Red Zone Survey!

Hey first years!


If you visited the Red Zone over the summer then please fill out this survey to share your experience! We love the feed back.
 

http://ca.studentvoice.com/yu/redzoneonlinecommunitysurveysummer12

- Mike

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SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS!!!!

Love sports?

     You came to the right school. We have over 27 different intramural sports to choose from and guess what...THEY ARE ALL FREE! Amazing right? York's intramural program offers a wide variety of leagues, tournaments and special events throughout the year to suit everyone. The program offers 18 coed sports, 10 men's sports,10 women's sports, 3 open events. The sports include: Badminton, Ball Hockey, Basketball, Broomball, European Handball, Flag Football, 3 on 3 Hockey, Hockey, Indoor Soccer, Innertube Water Polo, Outdoor Soccer, Slo-Pitch, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, and Volleyball. There are two different tiers, tier one is competitive for those that play to win and tier two is not competitive at all for those that play just for fun. I highly recommend getting involved in sports. You will meet a lot of new friends, stay physically fit, and a have a blast! 

     When I was a student leader last year, I didn't have a lot of time to play sports so I decided to play the greatest sport ever which is broomball. You play on a skating rink without skates so you need to run around with shoes on. They give you a helmet for safety and a weird stick with a hard rubber end to whack a ball and score on the opposing team. Everyone slips and slides all over the place and has a great time. 

     If you'd like to know more about sports, talk to your College's Sport and Recreation Council or Representative and they will keep you informed. 

http://recreation.yorku.ca/

intramural/sports

- Mike 

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So You Need To Buy Books?

So whats the best way to buy books for your courses?

Step 1: Get the list of books

There are three ways to find out what books you need: 

1. The first way is to go online and check the book store website at http://bookstore.yorku.ca/. Then click "textbooks" and then click "Online textbook purchase". Scroll down the page and add the classes you have in the search bar. This list will provide you with the books needed for the class however, sometimes professors put books on the list that they dont expect you to read. Be careful not to buy books you dont need because sometimes you cant return them.  

2. Email your professors and ask them directly what books to buy. Go to http://mocha.yorku.ca/atlas/servlet/atlas and put in the profs name and locate their email. An issue with this is that sometimes the profs dont always respond so it doesn't work. 

3. Attend the first day of class and your prof will tell you what books you need. The only issue with this is that you might have to wait a long time in line for the bookstore or the books might be sold out. 

Step 2: Buy your books

1. You could buy your books at the YorkU Book Store. I would recommend this for inexpensive books or course kits.

2. You could buy used books online at websites such as Amazon.ca. Watch out for buying books that aren't the correct edition or that will take very long to deliver. If delivery will take long, you could pay for express delivery and still save more money than bookstores. 

3. You can go on Facebook and join groups that trade, exchange, or sell books. Again, make sure you get the correct edition and make sure you do the exchange in a public place during the day so its safe. I've done this a few times without any problems.  

Take my advice, you could save a few dollars. 

- Mike

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Amsterdam, Here I Come!!!!!

"Were you ever thinking of going abroad for an internship or exchange?"

I've heard that line a few times throughout my university career, especially during class talks. Some upper year student would be standing at the front of the class and would start preaching about studying abroad in countries like Australia, England, Germany, Costa Rica, China, etc. I used to brush their words aside without even seriously considering it was an option. Although it was something that I always wanted to do, I never thought it would be possible. I didnt think I had the time or money to ever be able to do it. 

When I got into 5th year, I heard about all the people doing amazing exchanges around the world and their stories blew my mind so I thought I would look into it. I went to an info session and a few months later I'm heading to the University of Amsterdam. It was a very easy process to apply and I didn't need a ridiculous GPA either. Only a B average! York International wants students to go abroad and they make the process as simple as possible. They were also really helpful at answering my questions and proving me with the resources that I needed.

Your probably asking how does it work?

