KUWAIT
MARY KEYES
WILDTYPE
ZEINAB KHAWAJA
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
I'm originally Tibetan. I was born in Pakistan. I
grew up in the Middle East. Now I'm in
Canada!
I also like to paint.
Greatest Struggle in first year: Time
management and motivation was a big
struggle for me, but I think with time I sort of
figured out what worked for me. I personally
found that it helped to have a couple of
friends around to study/work on stuff with,
so we could motivate each other, and it made
everything generally less boring!
MISSISSAUGA
LES PRINCE
WILDTYPE
MAX TRAN
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
I missed the first week of university because I
was having my appendix removed.
Greatest Struggle in first year:
I procrastinated a fair bit in high school but I
quickly realized that this approach wouldn't
work in university, especially with the
increased workload. I've started to overcome
my procrastination tendencies by creating
detailed schedules for myself, having others
hold me accountable, and no longer taking
afternoon naps.
TORONTO
MOULTON HALL
WILDTYPE
GEOFFREY LAU
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Fun Facts (not necessarily about me):
i) raf simons, rick owens usually what I'm
dressed in
ii) Young Thug is the for the children
iii) I once broke my toe attempting to dunk a
basketball (I've since stuck to soccer)
iv) I can't roll by R's
v) I like to make videos
vi) "If you are a fan of Kanye, you are a fan of
yourself" - Kanye
vi) Sway still does not have the answers
Greatest Struggle in first year: Coming from a
small, tight-knit highschool I was a little
caught in transition my first year. University
was so big and fluid: you might meet a whole
bunch of people one day and not really see
them again, that is, if you didn't put the effort in (which I often did not). I was unaccustomed to functioning without my perennial squad. I guess some advice that I'd give to first years who might find themselves in similar situations, is to not catch yourself flat-footed going into your first year: make the effort to not only meet people (students, profs, staff, whoever), but actually maintain the relationships you make. You obviously have to be a bit selective regarding how much time you can dedicate to that sort of thing, but I'd argue that it's worth it.
ST. CATHERINES
WOODSTOCK
WILDTYPE
RAMEZ MAXIMOUS
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Favorite hobby is definitely soccer! Although I
dont play competitively anymore ever since
my ankle injury and concussion,
I enjoy playing intramurals during the school
year.
Fun fact - I am not a rapper
Greatest Struggle in first year: My greatest
challenge was more so transitioning from
highschool to university than a specific
challenge. I found the Health Sci community
very inclusive, especially during WW, so the
social aspect of university wasn't much of a
problem. However, after getting into health
sci I got a bit too comfortable and simply
wasn't studying enough. Overtime I realized
things needed to change and picked things
up.
TORONTO
MARY KEYES
GLOBAL HEALTH
RACHEL BIERBRIER
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
1. McMaster Ice Hockey Team
2. Strength and Conditioning Coach -
Women's Varsity Volleyball
3. McMaster Athletes Cares Executive
Member
4. Research and Healthcare Conference
Coordinator
Greatest Struggle in first year: I was super
homesick! The way I overcame this was by
keeping regular contact with my family and
reaching out to the friends I made at school
when I was feeling upset/lonely. It is
important to remember that coming to
healthsci is becoming part of a new family!
Healthsci is composed of the most amazing
people who are always willing to help you and
provide support during any challenges you face.
BRAMPTON
LES PRINCE
WILDTYPE
OSMOND JIAN
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Reading, Writing, Watching movies or shows,
Running, Swimming, Trolling.
I also enjoy puzzles and chess. And playing
League.
Fun fact... I like nature and flowers and I can
fold a lot of cool origami.
Greatest Struggle in first year: I think my
biggest challenge was being super shy and
lacking initiative in first year. I was quiet and
didn't like opening up to others. It was initially
very lonely. But it all works out after. All the
group work that happens forced me to make
the greatest friends. Don't remember how it
happened, just started becoming close. And
the clubs I joined, I remember, every week I
would waste time being nervous and anxious,
and I would debate on whether I should go. But as I went more and more, it just started feeling natural, somewhere down the line.
SCHOMBERG
HEDDEN HALL
WILDTYPE
TAYLOR GILLMORE
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
I find it extremely valuable to experience other
cultures and places separate from my own.
