Montreal Gazette - A big new beginning; The excitement of the next level of school outweighs the anxiety

In the first month of school, university students have to buy books, start classes, and get a handle on the workload and reading expectations, said Leslie Copeland, the first-year coordinator at McGill University.

It's not just a transition to university, but also to managing their health, sleep and maybe even their money for the first time, Copeland said. "No one is encouraging you: 'maybe you should turn your light out and get some sleep.' That's all in your hands now," she said.

"What I tell them is that they're creating a new normal -nothing they've known before is going to be the same if they've never lived away from home before."

Hannah Besseau, 17, from Kingston, Ont., a first-year Mcgill student in international development is also interviewed for the story.