EDIT: Addition of §1-0.1, relating to campus safety at night. Addition of §1-0.2, relating to scams, phishing, and warning signs. Addition of §1-2.2, relating to healthcare (thanks for Left_Opportunity_214 for the mention!!).

Hey, y'all! It's that time of year again. The leaves are about to change, the winds are getting cooler, the days shorter, and the academic nightmare fuel is about to begin once again. We're also getting closer and closer to that time where we see 30 posts all asking basic questions over and over and the subreddit becomes a mess. I wanna chip in my part by helping to answer some of those! (+ a guide to not annoy everyone else on campus). As the title suggests, this is non-comprehensive, but I trust you should leave this with at least something new to add your toolkit. I ask for anyone else with other advice to please leave them down below because I am definitely missing stuff in here. I will update this for about a week or two into the term in case I see other common questions or someone leaves any other notes. And thanks to the mods for pinning this!

SECTION 1: GENERAL ADVICE ON SAFETY, HEALTH, & STUDENT LIFE

0.1) Your safety is important, please take some precautions. The city of Ottawa is relatively safe, however, there are rougher parts near campus as we are situated at the core of the city. Make sure to download the SecurUO app and refer to the emergency alerts website. Here are some safety tips for late night classes/labs, but please comment any other tips you have! If you live on/near campus, there will likely be many other students also leaving the campus at this time, so use this to your advantage (safety in numbers!). Avoid loitering for too long and stay along well-lit pathways, especially avoiding entering the main Rideau area if you can. If you are a commuter and going on the train, board from a spot where people gather or as well lit as possible. After 7pm you can ask the driver to drop you off at a safe spot along the route closer to your destination (look to OC Transpo's page on this). As an additional safety precaution, carry dog spray or another safety device like a sound emitter (bear and pepper spray are illegal to use for self-defence here); if you get into a dangerous situation, make sure you prioritize running and contacting help as soon as you are safe! Always prioritize escaping until you are safe in the event of a dangerous situation, though they are rare. Please note that anything not necessarily for 'self-defence' such as flashlights or keychains with accessories that may be considered to have a 'self-defence' tool are allowed, but self-defence items like pepper or bear spray or knives are not legal to use on humans for the purpose of self-defence.

0.2) Fraud and scams are very common and may or may not be obvious. Beware the signs. There are many scams all across campus, such as 6 Figure Student and so many others. If you see a sign up on campus or receive any adverts for "easy and high paying student jobs" and it feels too good to be true, take an image of it to warn others here (if it hasn't been posted) or report it if it's online. Any communications through Outlook should be obviously a member of the uOttawa community, university services, or any digital mailing lists you're signed up for. Look for /@/uottawa.ca or ensure it includes 'uOttawa' at least after @ in the address of all senders. Some professors may have a Gmail they respond with but it's rare and usually only for response to an email from whatever uOttawa email you're sending a message to. Check for official university signatures, faculty member names, banners and other graphics in communications, etc., to see if they're askew. Always report suspicious emails as phishing to minimize malicious spam for everyone.

1. Sites to bookmark for the rest of your time here:

• 1.1: Important Dates and Deadlines
• 1.2: Your Faculty's Main Page (e.g., Faculty of Social Sciences)
• 1.3: uSchedule.me + uo.zone (different from uOZone)
• 1.4: Actual uOZone page
• 1.5: Your current program requirements (always follow the year you enrolled)
• 1.6: uOttawa Library Database + Omni
• 1.7: Brightspace homepage

2.1) Your health is serious. If you have any conditions you may suspect or worry about, deal with that ASAP. If you have undiagnosed ADHD, untreated depression, or any other ignored conditions/illnesses, this will not go well for you. This school is academically rigorous and more unforgiving than many schools. If you are in the process of getting diagnosed or treated, you may be able to get temporary SASS accommodations until you get documentation. SASS may also be able to give accommodations if you experience sudden hardship (always consult them directly).

2.2) Help is available. Use all your resources. You have a myriad of health insurance benefits and services available to you, especially since almost everyone pays for their union premiums. Make sure you take full advantage of it while you have it. Along with this, we have access to a telehealth subscription via union fees and if you pay for health insurance, you have it (check your statement of account if you opted out but you may not have it). Our union's service is called Dialogue, which provides online access to get sick notes, simple prescriptions for common illnesses like acne, allergies, insomnia, foodborne illness, etc. or even short term therapy. Check the website or your GreenShield account for our student healthcare plan's details.

3) You are independent now, so use that *wisely*. No professor will chase after you for not submitting your prelab or assignment because they have 400+ students to manage. Don't get into the habit of skipping lectures, and if you must miss one, make sure you set aside time to actually catch up before the next one! Courses end quickly and there's lots to keep up.

4) Set aside one day, preferably a week into the semester, to add ALL of your assignment, lab report, quiz, exam, etc. due dates into a calendar (physical or digital). Get into the habit of doing this every term and you will be likely never be behind.

5) Take advantage of your student benefits! You have access to many discounts in several stores you may not think even have a student discount. Take some time to look through deals on any purchases, subscriptions, or academic material access before you buy them. Common deals are shown on sites like StudentBeans. Popular subscriptions also include Amazon Prime, Youtube Premium, Spotify, Apple Music, etc. You can also get an SPC+ membership through CIBC as a student. The Metro nearby campus also has a student discount on select days as long as you present your ID to them. Basically, do a quick search online and you'll likely find something.