Well you apply through York International and they let you pick your top three countries to live in. You can go for one semester or two and you even have the option to do two exchanges in one semester. Afterward, they will let you know which country you get accepted to and most students get accepted to at least one exchange. You pay York fees but you take the classes abroad so you get to avoid expensive international fees. York International often tries to subsidize your costs with a bursary or grant so you have less financial concerns while you away. You have the best time of your life and your credits might count towards your York degree.

I recently bought my plane ticket and found out that I'm going to be living beside a canal. SO AWESOME! They also have a social orientation which looked amazing online! I'm so excited for my exchange. I'm planning on traveling to as many countries as possible once I'm there. I could do breakfast in Amsterdam, maybe lunch in Belgium and dinner in France or Germany. What do you think?

So next time your in class and someone asks if you want to do an international exchange or internship. You might want to pay attention! =)

- Mike 

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Making Connections to Make Your Life Easier

Making connections is the key between a lame or awesome university experience. What am I talking about?

It is very important to build strong relationships that will make your life easier and more enjoyable. Life is a lot easier when you can call your friends for anything and you know that they have your back.  Here's some example from my experience at York:

1. I met a bunch of friends during Frosh Week in my first year. Unfortunately, I used to have to travel from Scarborough to York three days a week. A few times I had to drop off essays last minute but instead of coming all the way to York and then going back home, I would email it to one of my friends that lived on campus and asked her to hand it in for me. It would save me three hours of commuting! So awesome!

2. When I was a frosh boss for Atkinson in my second year, I worked my butt off to ensure that it was a fun week. I was privileged to have an amazing bunch of student leaders to work with. Later on in the year, one of the other bosses asked me if I wanted a job on campus. He offered it to me because he knew I had a strong work ethic during frosh week and knew that I was someone who would "get er done". My buddy hooked me up with a promoting job at the Student Centre. It was great to make a little extra money on the side. Networking is key my friends!

3. Friends from class could aid your academics and even save your life! Many times throughout my university career, I had to rely on friends for academic help. What do I mean? I'm talking about missing class and needing the notes to study for an upcoming exam. Your friends in class could hook you up with them. But what about needing a study buddy? Last year, I had a bunch of student leader friends in the same class. We would get together the night before our exams and would review, study, and test each other. We all got really good grades, had fun, and supported each other through the stressful experience.

4. Getting involved and getting to know people will allow you to stay informed in all the amazing events and deals on campus. I met a few people in my classes who weren't really involved with campus events or aware of trips like Montreal. I would inform them in class and once they heard, they would be calling me all the time about the deals going on.

Morale of the story, make things easier on yourself and make some connections. Networking is key!

- Mike

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WORK, WORK, WORK....STOP, ITS HAMMER TIME!

Stressed? All you do is work right? Work on essays, work on assignments, work on relationships, work on council/club activities, work on house choirs, etc. Your living in the moment which is great but sometimes you just need a break. Especially while your still young and don't have kids. But you cant stop, you have too much work to do. That's true but guess what? YOUR ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE TOO MUCH WORK TO DO or too many email to reply to, it never ends. So you might as well just take a break.  

Its very important to take breaks and vacations during university. For example, I just came back from Niagara Falls which was a great little getta way from my busy schedule. I got to sleep, relax, and enjoy the sights. I was still very busy with two courses, work, family obligations and more but it was the only chance I had to go and I took it. The rest was well needed and it allowed me to refresh before another very busy period. 

Last year, I was President of McLaughlin College Council and was super busy. I was attending meetings, organizing events, managing a team and very busy. I still made time to go to Mexico for a week. Sometimes you just gotta stop and relax or you might have a melt down. You have to put someone else in charge and trust that they will do a good job. At the end of the day, you cant do everything yourself, you need others to assist you. 

So if your stuck at home and you don't have a vacation set up for another few months, there are other people at York that can help you get through stressful periods. York has Counseling and Disability Services If you need someone to talk to but don't know who (THEY ARE FREE). We also have Health Education with S.C.L.D. that can give you some tips for staying physically and mentally fit. Take full advantage of the resources around you!

