Taking your school out for a test drive…

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Not to sound like an ad for an office supply store; but it’s true, I love going back to school. Now, I’m a third-year student in the Concurrent Education program, so as a teacher candidate, I am somewhat biased in my views on education, but I truly believe that education is one of the best investments you can make. However, like any other investment, it is important to make an informed decision. You know the old adage: Don’t judge a book by its cover. The same could be said about universities: Don’t judge a school by its brochure, and one of the best ways to learn about a school is to visit it. Just as you are getting ready to attend Queen’s, we’ve been busy working with the next group of Queen’s students. This summer we’ve had over 3 000 visitors to campus, most of them current High School Students researching their options. The have come from places as diverse as Halifax and Hong Kong, Ajax and Abu Dhabi, Belleville and Brazil, Calgary and California, Toronto and Texas. The one thing they all have in common is that they have all made the journey to campus to learn more about Queen’s and what makes our University distinct.

As the Summer Tour Coordinator, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with these people and showing them the dynamic and exciting place that Queen’s is for me and can be for them. Campus tours are a lot of fun. It’s very rewarding to be able to talk with students and help alleviate their worries and answer their questions about post-secondary education. We try to make our tours as comprehensive as possible, covering everything from where you will live, what you will eat, where you can work out, to what courses you can take in first year, where you can work out and whether you can bring food into the library (you can, and there’s a café inside our largest library, so you don’t even have to leave the building to get caffeine!). If you want to get involved in campus tours and share your excitement about Queen’s, we need lots of volunteers for our March Break Open House. After the open house, we’ll be hiring full-time guides for the coming year. Check out the Admission Services website for info about this exciting event.

The most important thing you can learn from a campus tour though, is whether the school “feels” right for you. When making important decisions, whether choosing a school to attend or a car to buy, the gut feeling is key. That feeling will return as well. I can remember when I first moved into residence three years ago. I was anxious about how this whole “university thing” was going to turn out. However, starting that first day, as I walked around campus, I knew I had made the right choice. Queen’s has become my home now, and soon it will be yours too!

 

Mike Higginson

Summer Tour Coordinator

The ‘Countdown’ is on…

What an exciting time of year! It seems as soon as August 1^st arrives, we see nothing but back to school ads, highlighting this seasons “must have” fashion, the newest gadgets and latest technology. I’m sure most of you will be preparing a shopping list AND a packing list – trying to decide what to bring with you to capture the spirit of home, the memories of family and friends and just the right amount of “stuff” to fill, but not overstuff, your dorm room!

I have spent this week on the road attending Countdown to Queen’s events in Halifax, Boston and New York City. I’ve had a great time meeting the newest Queen’s students and answering some of their most pressing questions. This has been everything from the size of the dorm room, what students wear to class, and do they really need to wear a toque in the winter (I was settling a ‘discussion’ between a mom and her son – I ruled on the side of mom!)…and of course, the easiest question of all, ‘will I have fun’?

Although it’s been a number of years since I attended my own ‘Countdown’ (it was 1991), I can still remember the anxiety that I felt in getting ready for university – outside all of the practicalities of packing and getting ready to move to Kingston – I was also anxious about meeting new friends. I really needn’t have worried and neither should you!

I know some of the previous blog posts have hinted at the Queen’s community that you will shortly become a part of – and I’ve seen this starting easily and first hand. At the recent events, I’ve seen the start of friendships and connections based on commonalities discovered in conversations that only began minutes before. It’s the same experience I remember from my event. The parents attending have been discussing everything from banking suggestions to the best cell phone plan – openly sharing this information with each other and somehow unifying their efforts – they are also becoming part of the Queen’s community! The students find that they are making connections to people they’ve met through facebook – what an interesting time we live in.

It’s been a real pleasure for me to spend time with some of the students that I have worked with over the past year and share with them this exciting time in their lives – I honestly think I’m almost as excited as they are….and almost as proud as their parents!

Wendy Smith, Admission Co-ordinator

Another transition…

For those of you that will be joining the Queen’s community in September, you are about to begin a very important transition in your life. For others, you may be getting ready to head back to school and are anxious, in a few years, to start such a transition. I’m actually in the middle of a different sort of transition, from work back to school.

At the end of the week I will be beginning a Masters of Science in Management at the Queen’s School of Business. Not moving too far from my current office, so who knows – maybe I will make a guest appearance on the Admission Services blog next year. The reason I’m telling you this is to present an idea, something I hope you will all remember – Don’t let your degree’s title define your direction.

When I registered at Queen’s in first-year I registered as a Bachelor of Science (Honours) student with aspirations of a Life Science concentration and attending medical school. Over the course of four-years I saw my interests change, my path change a number of times – moving from a BScH – Life Sciences degree to a BScH – Psychology degree, and finally graduating with a BAH – Psychology degree. Throughout the four years I wanted to be a doctor, a psychologist, a researcher in the areas of neuroscience and behaviour psychology, and a teacher.