Because of this, I love to travel. I have been
very lucky to go to some incredible spots in
my life and I hope in the future I can broaden
that list. The places I've visited have inspired
my love for art. I spent a lot of time in high
school in art classes and have found a passion
for painting. I especially love to paint
landscapes that are attractive to me as well as
nature and animals. I'm also a natural in the
kitchen; whipping up baked goods whenever
I have spare time and a hungry stomach.
Greatest Struggle in first year: Entering
McMaster first year, I was pretty apprehensive
because I came from a fairly small high school
where I had spent most of my life in the same place with the same people. It was extremely nerve-wracking thinking about the transition to a new school where there were so many new faces and a large campus to get used to. I found familiarity and comfort in the Health Sciences program where the close knit group of students helped me adjust to University life. In the end, it has been such a valuable experience that has changed me for the better and has prepared me for future transitions.
TORONTO
MATTHEWS
WILDTYPE
ERIKA OPINGARI
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
HiI! I used to play provincial volleyball, I teach
swimming for the City of Toronto, and I LOVE
nutella..(no seriously i could eat the whole jar
in one sitting). Fave tv shows include Game of
Thrones and Suits <3 aaand I can't wait until
WW15! #bleedblue
Greatest Struggle in first year: I think one of
the challenges of first year for me was
deciding how to take notes in class... Do you
use your laptop? Paper? ..No notes? The
answer turned out to be different for each
class. University is definitely different from
high school, so some old habits might not
work as well. My advice would be to try out
different styles and see which one works for
you! For example, at first I thought it would be
faster to take chemistry notes on my laptop
(and save paper), but soon realized it was much more practical to print the lectures and switched to hand written notes!
TORONTO
MARY KEYES
WILDTYPE
MAYLYNN DING
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
I have a twin sister is no longer a fun fact. So...
I love food, writing, art galleries, and music. In
my spare time I volunteer as an usher at
Roy Thomson Hall for the Toronto Symphony
Orchestra!
Greatest Struggle in first year: My greatest
challenge in first year (and the beginning of
second year) is cooking. I was blessed with
the meal plan and good eats on the first floor
of Mary Keyes. Luckily I've evolved from the
days of boiled pasta + store-bought tomato
sauce.
VANCOUVER
BRANDON HALL
WILDTYPE
BRENTON WONG
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Fun Facts:
1. I love sniping goals on the ice (est. 1995).
2. Saxophone is my jam.
3. BC weather > Ontario weather unfortunately.
4. My initials are BMW (middle name is
Matthew).
5. You can find me in HSL Med Room.
6. I like to cook and eat steak.
7. My best friends are known as the Five Guys
(not the burger place).
8. I like playing beach volleyball in the
summer.
9. My go-to number is 19.
10. I am looking forward to meeting all of you!
Greatest Struggle in first year: Not knowing
anyone prior to coming to Mac and being
3342 km from home. I was extremely lucky to have the support and enthusiasm of the Pathogens, upper year Health Scis, as well as the BHSc office to help ease the transition and I found that it was definitely extremely valuable to form these bonds during WW. Sometimes, stepping outside of your comfort zone especially in a new environment can be overwhelming, but I found that being able to meet new people who have gone through similar experiences and challenges have gone a long way to not only easing the transition but also embracing the strong BHSc community.
RICHMOND HILL
MARY KEYES
WILDTYPE
ANNA KURDINA
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
I guess you'll just have to wait and see "what
defines me as me" in September!
(Not lazy, I promise).
Greatest Struggle in first year: Dealing with
the subpar food was difficult at first. But, I
guess I overcame it by gaining the freshman
15. So, really, you'll get through it all!
CAMBRIDGE
MARY KEYES
GLOBAL HEALTH
TONY JIN
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
My hobbies include:
-Swimming
-Kayaking
-Dramatic Arts
-Theater
-Teaching
-Watching movies
-Traveling locally and internationally
-Italian food
-Sushi Buffets
-Trying to cook dishes
-Anatomy
Fun Fact: I have never tried mustard
Greatest Struggle in first year: My greatest
challenge in first year was balancing school
with my social life. I overcame this by
organizing and prioritizing my work into chunks of work hours. I did this my getting a planner - I know this sounds sorta lame but TRUST it works because so many things are happening at once it's impossible to keep track of everything. School is important but remember you are here to get an education - and that can occur outside the classroom!