- Mike

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My Biggest University Regret - Not Living on Residence!

My Biggest University Regret - Not Living on Residence!

I really don't have many regrets. I'm of those people who tries to accept the beauty or the usefulness of every situation regardless of how bad it becomes. I do this normally because i feel like I wouldn't be the person I am today without all of the positive and negative experiences that I've had in my life. I also really try my best to live life to the fullest so that I don't have too many regrets. That being said, the biggest regret of my university experience is...not living in residence.

I've met a bunch of people who live on res and they all had a great time. That's not to say that i didn't have a great time when I was commuting. I've have had a blast at York. I've pretty much done it all from College Council President, frosh boss, wild parties, made a million friends, and munch more.

From absolutely everyone that I've met at university that has lived in residence, they all tell me that they've had a great time. They would study together, chill together, party together, and had the strongest bonds I've ever seen. Quite often, many third and fourth year students would move out of residence and live together somewhere close to school. They would build friendships, long lasting memories, and always knew that their roommates had their back when they were sick or needed help editing essays at 4:00am.

Don't get me wrong, I still had many benefits and met many friends by commuting but I honestly think the process would have been a lot easier if I wasn't commuting 1.5 hours from Scarborough three times a week.  

So that is my one regret. I will admit that I still had a great time and I saved a lot of money by not living in Res but if I could turn back and do it again...the only change I'd make...would be living in residence for at least one year!

- Mike 

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York's Red Zone! Best Job on Campus!

Why I have the best job on campus:

1. Staff. I most definitely work with the coolest people on campus. Hands down! Catherine, Director of Student Community and Leadership Development, and I often debate about who has the best job on campus but shes definitely wrong. I get to work with Red Zone Ambassadors, YorkisU Ambassadors, crazy Orientation Chairs, College Council Presidents, Jair, and SCLD students/staff. I have the most interesting and creative coworkers in Canada and most likely the world. They are hilarious!! My co-workers make this job special and fun everyday. 

 2. Atmosphere. Some jobs have a very poisonous atmosphere and make you dread going into work. But not York's Red Zone! This place is amazing and fun! We play games during work such as randomly dancing behind people or incorporating the most random words into our daily vocabulary. We also make Youtube videos such as the YorkU Call Me Maybe video and a Red Zone bootcamp video. We have WAY TOO MUCH FUN EVERYDAY! Everyone is also very open minded and willing to learn new things which is very comforting. My boss appreciates my thoughts and opinions which doesn't always happen in most jobs. 

3. Pay and Flexibility. All students at York get paid more than minimum wage and during the summer I'm working 30 hours/week. My job is also very flexible around booking days off and leaving a bit early for summer school. My bosses (Lindsey and Monika) are the nicest, coolest, fun, people ever! They are very helpful and understanding. 

4. Better than any other job that I've had. I used to flip burgers for my first job and clean dishes. For my second job, I had to load couches, fridges, and mattresses into cars/vans (thats right, I said cars). For my last job, I had to push buggies and load bricks, concrete, doors, appliances, wood, and steel into cars/vans. I'd have to do this in the middle of the freezing winter and during the boiling summer. Thats why I appreciate working in the Red Zone the most. 

- Mike   

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Professors Are Humans Too

Aren't they scary! They stand at the front of the lecture hall like they own the place. Their thick glasses and greying hair makes them virtually impossible to connect with on any normal human level. They are academic superiors who know everything about the world which makes them super intimidating to speak to. They are...Professors!! They speak 9 different languages, are complete geniuses, soulless beings, and will laugh in your face if you even think about asking a question. 

Now back to reality! So I don't know what school from hell this professor is from but at York University, our professors are humans too. 

