Dear Incoming Psychology Student,

Congratulations on entering university! I hope you have taken the time and energy to appreciate the journey you have taken thus far to get to where you are now. That said, you would not be alone if you were not exactly certain what is in store for you in your university experience. I know I wasn’t in my first semester. However, I am here to tell you that university can be one of the best experiences of your life. This applies to both the opportunities for personal growth and the enriching value of a higher education.

It is true that university will require that you adapt to some new challenges. These include time management, self-discipline, and work-life balance. These are unlikely to be foreign concepts. However, university may be one of the first environments in which these challenges and their solutions will take on very unique solutions. The most beautiful thing about this is that you will have a lot of freedom in how you tackle these challenges. It will be personal to you, and you can always try out new solutions as you go along. The only advice I can provide is that it is never too early or too late to try something new.

As for the enrichment that a higher education provides, I can sincerely say—as I approach the completion of my degree—that I value nothing higher. I initially entered university because I thought that it was something that you simply had to do to get a job afterwards. Along the way, I realized that my degree was something that provided me with a new lens through which to view life! My degree has helped shape my identity and my life for the better, and it can do that for you as well. If you find an area that you are passionate about you should allow yourself to explore it as much as you are able! It is bound to help you with your degree and your personal development.

If I can leave you with anything, it would be that you will get out of this experience what you put in it.

Sincerely,

Anthony Hull-Kennedy