After I graduated, I began a job as a Recruitment Officer for Admission Services and have been working here since, finishing as a Senior Admission Coordinator for Ontario. I have really enjoyed my time here in Admission Services, have met a group of fantastic people, and have learned a great deal. In a few weeks, I will meet another group of people as I start my formal education again with a research graduate degree in business.

You can see that a MSc in Management is quite different than a BScH in Life Sciences. What I have learned, is to not let your degree title define your direction. Keep an open mind and keep your eyes and ears open for what interests you. Have goals, but do not let tunnel vision prevent you from seeing that your goals may change. A university degree will present an amazing amount of opportunities to explore your interests and find your niche.

Take advantage of your time at university, it is going to be great!

Bryan Sippel
Senior Admission Coordinator – Ontario

First Day Jitters

As we draw closer to August’s end, may I ask if you find yourself confronting those pesky pre-university jitters that tend to cunningly intrude on a new student’s late summer musings? Anyone?

If you do discover yourself a wee bit apprehensive about the upcoming year, please know that you’re not alone. I can assure you that every young person leaving home for the first time to begin this new and exciting chapter in their life feels the same way ~ whether they admit it or not. The good news for those of you coming to Queen’s is the help and support available to ease your adjustment ~ both prior to your first day on campus and after.

Throughout the month of August, local Branches of the Queen’s University Alumni Association play host to Countdown to Queen’s ~ a series of welcoming receptions that take place across Canada and around the world. By attending the reception in your area, you will be given the opportunity to get to know other incoming students in attendance, talk to upper-year students and alumni who have lived in your residence and taken your classes, as well as have any last minute questions answered prior to leaving for Kingston. It’s an event worth participating in and one that will assuredly calm many of those pre-university nerves.

Soon it is September 2^nd and when it is, I am certain you will earnestly merge with the sea of new faces on campus and keenly embrace the steady stream of fresh challenges. How can I be convinced you’ll be so self-assured and worry free? Well, I can because I know that the so called “new” you’re about to experience will not be done in uneasy isolation, but with shared enthusiasm and pride through the informative and fun-filled activities intended to help you feel at home ~ Orientation Week ~ and it is your week-long introduction to Queen’s!

Now, don’t solely reserve all your anticipation for Orientation Week. Those of you who have chosen to live in residence will take part in two days of relevant activities, where you’ll be introduced to floormates and become familiarized with the campus, residence life, and safety. But perhaps you opted out of residence, and decided to live elsewhere. Surely, you have selected the abode less chosen, as most students do settle into residence for their first year. This, however, does not mean that you are left on your own to learn about campus and the intellectual, cultural, and social resources available to you. First Years not in Residence (FYNIRS) is an Alma Mater Society (AMS) affiliated group that will not only present the opportunity for you to meet other Queen’s students living off campus, but also familiarize you to the community of Kingston and student life at Queen’s.

Hopefully after reading this post, any last remaining nervous knots you have will have loosened a wee bit and you will have started to settle into the ease of your transition. What I would like to leave you with is the promise that we ~ faculty, staff, and your fellow students ~ are committed to lending a ready hand with the many challenging, yet rewarding changes you’re about to face. We are here to help, support and ensure that this “new” life shift you’re experiencing will be as seamless, welcoming, and jitter-free a change as possibly could be.

Kimberly Fournier ~ Admission Coordinator ~ Western Canada

Looking ahead… WAAAAAAY ahead.

As you likely know, there is less than a month left until move-in day. At the time of this post, there are precisely 24 days until campus once again becomes the mystical land of Studentia. While I have definitely appreciated the summer quiet on campus (albeit oft-punctured with the occasional construction-related explosion), I’m really excited to see campus return to its full glory.

While you are joining a fairly exclusive group of very bright and very driven students, you’re also staking a claim for membership in another group. Once you graduate, you will be officially joining the worldwide Queen’s Alumni network.

Our alumni are renowned for their loyalty to Queen’s and the ferocity of their still burning school spirit. Look no further than the annual Homecoming football game at Richardson Stadium. The parade at halftime is when alumni have a chance to greet current students by doing a victory lap of the track surrounding the field. Students always give them a standing ovation, and it’s not uncommon for a few mischievous alums to launch a couple water balloons into the masses.

As you join the ranks of Queen’s alumni, you join a group which extends over 120,000 members strong! Queen’s alumni can be found in more than 150 countries worldwide. If you’re traveling, it’s comforting to know that there’s almost always a Queen’s alum right around the corner.

As the saying goes; “Students for a short time, Alumni for a lifetime!”

 

Kevin du Manoir – Admission Representative (Ontario)