Like most human beings, professors have feelings too (at least most of them do). To be honest with you, most of the profs that I've had over the years have been really cool and down to earth. Although some of them might be a bit...off, the majority of them are very interesting, active, and fun people. I've met professors that love rock climbing, dancing, piano, singing, hip hop music, exercising, bowling, drinking and just having a good time. Many of them have families and know what real life is like. They are not super humans and they do have feelings as well. Most of them are really cool. Think of some of your cool friends that are really smart and might be professors one day, wouldn't you still hang out with them?

95% of my professors at York were excellent teachers. Some of them have even been good friends. Last Tuesday, I went for lunch with one of my profs and we could have talked forever about a wide variety of topics. He even bought me lunch. Im planning on going rock climbing with him some time over the summer. 

My main point is that you need to get to know your profs and don't be afraid. Who knows, you might even make a new friend. They are also VERY helpful with writing essays and doing assignments. My academic advisor loves giving personal and life advise. He's even known for giving helpful tips on fishing from time to time. 

Go approach your prof after class or during their office hours. Experience how "scary" they can be. It might even help your grades ;)

- Mike 

If you don't believe me, check this out!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMp4Chc6ytA

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Best Places To Eat On York U's Keele Campus

Love food? 

Me 2!? York has a very long list of places to eat on campus. The list goes on and on but where's the BEST places to eat on campus? Depends on what you're craving really. If your down for a good pint of beer, some nachos and an amazing atmosphere with some friends then I would recommend the Absinthe Pub in Winters College. They have some legit pub nights as well.

Feeling a bit more healthier than that? How about Berries and Blooms. They have AMAZING smoothies for $3.14 and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in their salad bar. Its probably the healthiest place to eat on campus. 

Are you feening for some Caribbean flavour? Perhaps you should say "Hi" to Albert in the Orange Snail in the basement of Stong College. The Orange Snail has a relaxed atmosphere with great Caribbean food and some amazing prices. Albert and staff will make you feel right at home. Trust me I know!

Want some food like mama used to make? Michelangelo's restaurent in the basement of Atkinson is where you need to be. They have fantastic Italian food! MAMAMIA!! They also make a mean coffee, check em out!  

If you love a good burger/poutine/salad/AMAZING breakfast, then you should check out this new place just around the corner from York at Steeles and Petrolia. Its called Blueberry Hill!! Talk to Alex and George and tell them that Mike sent you. 

If your looking for a good, affordable deal in a modern looking spot, then hit up the Underground! They have tons of daily specials and cheap beer. They have a lively atmosphere, especially when people are watching big sporting events like the Euro Cup. They are also known for a crazy pub night around Halloween and St. Paddies Day. The costumes are amazing! 

Feeling for a cup of Joe? Well your in luck because we have Starbucks, Second Cup, Treats, Coffee Time, and more. Looking for a Tim Hortons on campus? Well you wont find one because we have many. lol. 

 

Hungry late at night or after York's fun pub nights? Head over to Falafel Hut in York Lanes. They will keep you fed all night. Trust me! 

We have more food options in one building than most universities have in their whole school. If your interested in finding out about more crazy, awesome places to eat at York's Keele Campus, come hollar at me in the RED Zone. 

- Mike

 

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Do you LOVE FREE STUFF?! How about free money?

Do you LOVE FREE STUFF?! How about free money?

         I know I do! York University gives over $16,000,000 in scholarships, bursaries, and grants, EVERY YEAR!! You can access it through this thing called the SFP or the Student Financial Profile at http://sfs.yorku.ca/services/sfp. They pretty much ask you 5 or 6 questions about your personal finances. Then they will list hundreds of different bursaries and grants and you can even search for specific grants/bursaries that apply for you.

O.S.A.P. - Ontario Student Assistance Program

         The Government of Ontario may provide you with a loan to help you pay for school. Sometimes they even offer non-repayable grants to help you as well. If you apply for O.S.A.P., you will also be considered for the Ontario 30% rebate in tuition. There are a few requirements that you need in order to qualify for the rebate. The rebate is $1680 for university students and $770 for college students.