TORONTO
MARY KEYES
WILDTYPE
REX PARK
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
After a severe injury to my PCL, I transitioned
from a dedicated short distance runner into a
competitive swimmer. I have a keen interest in
the sciences, and am very fond of pencil
sketching. My favourite type of music is
electronic dance music, and in my free time I
try to make music on the piano and edit it on
FL Studio. When I have time in the future, I
want to spend a few months travelling Europe
and Eastern Asia, but until then, the
occasional music festivals will satisfy my
needs.
Oh also, I'm almost 100% sure I have
trypophobia :(
Greatest Struggle in first year: My greatest
challenge in first year was definitely getting
used to and fitting into Health Sci. I felt very
out of place at first, and even regretted coming into this program. This transition took almost an entire year. However, as soon as I started opening up to my classmates, I quickly realized that we had a lot more in common than I had originally thought. I can now confidently say that coming here was the greatest decision of my life, and I cannot explain how much I love this Health Sci family.
MISSISSAUGA
COMMUTER
WILDTYPE
SABA MALIK
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
I enjoy reading, watching movies and TV
shows (Suits!!!!), anything art-related, like
drawing, painting and dancing, and travelling.
I travelled to Switzerland recently, and did
France, England and Monaco last year. This is
my first year as Pathogen and I will also be
involved with Third Year Council in the
upcoming year, both of which I am very
excited about!
Greatest Struggle in first year: My greatest
challenge was balancing my time, between
classes, studying, work and my own personal
commitments. University was very different
from high school because there was more
independence and responsibility for your own
learning; thus, it was harder to manage my
time as there was so much more to do. The
way I overcame that challenge was by planning out everything I needed to do each day and allotting specific times to each task and following that as best I could. I also tried to avoid procrastinating because I quickly realized that work builds up and getting something done early ensures that you don't have too much to do at any given time.
RICHMOND HILL
HEDDEN HALL
WILDTYPE
GENYA OPARIN
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Music's a big hobby for me. I play piano and
guitar, and listen to anyone I can get my
hands on - Major Lazer, Chopin, Protest the
Hero, T-swizzle you name it.
Biggest involvements have been MSU
services like EFRT and CLAY, both are just
amazing learning experiences in every way.
Fun Fact: I'm Ukrainian and my grandma's
borscht is BOMB.
Greatest Struggle in first year: Exploring the
Hamilton community. I didn't really do
anything off-campus in my first year at all
really which I really regret. It was only until
second year where I was living off-campus
that I realized there were things beyond the McMaster campus to explore. Favourite spot has definitely been Westdale Theatre, movies have always been on point in my experience, and the retro feel gets an A+ from me.
MISSISSAUGA
MOULTON HALL
WILDTYPE
LEON ZHANG
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
I'm involved in the Health Sciences Musical, I
play intramural soccer, uh I play guitar too, I
like books and (some) movies and history and
music and all that.
Greatest Struggle in first year: My greatest
challenge in first year was transitioning into
the university environment and living on my
own. It was difficult for me because, at first, I
didn’t know how to handle the autonomy of
living on residence; living on my own was a
new experience with plenty of perks but also
came with a learning curve. Although I loved
being able to do whatever I wanted and plan
out my days, I found myself sleeping at
ridiculous hours and slacking off. In the end,
I pulled it together, and realized that it was all
up to me to motivate myself and prioritize.
Ultimately, I learned that it really does help to sit down and make schedules and get organized, so that you can find a healthy balance between academics, extracurriculars, friends, family, etc
HAMILTON
COMMUTER
WILDTYPE
LINDA DAM
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
I am in love with grapes. I love all grapes, red
and green. Bring me grapes and I will love you
forever
Greatest Struggle in first year: My biggest
challenge had to be working in large groups. I
had no experience working on projects with
7+ people. However, the more you spend time
with your group members, the more you get
to know and love them! There's nothing more
satisfying then finishing a semester long
project, breathing a sigh of relief, and feeling
like you just climbed a mountain with the
people in your group.
MISSISSAUGA
LES PRINCE
CHILD HEALTH
ALLISON CHEN
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
ME IN TOPS 150 WORDS HERE GOOOOES:
I’m passionate about music - the “get up out
of your seat” kind and the “let me stare out
this window in contemplative serenity” kind of
music. Passionate about fighting mental
health stigma (Shameless advertisement: look
out to see how you can get involved with
COPE: A Student Mental Health Initiative!)
