that completed the survey, “first-year students were most likely to say their experiences fell short (20%) rather than exceeded their expectations (8%), a trend that has been observed since 2016.”
Meanwhile this continues to reflect onto students now in 2025 such as Mario who expressed, “I do feel academically it is exceeding my expectations, however socially it feels like it is falling short.”
In contrast, Amber Fink, a first-year chancellors scholarship recipient feels she is experiencing a more fulfilling experience socially due to her ability to live on campus and the requirement to attend the Chancellor Scholarship programming and recruitment initiatives, she feels she has had more opportunity to connect with peers.
Fink noted, “University is quite self directed. Everything is up to you and I think especially with first year students it’s so easy to become isolated in university. Your involvement is pretty much completely up to you.”
For some first year students it is easiest to isolate themselves. This is not what the university hopes for first year students.
Interim Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Dr. David Gregory stated, “Your first year is about balance: exploring who you are as a person, laying a foundation for academic success, and enjoying the experience. We hope you build meaningful connections. Making friends, joining student organizations, attending events, or engaging in volunteer work can help you create a sense of belonging.”