Get this free money!!

MONEY MONEY MONEY!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll3uipTO-4A

- Mike

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Looking For A Job Or A Career? I Got What You Need!!

         

Looking for a job or a career? Are you super duper involved in extracurricular activities? 

         York has many services and tools to help you find jobs, careers, and internships that you're interested in. York's Career Centre has professional staff that will assist you in building your resume, developing your personal skills and gaining life experience. You might even get a free lunch out of it! The Career Centre offers the TASTE (Take A Student To Eat) program which connects successful alumni with current students. They have many different internship programs which are extremely beneficial for gaining practical and real life work experience. They also have many, many, many, jobs on campus and off campus. Don't believe me? Check it yourself at http://www.yorku.ca/careers/index.htm. Once your upload your resume and cover letter, the website will list available jobs/careers and all you have to do is click submit on the side to apply to them. They also have many career and professional fairs to help students find work. One of my friends went to one and got hired on the spot. Shes been working for that company for over a year and is making really good money. The Career Centre also has personalized sessions that can help you discover a long list of potential careers and even try to match careers with your degree and interests. 

         The Career Centre will assist you in finding on campus jobs and the service is completely FREE for York students. During the year, I worked 15 hours a week in an administrative office on campus. It was awesome! My bosses were so cool and very down to earth. They really appreciated the challenging circumstances that students face and were really supportive to me in every way they could. They would delegate tasks each day and then during free time I was allowed to work on essays, assignments, check my emails, and do work for my College Council. The hours were very flexible and I never had to work during the exam period and could easily take days off when I necessary. IT WAS AMAZING! Definitely check out the on campus jobs. Before I worked on campus, I worked for a home improvement company and it was VERY PHYSICALLY DEMANDING and not very flexible. I'm super happy that I got an on campus job and I'm not still lifting bricks and pushing buggies. I'm sure many students are currently in that position. If you want a tip for getting on job on campus, its get involved in extracurricular activities! Its a lot easier to get a job when you know the person hiring and they know your more than qualified for the job because they have worked with you in the past.


         A great tool to help you prove your extracurricular activities and your life experience to future employers is the co-curricular record which can be accessed at yuconnect.yorku.ca. The co-curricular record is an official document from York University stating all your extracurricular activity on campus. The record includes: the clubs/organisations you were apart of; the number of hours that you volunteered; your position within the club; and finally the YorkU logo. The co-curricular record will assist you legitimising your record of involvement to future employers and help you get an awesome job.   

         Take advantage of all of York's free services, they just might help you get your dream job one day. All the resources are here for you to succeed and all you gotta do is try.

- Mike 

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I Just Got Accepted to York! NOW WHAT?

A lot of students feel a bit lost after they initially get accepted to university. I should know, I just got accepted to the University of Amsterdam for a one semester exchange. So now that you're officially a York student, theres a few things you gotta do before you start classes. Such as:

1. Book your Enrolment Appointment (Mandatory for all students)
You will receive help picking your mandatory/elective courses. They can answer a lot of your questions about majors, course materials, when to buy your books, etc. I remember my appointment was a bit dry so its always good to head over to York's Red Zone afterwards for a refreshing taste of awesomeness!

2. Come to the RED Zone after your appointment, we got tons of knowledge for you!
RED Zone student ambassadors will assist you with your transitions to university life and inform you about different campus services, cheap events, fun trips, online services, and more. We will also talk to you about how to get involved in your college, student clubs, intramural sports, Frosh Week, parties, etc. RED Zone staff are all current students who have a lot of experience in student activities and will share the knowledge on how to adapt to university life.

3. Take a tour with the Bennette Centre or just walk around and get lost. Trust me its fun! York is beautiful during this time of the year and its the best way to get familiar with campus.

