Your First Year Success Series

The Your First Year Success Series offers co-curricular programs and events for students to develop a strong foundation for academic and personal success during their first year at UNCG.

By participating in the YFY Success Series programs, you will learn and develop:

  • Academic skills such as time management, note taking, study skills, and test taking strategies.
  • Personal purpose and practical skills such as career exploration and communication skills.
  • A sense of belonging and Spartan Pride by exploring all of the many resources available to help you succeed inside and outside of the classroom at UNCG.

First Year Success Series Certificate

Any current first-year or transfer student who attends at least 5 programs in the YFY Success Series will be eligible for a First Year Success Certificate from YFY. This certificate will help you demonstrate all of the skills that you will gain through the success series on your resume. You will receive:

  • Letter to your Dean about your accomplishment
  • Your name posted to our webpage
  • A printed Certificate of Success

Fall 2023
Event Schedule

August

YFY Success Series: Passport to Success at Fall Kickoff

Tuesday, August 15 from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Outside, College Avenue

Start your First Year Success Journey with Your First Year and the Office of Intercultural Engagement!  Stop by the YFY table at Fall Kickoff to start your journey into academic and cultural success at UNCG by visiting our partnered Fall Kickoff tables. Visit all the tables and you may win a prize!

Tuesday, August 22 from 11:00 – 11:50 a.m.

Jackson Library

An event hosted by the YFY team and the Academic Achievement Center in which students can gain knowledge and insight into how to manage their time for a successful academic year.

Wednesday, August 24 from 2:00 – 2:50 p.m.

Jackson Library

An event hosted by the YFY team and the Academic Achievement Center. Students will learn how to take notes that will help them be successful throughout their academic career here at UNCG. Come join us and learn how to be the most successful you can!

Wednesday, August 30 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

EUC Dail 

Want to make new friends and be creative? Join us for our Paint ‘n’ Switch event with ACE. Come get your creativity onto a canvas with a twist! Throughout this engaging event your canvas will get passed to new friends, creating new connections and art through friendship. RSVP is required to attend; RSVP can be done via Spartan Connect.

September

How to College 101: Midterm Matters

Wednesday, September 13 from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

EUC Commons

Midterms are here but have no fear – YFY is here to help! Stop by our table in the EUC Commons to receive tips and tricks on how to ace your midterms.

Monday, September 18 from 1:00 – 1:50 p.m.

Jackson Library

Stress less about that test with the AAC’s Test Prep workshop! Come join YFY and the AAC and learn how to become a test-taking pro.

Thursday, September 21 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM

Career & Professional Development Office – EUC Ground Floor

Introducing students to to career fair and provide tips and tricks on how to navigate the Career Fair Topics: navigating career fair, printed resumes, greeting employers and elvator pitch, following up with employers, expected dress, and more!

Making the Most of Midterms Forum

Wednesday, September 27 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

This event will be hosted virtually. Click here to register!

This online forum will break down midterm grades and how to move forward into the semester. A panel of students, faculty, and staff will be sharing their best advice for being successful after midterm grades. Gain confidence in talking to your instructors, break down the impact of midterm grades, looking forward to the future, and more at this event! 

Wednesday, September 27 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Leonard J. Kaplan Center

Join CPD and YFY to get ahead in the networking game and make connections at the Fall Career Fair. This event is an opportunity to explore career options with a diverse set of employers and/or network with companies at which you are interested in interning or working for full-time. In addition, a number of graduate schools will be in attendance to talk to students about their programs. Professional attire is encouraged!

AAC Accountability Hours

Wednesdays & Thursdays in September from 1:00 – 4:00 PM

Academic Achievement Center

Get some work done with the Academic Achievement Center! Every Wednesday and Thursday in September, the AAC is offering accountability hours from 1 – 4 p.m. in the AAC office. Visit the AAC during these times for free study support in a comfy environment!

October

Study Abroad!

Tuesday, October 3 from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

EUC Commons

Interested in traveling? Love learning about other cultures? Why not study abroad?
Stop by the table in the EUC Commons to chat with the International Program Center staff to learn how studying abroad can become a reality for you!

Thursday, October 19 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM

Career & Professional Development Office, EUC Ground Floor

Learn all about networking through LinkedIn at this month’s Demos and Donuts! Visit the CPD office to gain insight on best practices with the platform, and learn some great tips and tricks for professional networking.

Wednesday, October 25 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Jackson Library

Join the AAC for their one-hour workshop on Overcoming Procrastination, where they’ll address the truth about procrastination and why we do it, and share strategies to help overcome procrastination and burnout.

November

Facing Your Finals

Tuesday, November 14 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Jackson Library

Students who attend this session hosted by the Academic Achievement Center will practice planning for upcoming finals and will explore different self-testing and test-anxiety-reducing strategies to improve their test performance.

Wednesday, November 15 from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

EUC Birch

Celebrate the end of the Fall Success Series! Students who attended 5 or more Success Series events will be awarded a First Year Success Certificate from YFY. This event is by invitation only!

Wednesday, November 29 from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

EUC Cone Ballroom

Join Campus Activities and Programs, the Elliot University Center, ACE & Your First Year on the LDOC! There will be study kits, giveaways, messages, an oxygen bar, and more to help you during finals!


Meet Our YFY Success Series Winners

Fatima Galvan-Ruiz

First-Year Student
Lloyd International Honors College, Corazon Folkorico, ALPFA

“The most valuable thing I have learned from the YFY Success Series is to explore and learn about what UNCG has to offer to students. It is important to understand, because we go to school here, all the different resources and academic support we have at our hands. It may be hard to ask for help, but UNCG wants to see us succeed, they want to help us.”

Emanuel Smith

Second-Year Student
Lloyd International Honors College, SOS, Spartan Guide

“The YFY success series helped me a lot with transitioning from virtual high school to in-person learning. It helped strengthen skills needed to be successful in college like studying, note taking, and memory.”

Zainab Adamou-Mohamed

First-Year Student
Lloyd International Honors College, Muslim Students Association Co-Creative Director

“The YFY Success Series has helped me feel so much more prepared during my first year at UNCG. I gained several tools and contacts that helped me to succeed on an academic, professional, and personal level.”

Grace Jinks

First-Year Student
YFY Success Series Winner

“The most valuable thing that I have learned from the YFY Success Series is that I am not alone and that if I need help finding the right resources I can reach out and ask for help from the resources that are set up to help first year students.”