Your Success Toolkit
How to succeed at the University of Canterbury
Help and support are always available to help you succeed because we believe that all UC students can be successful. It’s up to you to find your way around the support, advice and services on offer. Success at UC is about being proactive, and involved.
We know from research and from working with many students over the years that certain conditions will increase your likelihood of success at university.
Welcome to your UC Success Toolkit!
You are more likely to succeed at UC if you feel a sense of belonging. In other words, find your niche and get to know like-minded people with similar interests. During Orientation week we welcome you to become part of our diverse UC community. In the weeks following Orientation you can continue to make new friends by joining clubs and attending UC events.
You are more likely to succeed if you have a sense of control and influence over your decisions. We suggest you use the following UC services to take control of your journey.
- Meet your College Student Advisor now
- Make sure your thinking around success and failure is well-calibrated
- If you have a disability, find out what support is available to you
- Improve your writing and study skills
- Learn how to use the library properly
- Start your career planning early
- Make your out of class activities count with UC Co-curricular Record
- Talk things over with a Student Care Advisor
- Join UniLife to meet other first year students who are not living in the halls
Your chances of success are bound to increase if you find meaning and purpose in your studies. For this reason, UC has developed a wide range of applied-learning programmes that take you out of the classroom and into the real-world. Balance your time between the classroom and non-curricular activities.
You are more likely to succeed if you devote a significant amount of time and energy to both the classroom and non-curricular activities. Aim for a balanced student experience by seeking educational opportunities beyond the classroom.
Your success will be strengthened by human interaction and collaboration. Establishing valuable connections and networks is an important part of your UC student experience. For this reason, we offer a range of events, services, systems, and spaces to foster conversation and collaboration between students and staff. We want you to feel confident in interacting with others.
- Meet great people by joining the UC mentoring programme
- Find opportunities to meet new people by checking the UCSA Events Calendar
- Use the Collaborative Learning Spaces, great for group work and study
- Join the gym for FREE
- Play a social sport or join one of our competitive sport leagues
- Join the Sport & Fitness Academy
- Develop your confidence by becoming a student leader
You are more likely to succeed when you make time to reflect on what you are learning, and how your UC experiences are transforming you. Together, we can use your own thoughts and ideas about your journey to make sure that you reach your personal and academic goals.
You are more likely to succeed if you learn to be mindful of how you learn and think, and what your unique values and beliefs are. We want you to start and continue your course of study confidently and that means helping you understand and implement your own unique learning requirements. With the help of UC staff you’ll be able to learn and apply the learning strategies that are most effective for you and this will allow you to be in control of your own academic progress.
- Find information to help you settle in at UC
- Make an appointment with your College Student Advisor to talk about your study path
- If you have a disability, find out what support is available to you
- Talk to an Academic Skills advisor about how to improve your writing and study skills
- Find out where to get help, support and advice