The transition from first to second year is already a significant milestone, and this fall many second-year undergraduate students are on campus for the first time.

To ensure this cohort has the skills, tools, and knowledge they need to feel confident about the year ahead, units across Student Affairs have collaborated to create Second Year Stride: How to Prep, What to Expect, an online information hub that includes a week of programming later this month.  

Second-Year Stride Week runs September 20-24 and features in-person and online events and workshops on topics including Second-Year Writing, Living a Financially Healthy Life, and Jump Start Your Career. There are also in-person drop in events, including Assignment Planning and Healthy Habits, and Off-Campus Living: Avoiding and Managing Conflicts.

Second-year students received information about the initiative over the summer and were invited to join peer-led Campus Tours over the Labour Day Weekend.

“Second-Year Stride offers opportunities for students to make meaningful connections with peers, familiarize themselves with the campus and the Queen’s community, and feel prepared to tackle their academics,” says Susan Korba, Director, Student Academic Success Services (SASS).

As part of Second-Year Stride, SASS has developed a new online mini-course, Levelling Up: Essential Skills for Second-year Success. In this series of short lessons, students can learn more about core second-year topics, such as interpreting professor feedback, developing critical thinking skills, integrating complex research into academic writing, and building a friendly scholarly community.

In addition, SASS and Student Wellness Services have created a playlist of Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) sessions and exercises designed to help students develop key academic and wellness practices.

“Students entering their second year of studies at Queen’s face an exciting and significant transition,” says Johanna Amos, an academic skills and writing specialist with SASS. “We have been so excited to develop targeted information, resources and skill-building opportunities for second-years through collaborations with the AMS and with our colleagues across Student Affairs, including the Student Experience Office (SEO), Yellow House, Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre, our Off-Campus Living Advisor, Support Services and Community Engagement, Student Wellness Services, Career Services, and the Queen’s University International Centre.”

Visit the Second-Year Stride web hub on the Student Experience Office website for more information and resources.