4. Attend Academic Orientation. You will be informed about various academic services and resources that will assist you in being successful during your time at York. The Academic Advisor from your college will: teach you how to get good grades; assist you with your courses; and they love having interesting conversations about life, personal interests, hobbies, and much more. They have lots of wisdom! The responsibility is yours to tap into their knowledge.

5. Attend Social Orientation (Frosh Week). Frosh Week is a 10 day event consisting of various team building exercises, games, activities, trips, parties, and much more! The purpose of Frosh Week is to make new friends and I guarantee you will if you actively participate in the events. Every year, Frosh Week has amazing activities such as: a Blue Jays Game; Wasaga Beach trip; Canada's Wonderland; huge carnival; cheer offs; water fights; dance parties, university traditions, and a whole lot more!! Ohhhh yeah!!

If you want to know more about the things you gotta do before class, come visit the RED Zone team in Vari Hall and we will show you the way! We are also big online with our blogs, twitter, and email.

- Mike

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NEW TO YORKU? LOST? FEELING OVERWHELMED?

NEW TO YORKU? LOST? FEELING OVERWHELMED?

Don't be scared! You're probably feeling the exact same emotions as the person next to you. Even though I consider myself to be a social person, I was still scared on my first day on campus. What saved my life, and what made me feel EXTREMELY welcomed was Frosh Week with my college, Atkinson College (now called New College). On my first day of Frosh Week, I met one of my frosh bosses, Felicia, and she was AMAZING! The first thing she said was, "What's your name?" then she was like, "HEY EVERYONE, THIS IS MIKE! SAY HI MIKE!". It was at that very moment when I knew I made the right choice to go to York (I mean who would want to go to UofT or Ryerson anyway LOL). Frosh Week made me feel right at home and I'm forever grateful for it.  

My Frosh Week was amazing! I got to meet a whole bunch of new friends and went wild with all the different activities. I remember going to Canada's Wonderland and riding the Xtreme Skyflyer with my frosh bosses. It was epic! We went to a Toronto Blue Jays game and I painted my face blue for a cheer off. Afterwards, I was selected to go on the field and do the 7th inning stretch for my College, which was a once in a life time experience. We also had a water fight that was four colleges vs four colleges in the middle of Vanier Field. It was almost like a Spartan war with water balloons. I've never had so much fun in my life. I wish I could go back and do it again and again. 

So the main point that I would like to make is that there is nothing to fear. If you need help or are unsure of something, just ask. Everyone is really nice on campus and there are many people here to help you including students, faculty, and staff (We got your back). I highly recommend Frosh Week, even if you're shy because it is so amazing and you will make sooo sooo sooo many friends. And if you don't think Frosh Week is for you, there are other people to assist you. 

Such as: 

- Student Community and Leadership Development, (I love these people, shout outs to Jair, Mike, Ian, Catherine, and all my other homies)

(416)736-5144, Ross S172

- College Councils, http://colleges.yorku.ca/, ( They are amazing! Their events are so cheap!)

- Student Clubs, http://yuconnect.yorku.ca/ (Theres so many to choose from!)

- Counselling and Disability Services, http://www.yorku.ca/cds/ (Free and useful services)

- Atkinson Centre for Mature and Part-Time Students, http://www.yorku.ca/acmaps/ (Awesome free services)

- Office of the Vice-President, Students, http://mocha.yorku.ca/atlas/servlet/atlas/action/AtlasAction/template/orgUnit.vm?eventsubmit_doorgunit=OrgUnit&searchorgunit=Vice-President+Students (Shout outs to Rob Tiffin and Ross)

- and soooo much more, OHHH YEAHHH

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Welcome to the RED ZONE!!

Welcome to the RED ZONE!!