Love them early morning runs…when I can
drag myself out of bed, because I love my
sleep even more. I love sushi like all kinds of
sushi all of them. I dabble in ukulele playing
and shower singing and Netflix binge watching
and awkward conversations and CAPS LOCK
and upholding the family honour. And of
course I enjoy chitchatting with and working
with my fellow pathogen team – sosososo
pumped for WW2015.
Greatest Struggle in first year:
(get yo' nachos out, disclaimer: cheesy)
For me, the greatest challenge was trying to feel like I was normal and belonged here. Where everybody seems so accomplished and driven and successful and beautiful, at times I just felt like “HOW did they accept my gloriously mediocre self?”
While overcoming this feeling is an ongoing battle, what I found really helped was getting out there and building a support system that will allowed me to celebrate who I was and how I've gotten to where I am now. Getting to meet some really cool people these last few years has allowed me see that yes, we’re all a bunch of stellar people, but we’re not just defined by our extracurriculars or resumes. We’re here because somebody saw something in us, and I constantly remind myself of this. So, cheers to us and all of you! Welcome to the Wolfpack.
RICHMOND HILL
WHIDDEN HALL
GLOBAL HEALTH
DAVE NIDUMOLU
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Hobbies: Reading, trying out new kinds of food, fencing,
Involvement: I do a lot of work at the intersection of healthcare, management, and
system design. If you're interested in this area, or related topics like health policy and entrepreneurship please feel free to send me
a message!
Fun fact: If you're to trust the pictures myclassmates take of me, you can probably find me sleeping in HSL or pretending to do work in the loung.
WALKERTON
MARY KEYES
CHILD HEALTH
JACLYN SPITZIG
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Hey ya’ll! First and foremost, I’m super duper
excited to be a pathogen again this year! I love
meeting new people and building lasting
friendships –there are so many people that
helped me when I was in first year and I can
only hope that I’ll be able to support others in
the same way! More about me: I love
chocolate, running and being outside. One of
my favourite places in the world is Camp
Cherith, a Christian camp where I spent my
childhood summers (and now work at). The
other is Nicaragua, a country where, in my
opinion, some of the most loving and
beautiful people in the world live. Enough
about me though! I can’t wait to learn more
about you as we get the chance to meet this
year!
Greatest Struggle in first year: Inquiry. It's very different from what I imagined the Health Sciences program to be. Textbooks were nowhere to be seen and I didn't memorize a single thing. At times, I felt like I wasn't learning very much. I won’t give away the secrets of Inquiry but be forewarned that awkward silences and various obstacles will greet you on your journey. And in those moments, you might be frustrated. I know I was! It’s an amazing experience though. In the end when we had to reflect on our experience, I realized that coming to class with an open mind help me to have a great inquiry experience. I didn’t learn a lot about the science of this or that but I learned so many valuable life skills that have begun to change the way I work with others and view my education.
GRIMSBY
BATES HALL
CHILD HEALTH
DANIELA KOVACEVIC
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
The things I love most are: ice cream, the
colour green, live music (any genre), my fellow
pathogens and all the FIRST YEARS <3
Greatest Struggle in first year: My greatest
challenge was realizing that I wasn't the only
person struggling. It seemed like everyone
around me had it all put together, while I felt
like a deer in headlights.
I don't know exactly how or when, but after a
while, I started realizing that it wasn't just me
who was anxious and/or confused all the time
. It's undergrad - does anyone REALLY know
what they're doing? (If you think you know
someone who would say yes, they are
pretending and secretly more concerned than
you are)
Here I am, almost 2 years later, and I don't feel like I'm any closer to putting my life together. But oh well! It's more fun this way :)
HAMILTON
LES PRINCE
WILDTYPE
ALLISON GEMMILL
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
As far as hobbies go, dance has always been
a passion of mine, both competitively and
recreationally. If anyone is interested in dance,
there is an incredible club at McMaster that
welcome dancers regardless of prior
experience. In addition, this year I will be one
of the co-chairs for the annual BHSc Charity
Fashion Show. As a first year, this is an
amazing opportunity to get involved in the
BHSc community!
Greatest Struggle in first year: The biggest
challenge I faced in first year was learning
how to balance my social life with my
academics. Entering university, I was so
worried about my grades that I ended up
missing out on so many amazing Health Sci
events. Although succeeding in school is
something that is important to all of us, there is more to life than grades. This was something that was hard for me to accept, but once I opened myself up to a more balanced lifestyle, I met so many wonderful friends and came to learn about some of the incredible extracurricular opportunities that are offered here at McMaster.
