In UFV Speaks, our intrepid reporters pick a topic currently relevant to UFV students or staff, and ask them for their heated opinions to get a real sense of how the UFV population feels about the facts.
It’s officially September! As a new semester begins, excitement and anxiety flood UFV — especially for those stepping into the unknown. While many prepare, worry is inevitable. We asked students to share their biggest first semester fears, sparking a chain of advice where each student offered wisdom to the one before them — creating a thread of support that intertwined vulnerability, humour, and solidarity.
To wrap things up, we ran a quick vibe check asking students to choose between “confusingly confident” or “confidently confused.” And just when we thought we’d reached peak introspection, we asked them to name a song that best captured their current state of mind.
Harshit Saini / Bachelor in Computer Information Systems
“I’m worried about my expenses … maybe [also] getting a job after the degree. These are the two things I’m worried about.”
Vibe check: confusingly confident
Song: “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters (2025). “I’m done hiding. Now I’m shining.”
Praise Ekhator / Nursing track
“Probably my statistics class is what I’m most worried about. I’m not used to the environment or anything. I have no idea what I’m walking into.”
Advice to Harshit: “At the end of the day, your education’s most important. I know that finding money for school and stuff can be difficult, but definitely apply for financial awards. There are a lot of those out there, even if [they are] not directly from the school, [there are] tons out there that can help you out.”
Vibe check: confusingly confident
Song: “I don’t know if I have a song that represents my moment. Honestly, I don’t know. That’s a tough one.”
Paige Mundy
“Finding my classes and trying to navigate [the] new school out here.”
Advice to Praise: “Ask their teachers for help, ask for the [Student] Union Building, and ask others for help.”
Vibe check: confusingly confident
Song: “What It Sounds Like” from KPop Demon Hunters (2025)
Inara Ansell / Bachelor of Arts (History)
“I’m terrified of the classes and the professors … I’m terrified of English and math. I am really bad at math, so of course it’s a requirement.”
Advice to Paige: “If they have little maps around, take one of those little maps and keep it on you. Or they have the big maps on the campus. Take a photo of that.”
Vibe check: confidently confused
Song: “The Sound of Silence” by Disturbed
Emma, Alex, & Cali / English
Emma: “Getting my schoolwork done and adjusting to the new due dates and stuff.”
Advice to Inara: “Everybody’s just as nervous. It’s all our first time.”
Vibe check: confidently confused
Song: “Never Grow Up” by Taylor Swift
Alex: “All the new people. Honestly, I am not really a people person. I’m an anxious person, so just all the new people, all the new things.”
Advice to Emma: “Well, she’s my friend, so I probably shouldn’t… It would be different to a random person, I would say, we’re all new at this. We’ll get the hang of it … As a friend, I would say, suck it up. If you need me, call me.”
Vibe check: confidently confused
Song: “Nervous” by The Neighbourhood
Cali: “Most terrified of finding my classes and paying for parking on time.”
Advice to Alex: “Lots of the people here told us that you’ll find your people. You’ll find them eventually, and if you don’t, you just keep to your schoolwork, keep getting your stuff done, and focus on the important part, which is your academics. Obviously, there’s an important part outside of that … but most importantly, it’s your academics. So, focus on your academics and get your stuff done.”
Vibe check: confidently confused
Song: “Hometown Glory” by Adele
While most students at Day ONE brace themselves for a brand-new adventure, Starla Ray Rorison walks a different path. Now in her second-year, fresh off a switch from a visual arts diploma to a Bachelor of Arts, she’s facing tougher courses with quiet confidence — remembering the chaos of being a newcomer, watching today’s first-years wander the campus in confusion.
Starla: “I just look at [them], I’m like, ‘geez,’ I remember feeling like that last year and being like, ‘where the heck am I going in this large [campus] … [it] is pretty confusing at times. Especially because of the construction, maybe because the maps don’t fully line up with how it is in real life.”
Her advice? Wander with purpose. A few aimless walks made her feel way less lost — and way more ready.
Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
