When it comes to starting university, new students can feel excited, overwhelmed and everything in between.

That’s where Memorial’s Campus Connect program can help.

Campus Connect aims to ease first-year students’ experience by building friendships and helping them get connected to campus life and feel more confident navigating university.

Through small group meetups, activities and conversations throughout the semester, new students will connect with student leaders who can share experiences, answer questions, and help make campus feel a little smaller.

New students

Abby Murphy is in her fifth year of Memorial’s Bachelor of Commerce (Co-op.) Program. She is a student leader in the program.

She says she remembers all too well how nervous she was in her first semester at Memorial and knew she could help new students who were just beginning their university experience.

“I was intimidated, even though I am outgoing,” said Ms. Murphy, who is from Bay Bulls, N.L. “I wanted to pass the torch.”

Some of the activities she’s helped lead include a walk along Kelly’s Brook Trail and accompanying the new students to the recent Career Fair and low-pressure gatherings like pool and darts at The Breezeway.

One of the seven students she’s been assigned to, Wylie Coombs from Flatrock, N.L., is in his first year of Memorial’s Bachelor of Recreation Program, with an eye to switching to the Bachelor of Kinesiology Program by next year.

He cites time playing pool as one of his highlights, even though he says he’s “not very good at it.”

“I like getting together,” he said. “All of my high school friends are in different areas of campus, so it grounds me when I meet the Campus Connect group.”

Strong start

It’s exactly what the program was designed to do: create space for new students to meet others, share experiences and form meaningful connections from the very beginning of their Memorial University journey.

Through fun, low-pressure gatherings, conversations and small-group experiences, the students will continue to meet regularly in the fall semester.

In addition to creating connections, new students can learn more about supports, services, activities and events at Memorial.

They can even have their involvement recognized on Memorial’s Online Record of Experience.

Memorable learning experiences

As for upcoming plans, Ms. Murphy says she wants to be sure her group is equipped to handle the stress first year students will inevitably feel as the fall semester starts to wrap up and final assignments and exams kick in.

She knows from experience stress management is key to a successful university experience.

For now, Ms. Murphy is focusing on engaging the students in the opportunities available to them at Memorial, such as visiting the Student Design Hub in the Engineering building or advising them on how to build their resumés to gain work experience.

Fun is a consistent item on the itinerary, though.

One of the more notable activities she came up with for her group was to create a family crest.

“I asked each student to include a hobby, their home, their favourite thing and their career aspirations.”

Interested in learning more about Campus Connect? Find it here!