TORONTO
MARY KEYES
WILDTYPE
AVRILYNN DING
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Love writing, tutoring kids, and finding places
to satisfy my sweet tooth/ayce cravings
(so let me know if you have any questions
about any of those :P)
Greatest Struggle in first year: My challenge
isn’t specific to first year but it definitely starts
then. :) University as promised was all I knew
in high school magnified, plus more: new
people to meet, events to attend, and
opportunities – ‘tis the land of opportunities.
We are all told to make the most out of it, but
it’s important to make time for yourself,
consciously. Treat yourself once in a while.
Start a little journal where you type/write
random thoughts whenever you feel like it.
Go on jogs at night. Let yourself ponder
worldly questions like “What’s my goal for undergrad?” or “what should I have for dinner?” Making the most out of something is not equivalent to keeping yourself busy 24/7. Pick and choose, take breaks. It’s a lifestyle you start creating in first year and continue figuring out in your senior years!
MISSISSAUGA
MATTHEWS
WILDTYPE
TAYLOR MEHTA
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Fun fact: I'm really bad at thinking of things to
write about myself
Greatest Struggle in first year: One of my
greatest challenges was making new friends.
I was really shy when I came into university
and I was always nervous to talk to new
people. I overcame this challenge by really
trying to make an effort to meet someone
new and talk to people even when it made
me uncomfortable. Everyone was really nice
which made it much easier.
MISSISSAUGA
LES PRINCE
WILDTYPE
EVAN BENAK
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
I have lots of hobbies that I've been able to
enjoy in the context of the Health Sci
community! I am involved in singing and
acting, photography, social media, and fashion,
and since the Health Sci community is so
diverse, I have been able to explore all of
these interests within the faculty! I have been
involved in the Health Sciences Musical for
the past two years, acted as a Stylist in last
year's BHSc Charity Fashion Show, and will
act as one of your Social Coordinators for the
upcoming school year! In addition, you can
usually find me in the lounge screaming about
how much I love Celine Dion and potatoes.
Greatest Struggle in first year: One of my
major challenges in first year was definitely
looking at the bigger picture of things. In high
school, I tended to be very detail-oriented. I wasn't very efficient at completing my work, and transitioning into the heavier workloads of first year was definitely a struggle. It might sound cliche, but first year Inquiry definitely helped me overcome this struggle. With the help of Health Sci Icon Margaret Secord, I learned time management skills and how to focus my energy and attention on the most important things and complete my tasks efficiently without sacrificing the quality of my work!
RICHMOND HILL
WHIDDEN HALL
WILDTYPE
NICOLE FALZONE
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
I'm a coffee enthusiast, love to snowboard,
and watch entirely too much TV. When I'm not
studying, I like to explore the amazing trails
and outdoorsy fun that Hamilton has to offer,
and run shifts with the MSU Emergency First
Response Team! I also love boardgames.
(Settlers of Catan, anyone?)
Greatest Struggle in first year: The greatest
challenge I experienced during first year was
adjusting to the new university environment
and being away from family. I found that
becoming involved in fun extracurriculars
allowed me to meet new people and find a
lot of enjoyment in being at Mac!
NIAGARA FALLS
BATES HALL
WILDTYPE
PAYAL PATEL
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Dancing is my passion. I also love to travel and
try new things on my time away such as
bungee jumping, rock climbing, zip lining and
snorkeling. I am practically allergic to
everything. I enjoy going on runs especially
since I came to know of various beautiful trails
and waterfalls located here in Hamilton. I am
trilingual. I am beyond excited to represent
the Health Sciences Class of 2017 this year
and continue to pursue new heights with an
organization very dear to me known as
Medlife.
Greatest Struggle in first year: The greatest
challenge I faced in first year was becoming
comfortable with the idea of not always doing
as well as I had hoped and I struggled to
embrace all the change so instead, I resisted
it. I came in with a mindset that I was going to glide through first year with little change to my habits, I mean it worked for me in high school so it must work now too right? The truth is that adapting does not just mean having a positive mindset, it also means willing to step out of your comfort zone to finding the perfect fit whether that be academically, socially, etc. I learned that whatever your ambitions may be, you are completely allowed to make mistakes along the way to achieving them. First year is about being terrible and fluctuating, but also learning what good is and how to get there.
MISSISSAUGA
BRANDON HALL
WILDTYPE
ISHAN ADITYA
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Ola! I'm Ishan and I absolutely love ice cream!
