“My favourite memory from first year was meeting new people . . . You never know who you’re going to meet and who you’re going to talk to . . . Just talk to people—ask questions, make mistakes, be like Ms. Frizzle. Just listen to what she has to say. Eventually it will all work out.”
- Liam McLaughlin, president of the Carleton Film Society
Advice to first-year self:
“Take a lighter course load. If you need to, take four credits instead of five. That probably would have made my experience a little better because I wouldn’t have been so stressed with school. Don’t overcommit yourself.”
- Sam Cox from CU’s Red Zone
“The people you meet on residence are probably the best friends you’ll make throughout your university career.”
- Graham Pedregosa, president of the Rideau River Residence Association
On salsa class:
“Being an international student, coming from a different culture, it can be hard sometimes. Just socializing with people that share the same values and want to get to know people and also want to have fun, the salsa class was a kind of introduction to all of that.”
- Luis Noboa, president of HOLAs
“First year students—definitely get involved. There’s lots of things you can get involved with. It doesn’t matter if it’s a society, or club, or even just find something that you like—find a group of people and start your own club. It’s a wide open experience—you can do whatever you want here.”
- Michael Rossyan, events director for the Carleton Mechanical Aerospace Society
“I would sign up for a few more things in first year . . . I was really nervous first year and I wish I could have.”
- Nicole Horn, third-year journalism and communications student
“In my first year, I thought university wasn’t much of a big deal and I didn’t take it seriously. I would recommend everybody that’s coming to university to go to your classes and take university seriously. It’s not really that difficult if you actually go to class and keep up with your work, set some priorities, and keep working with them. Don’t slack off.”
- Hamza Abu Al Hawa, president of the Muslim Students Association
On residence:
“It was a lot of fun. I got to know my roommate really well—he and I really bonded over frosh week. We both went into this whole experience with the mindset that we wanted to become best friends, and we did. He and I had a great frosh week and met lots of people on our floor, and from that we had this core group of people going into the year.”
- Charles McIvor, fifth-year public affairs and policy management student
“My favourite memory from first year was seeing how diverse Carleton is and getting to meet so many people from so many different cultures and backgrounds.”
- Sofia Dala, vice-president (internal) of CUSA
