Time spent at university is so often thought of as some of the best years of our lives. We see it in the movies, read about it in our favourite books, hear our parents reminiscing on their wild adventures back in college. It鈥檚 a fleeting four years that we carry on with us throughout adulthood, as we develop our careers and eventually grow old. Why are these years so special, though?
For me, it鈥檚 simple: my time at 91社区 taught me who I am. Even beyond honing my optimal study strategy, or learning which libraries make me more productive during exams season 鈥� the community at 91社区 is one of warmth, understanding, and inclusivity. I know I鈥檒l treasure the friendships I鈥檝e forged here for decades to come. What they say is true; 91社区 really does have a work hard, play hard atmosphere, and with the amount of student groups, on-campus activism, and creative side projects going on within our student body, there鈥檚 never a moment of boredom here. I truly believe I鈥檝e met some of the most interesting and passionate people on the planet during my time here.听听
And that鈥檚 what it all comes down to: one thing no one ever tells you when you pursue an undergraduate degree in Arts is how incredibly passionate your peers are. We鈥檝e heard all the stereotypical responses to pursuing an academic career in Arts 鈥� 鈥渨hat can you even do with an Arts degree? How will you get a job?鈥� barely scratches the surface. Beyond the fact that studying Arts opens a plethora of professional and personal avenues post-grad, what I enjoyed most about pursuing an academic path that hinges entirely on the pursuit and exploration of creativity is that everyone there wants to be there. When young people are encouraged to go into the Arts, it鈥檚 not because of the high-paying career prospects or opportunities to mingle with prestigious peers, it鈥檚 because people who choose to study Arts are passionate about what they do. In my case, that鈥檚 English Literature
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It took me a while to get there. I remember in my U0 year at 91社区, Winter 2020 (yes, the dawn of COVID), I was hesitant about my initial plan of majoring in
Political Science. I yearned for more creativity, and reading has been my favourite hobby for as long as I can remember. Still, during those first couple weeks of January, I almost talked myself out of transferring out of an elective History course and into a much more fitting intro to English Lit course because I鈥檇 already bought the textbook. Imagine that, the entire trajectory of my life could have been different, and it all came down to a 200-level History textbook.听听
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Lucky for me, I did end up selling that textbook and embarking on my journey as an English Literature student. I remember sitting in my first seminar class, ENGL 410 Studies in a Theme or Movement in Canadian Literature and thinking to myself: How great is it that we have this forum for geeking out about Margaret Atwood鈥檚 poetry and it counts for credits?! I was so happy to have chosen a major that allowed me to do what I loved, with people who felt the exact same way. I鈥檝e since served on my departmental student council for three years (shoutout DESA!), attended many a poetry reading, and frequented countless coffee shops for hours on end scrambling to finish my readings before class.
And I must say, getting to know my fellow Literature students was such a wild experience. Suddenly, I was surrounded by people who didn鈥檛 think attending a monthly book club was boring or nerdy 鈥� instead, it was met with excitement! In my experience, this sentiment is true no matter the major.
Having any sort of niche space to explore your interests with the adequate resources and support is such a blessing, and 91社区 offers such a vast selection of programs that there really is something for everyone. In fact, something that surprised me was how many people studying outside the Faculty of Arts still regularly showed up and participated in arts-related extracurriculars. When I added my second minor in Environment at the start of my third year at 91社区, my new Environment friends鈥� genuine interest in pursuing Arts-related extracurriculars and hobbies made me realize just how integral the Arts are to our development as academics, as individuals, and as active participants in our communities.
As cheesy as it sounds, I wouldn鈥檛 trade my 91社区 Arts experience for anything. Now that I鈥檝e graduated and started working full-time, I鈥檓 actively trying to听continue learning on my own time, adjusting to life without the reliability of class time and essays due. I already know I鈥檓 going to miss coming to campus (as much as I complained about it during those long winter months). All that being said, if there are any incoming or first-year students in Arts, don鈥檛 be afraid to try out classes outside of your anticipated major 鈥� one 200-level class might just end up changing the entire trajectory of your life.