(my favourite flavour is birthday cake btw in
case you're wondering) I'm a martial artist, and
have been doing Goju-Ryu Karate for the past
17 years. I have an immense passion for music
and I play the guitar, piano, and love jamming
with my friends. My favourite artists include
John Mayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay,
A Day to Remember, Frank Ocean, Daniela
Andrade, and Michael Bublé, to name a few. I
enjoy working out and follow a powerlifting/
bodybuilding program, while also
incorporating long distance running and
sprinting into my weekly routine. My friends
say I have this really wacky laugh that’s kinda
contagious, so I’d like to say I’m fun to be
around. If you ever need someone to make
you smile, I’m your guy. I also enjoy singing Beyoncé in the shower.
Greatest Struggle in first year: I’d say my greatest challenge in first year was finding out that my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Having been raised by her since day one, it hit me in an almost paralyzing manner. However, I converted the helplessness and frustration that I had initially felt into this positive energy that enabled me to grow immensely as a person. I got involved in the Health Sciences Musical, the Meducator, and McMaster Smiling Over Sickness, and invested more time in martial arts - both competing and teaching. My first year Inquiry Facilitator was a huge part of my support system at McMaster and spent time to help me cope by spending time meeting with me, which I found to be helpful. Also, the friends that I had made in Health Sci played a huge role in helping me get through it, and today I consider all of them family.
The third year pathogens are going to share a bit about themselves - including the city they're from, the residence they lived in first year, and their specialization. Click on their picture to return to the previous page.
YEAR III
MISSISSAUGA
LES PRINCE
CHILD HEALTH
AYESHA RIZWAN
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular: Theatre has always been a passion of mine and I'm so glad i got to continue pursuing it at Mac. I'm part of a club called One Act where we put on short one act plays that are written and directed by students! I am also a huge sports junkie, I love board games, reading, and hanging out with friends!
Greatest Struggle in first year: I would say my biggest challenge in first year was learning how to balance it all. It was my first time away from home, in a new city, new school, with new people. I made some of my closest friends in university in residence, so it was easy to lose track of time when we were hanging out. With having your friends so close by, I sometimes felt like I was struggling to keep up in my classes. So I learned to find my
own quiet place during the day, which happened to be a cafe in the science building, so that I could concentrate and get through all my work. This way when I came back to res at night I could hang out with everyone without feeling like i was putting aside school or falling behind. It's also easy to get caught up in projects and assignments, but you have to remind yourself to take a break every now and then and enjoy your first year experience!
MILTON
MARY KEYES
WILDTYPE
ALEX KOZIARZ
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Likes to workout, hike and chill.
Greatest Struggle in first year: My biggest challenge was getting use to the independence. However, after I became more organized with my schedule I got stuff done to a much greater extent.
MISSISAUGA
MATTHEWS
WILDTYPE
YIFAN YANG
Hobbies/Fun Fact/ Extra-curricular:
Cats, jamming, dancing, cats, hike, sloths, dogs, badminton, cats, Mean Girls, cats, cats and cats are all things that excite me.
One thing I’ve been involved with since first year is the Health Sci Musical, and I would DEFINITELY recommend anyone with interest in singing, dancing, OR acting (you DO NOT have to be a triple threat) to audition for the cast/chorus. If you play an instrument, GREAT – there’s also a band that you can audition for. Artistic? SETS, PROPS AND COSTUMES HAVE GOT YOU COVERED. No experience? No problem. I almost bailed on my audition in first year because I thought that there was no way I would make the cut with no experience with any kind of performance. Thinking about that now, and all the incredible memories that I’ve made from HSM, I just “literally cannot even”. In the wise words of Shia LaBeouf – DO IT, JUST DO IT.
Greatest Struggle in first year: I would say my greatest challenge in first year was constantly feeling intimidated by the caliber of my peers. It seemed like almost everyone else had done IB or AP – I felt underprepared in comparison and this reversed-pedestal mindset, after some time, became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Overcoming this was by no means an overnight transformation, and in some ways, I, still, from time to time, am working on it, two years later.
At the end of the day, it was about realizing that I’m not alone when I feel inadequate when comparing myself to others, but also that this comparison, when done out-of-context, was unhelpful and toxic. For me, in this case, finding a balance between identifying with this incredible community we’re privileged with here in BHSc, and critically reflecting on what’s the best for me, especially when that’s not necessarily what everyone else is doing, was key.