My name is Mike Cannon and I'm your Red Zone Ambassador for the summer. I'm going into my 6th (really old) doing my DBL Major Hons in History and Political Science. For my 6th year, I'm planning on doing an exchange at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. BALLER!! I just wrapped up a one year term as the President of McLaughlin College Council and I'm very involved in on campus activities. My interests include: playing baseball; reading books (just finished Roots); eating entire bags of salt and vinegar chips; jammin' to music; watching movies; and more. Right now, I'm in the middle of watching: The Big Bang Theory; The Walking Dead; Mad Men; Spartacus; Breaking Bad; and Sons of Anarchy. Feel free to follow me on twitter and keep up-to-date on my blogs.

Keep it real!

- Mike  

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Once In A Life Time Experiences as a Student Leader

My fourth and fifth years were the greatest of my life and I knew that I had made the right decision in choosing York. Why? Because I became even more involved in my College life. I became Vice-President and later President of McLaughlin College Students' Council. In these roles, I was able to work with a fantastic group of students to put on events, sports, and activities that brought a lot of fun and life to the university. We did trips to Montreal ($100), Niagara Falls ($25), Blue Mountain ($25), Canada's Wonderland and much more for dirt cheap prices. We were able to create an amazing frosh week which included: a large carnival; trip to Wasaga Beach; alcohol and inclusivity training; a Blue Jays game; team building exercises; a campus tour; a football game; dance parties; dozens of free meals and much more. Throughout the year, we also did paintball for $2, free coffee houses, movie nights, pub nights, raptors games, and more. Our Council was able to build a community that was a home away from home for hundreds of students. The amount of fun was unreal, unlike anything you will ever experience in your life. That's why I'm glad I chose York and got involved. It wasn't just the events friends, and parties that made the experience so worth it but also the once in a life time opportunities given to me as a student leader. I got to meet dozens of faculty members on a personal level and work with them on various projects. I was able to sit on committees that directly and indirectly benefited the lives of students. These were opportunities that I knew I wouldn't have at any other university. Man, student life is a wild ride.

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The life of student leadership is a wild ride. I can’t believe how far I’ve made it over the last 5 years. I was once nervous about attending university and doubtful that I would ever succeed. The thought of being just a number in a large organization scared the hell outta me. But what has allowed me to develop as an individual and battle my fears? I’d have to say that the first step was signing up for Frosh Week. Frosh Week allowed me to come out of my shell and meet hundreds of new people and friends, many of them that I still talk to today. Frosh week allowed me to get familiar with the campus, bond with frosh leaders, and develop an understanding of how university life worked. Due to my hectic work and course schedule, I wasn’t able to get too involved my first year but I still had a lot of fun with my new friends and my College events. I was invited to awesome parties and join some amazing student clubs. I was even able to attend a leadership retreat in Windsor with one club, it was an eye opening experience.

 It was in my second year when I flourished as an individual. I managed to become a frosh boss and man was it a blast. After that experience, I got to meet hundreds of more friends including A LOT of student leaders who had a big impact on my life. I was able to get more involved in student politics and was even offered a job at the Student Centre by a friend that I met as a frosh boss. This was the first time that I realized that getting involved could really pay off, not just socially, academically, or emotionally but sometimes financially as well. In my third year, while assisting some friends in a student government election, I managed to meet a few student activists who later become some of my best friends. Sometimes I reminisce and wonder how things in life just work out without you knowing. It was also at this point when I learned that getting involved was a necessity for a full university experience. One in which I could be happy, involved, and do well in school. I remember some students that I met who had no friends or social life at York. This wasn’t because they weren't social or nice people, it was because they made no effect to get involved. I used to tell them that it was very easy to meet people at York. All they had to do was talk to people in class, walk into their college council/YFS office, join any of the 350+ clubs on campus but they just wouldn’t listen.  It was also around this time that I learned about the amount of power that students had in influencing university policy. I joined the Student Council of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies and was a student representative for the Tenure and Promotion Committee. On this committee, I was able to vote on whether or not a professor was qualified for promotion and whether their student evaluations demonstrated their ability to teach. These experiences influenced me to become a better leader and take on an active role in the university.

My fourth and fifth years, they were an experience of a life time! I guess I will have to share them in my next blog……

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