Meet Alex, a first-year student in the Engineering Faculty at the University of Waterloo. Growing up in a small town, Alex has always been inquisitive and passionate about technology, but finds that jumping into university-level expectations can be overwhelming. After a recent group assignment where peers assumed he had prior knowledge of certain concepts, he became frustrated and took to Reddit to express his thoughts on the unreasonable expectations placed on new students. Balancing the excitement and stress of his new academic journey, Alex is determined to seek support and navigate the challenges ahead.