6) DO NOT BUY TEXTBOOKS EARLY!!! ONLY GET TEXTBOOKS IF THE PROFESSOR SAYS SO INTO THE TERM!! Many courses show a textbook in syllabus but oftentimes, professors don't use them or provide alternatives. In the case you need one, I am definitely NOT endorsing that you go to annas-archive.org, because STEALING IS BAD!!! Do not go here or otherwise Pearson, Wiley, and McGraw Hill might explode your computer. (Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for anyone who chooses to NOT listen to my warning by using annas-archive.org to find all their materials.)

7) Miscellaneous Resources: To review up on any STEM or even economic basics, I highly recommend checking Khan Academy to fill in any gaps you may have; always seek help at the first moment of struggling to save yourself by exam season. For collecting your citations and easily putting them all together for projects, I really recommend something like mybib.com, which helps for long-form essays or even lab reports.

SECTION 2: HOW TO MOVE AROUND WITHOUT SLOWING EVERYONE DOWN

This sounds silly but trust me, EVERYONE needs to read this because it's getting ridiculous. You're adults.

1. Trains: If you are boarding at the university platform, spread out. Don't pile up in front of the gates. Don't block any exiting people and move to the sides of the doors, moving to whichever side is not going to impede them. Avoid running to catch the train, especially in rush, you will only slow down the train. Wait the 5 mins.
2. Elevators: Move to the sides or towards the back of any elevators so that others can enter or exit. Avoid entering or using the elevator if someone disabled needs to use it and just wait for the next one or take the stairs. Cramming in triggers the safety sensors. Have some patience.
3. Walking: Do not stop in the middle of any path. Move to the side, away from any foot traffic. Stick to the right side of any path or way, unless it's impossible to (e.g., oncoming bikers). If a biker is going to intersect or come onto you, move out of the way, either quickly towards your direction, or move away and stop until they pass. They'll likely give you right of way or move away unless it's too crowded.

SECTION 3: HYGIENE AND ETIQUETTE

1. Hygiene: As an adult, it is your responsibility to show up clean without being reminded. For the sake of your dignity, and everyone else, please ensure you take basic precautions in ensuring this. Take showers at least two to three times a week, and use hygiene products, such as deodorant, often. Get a tongue scraper and ensure you clean your mouth well. Wash your clothes at the first sign of smells, stains, or soiling. We can tell you're using perfume to mask smells. Also, many students have insensitivities to strong smells. Please avoid strong perfumes, and odours.
2. Public Spaces: As a student within this community, it is your right to access a host of study spaces, even if they're not your faculty's! However, please ensure you respect the applicable rules in the according spaces. For example, the first few floors of many buildings are okay for talking, but upper levels are not. For example, floor 1 of CRX is okay for chatting, but upper levels are quiet spaces generally. Avoid talking in the libraries, unless you booked a room. If you need to talk, another building likely has a common area available (e.g., floor 2 of STEM, floor 0 of Marion, floor 1 of CRX, most of UCU/Jock-Turcot, etc.)

SECTION 4: HOW TO NOT MAKE PROFS ANNOYED

1. Remember A.L.A.Y.S.: Always. Look. At. Your. Syllabus. That's it. Stop emailing professors questions that can be answered with one look at your syllabus. Let's use that wonderfully wrinkly brain.
2. Email: Immediately change your Outlook signature (look up how). Replace your standard signature (which is an advert) with something basic and nice such as:

"Best regards,

Jane Doe (she/her)"

For emails to your professors, attach your course code, and section in brackets, then your inquiry/documentation. Look at their syllabus in case they need you to add any other things. Otherwise, they may never respond as they receive hundreds of emails per week. Show some patience on their response time. If after three BUSINESS days, they do not respond, send a reply being brief but courteous. If you have an urgent request, see them in-person. Here's an email sample:

TITLE: CHM1321(A) - Late Submission on X Assignment

BODY:

"Hello Professor [Surname], I wanted to let you know I won't be able to submit an assignment. [Concise reason why + alert of documentation attached.] I would be grateful if I could receive an extension or grade shift to the final exam. Thank you so much for your time and understanding. Should you have any follow-up questions, please don't hesitate to reach out when possible.

Best regards,

Jane Doe (she/her)"

2) Complex or Nuanced Academic Questions: If your question is not found by searching the subreddit or by searching online, you will likely need to ask the relevant authority. It will likely be your faculty or department you need to contact. Scroll to the bottom of your faculty's page to see the contact for the undergraduate office. You can also go to the physical building. Email inquiries will take a long time for response.

ENDING NOTES

This is a major shift in your life and it's both freeing and nightmarish. Try your best to make friends, engage with your courses, and make it through. You don't have to take the same pathway as everyone else, but make sure you plan smartly. Finally, taking care of yourself will result with your academic performance improving. Don't forget to use your brain but also let it rest. Have a life outside your program. For any upper years with other advice or resources, now is the time to mention them!

Good luck to you all! And seriously, PLEASE TAKE A SHOWER! WE CAN ALL TELL!