If you have questions that this paper doesn’t address, don’t forget there are lots of places you can go to get your questions answered. Whether your problems are social, academic, or even medical, here are some important places for you to know about for the rest of your time at the University of Waterloo.
Dons
The dons at your residence are really just upper-year students whose job it is to help you out; you can ask them about a lot of the things that might worry you, whether it’s about dorm life, academics, or some other part of student life. Those of you not living on campus can get help from the Off-Campus Community’s dons, meaning every first year has someone to turn to.
Profs and TAs
When it comes to trying to make sense of your courses, the best people to ask are probably the ones running it. If you have questions about a particular subject or an upcoming assignment, your professors (or their teaching assistants) usually have office hours every week to talk one-on-one with students. For less serious conversations, your professor will likely also have an e-mail where students can get in touch with them, though some profs may be more responsive than others.
Student Success Office
The Student Success Office exists to help students make the most of their academic career. Throughout the year, it offers workshops focusing on a variety of skills you’ll need for university, as well as drop-in tutoring for many courses and peer mentorship programs.
Centre for Career Action
The Centre for Career Action aims to help students get ready for the workplace. In addition to having student job and career fairs throughout the year, CCA also holds workshops on subjects like how to make a proper resumé, and lets students schedule appointments with advisers to sort out their career path.
Health Services
If you’ve got concerns about your health, the best place to go on campus is probably Health Services. Here you can book appointments for all sorts of medical concerns, or have a walk-in visit for more pressing medical treatment. It’s also where you’ll want to go if you ever need to pick up a doctor’s note for class.
