An Albertan on campus…

At the bottom of the back of my Queen’s jacket, there’s a little reminder of where I’m from. A little blue rectangle, an Alberta flag, sits there reminding me that three years ago Edmonton was my only home and Queen’s was just a picture in the viewbook!

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I spent the majority of my time in grade 12 trying to decide where to go to university. Luckily, the option of leaving home to come to a place like Queen’s was available to me, but that just made the decision harder – there were so many possibilites! I got the chance to visit Kingston in January of 2005 and go on a campus tour. It was a long trip from Edmonton to Kingston, and when my dad and I finally got here, it seemed forever away from home, but we were warmly welcomed and very quickly it seemed a place that I would be comfortable calling home.

Moving out to go to university was going to be the first time living away from my parents – in fact it was my first time moving anywhere! So it was important to me that I go to a smaller school in a smaller city. As I thought about it more and more, Queen’s seemed like a great place to go. I wanted a school with community. I wanted to go to somewhere where I liked the atmosphere – and my campus tour confirmed that Queen’s scored well there! I also wanted, quite simply, a good school. The decision wasn’t easy, but I’m glad I made the decision I did.

Now I’m midway through my third year studying Politics and Human Geography, thinking of going into Urban Planning for a Master’s degree once I’m done. In two and a half years, I’ve taken all manner of courses, been in six dramatic productions (all entirely student produced and directed, several even student-written!), written and performed skits to high school students about socially relevant issues, been in environmental groups, been a big reading buddy for a local grade one student, gone on trips through the outdoor club, gone climbing through the climbing club, played intramural soccer, gone to film festivals, and, somewhere along the way, learned a lot and written a lot of essays! There are days I arrive on campus at 8:30am and stay busy until 11pm. And I feel like I could be doing more. The depth of involvement that is possible is truly exhilarating. I cringe at saying something so cheesy, but it’s true.

Living away from home has been a tremendous opportunity for me to grow as an individual and as an adult. I’m now a confident cook, more than capable of doing my own laundry, dealing with landlords and house conflicts, paying bills, and a host of more subtle things. I’ve grown in so many ways and experienced so many more things than I would have done had I stayed at home.

There are things I miss about Alberta for sure. The mountains aren’t next door, PST is a drag, and I never quite appreciated how sunny it is in Alberta until I came here! And of course I miss family, friends, and places I used to hang out. But it’s been more than worth it. I’ve fallen in love with Kingston, with Queen’s and with the people I’ve met here. It’s always a gamble to go so far away, but it’s paid off for me!

Thomas Beck
Arts ‘09
Edmonton, Alberta

The True Spirit of Queen’s: Community

It’s no secret that Queen’s is a challenging university. You are pushed to be some of the best and brightest students and graduates in the country and around the world. But sometimes people forget that the academics don’t make the university the students do!

Now, where am I going with this you ask? Well I’d like to tell you a little story that happened to me just a few short days ago, that demonstrates just what kind of students make up the Queen’s community. For those of you watching the weather on Friday, or who live in southern Ontario, you were probably as cold and wet as I was when I wrote this, or at least saying “thank goodness I’m not in the middle of THAT storm!”

Friday, Kingston received a good wake up call from Mother Nature telling us winter is NOT over just yet. 15cm of snow crisped up with some freezing rain led to some “wintery” conditions. However, I pride myself on being a true Northern Ontario girl – heck, my common phrase is “you call THIS a storm?”, so naturally I scoffed at the warnings of the weather network as I drove into work with barely any snow on the ground…I figured it was just another warning. 8 hours of being cooped up at my desk later I went outside to find my poor Penny (she’s my car) buried under snow and freezing rain. Once again – I thought no big deal, I’ve scraped my car before, and I’ll do it again, even if I am in heels.

After about a half hour of scraping, sweeping, scraping the next layer and finally sweeping off the snow that blew back on, Penny was all cleaned up, warmed up and ready to go – or so I thought. Sadly, the city plow must have thought she was a supped up 4X4 as it left a nice wall of snow blocking me from entering the street. Well, if the plow had faith, so did I and I put her in drive to head home. This is where things got ugly. She started out on the right foot with a nice jolt of energy that was crushed quickly by not only a snow bank that was taller than the wheels, BUT that snow had been covered in freezing rain (please no snowball fights people!). There I was, on Union St. stuck.

Here’s the cool part – a student passing by saw my anguish and frustration that I took out on the poor steering wheel, tapped on the window and asked if I could use some help. We both kind of laughed at the pickle I was in and agreed that it was worth a shot to have him give me a push. A laugh it was – Penny was insistent on NOT leaving her new found comfort of the snow bank. After a quick strategy discussion, I back up for some leverage and we try again. Nothing. Just as I’m ready to throw in the towel another student stops by to help him push. Still nothing. Ok boys, she just isn’t going to budge I think to myself…and as I look up all of a sudden I have 3 guys ready to push behind me, and two using their hands to shovel out a path in front of me for the tires to get through. None of these students knew eachother, or me for that matter, and on this winter blown day, probably had much better things to do than push me and my car out of the snow bank, but in true Queen’s spirit, they came together as a team to help out a fellow member of the community. My hat is off to the anonymous gentleman who helped me get home Friday – they were already dispersing as I stopped to thank them.

So, the moral of this story? Whether your car needs a push, your academics need a push or your life in general needs a push – the Queen’s community is here to help – and make sure you succeed in whatever challenge is presented in front of you.

p.s. it’s now Monday, the sun is shining, the ice has melted and we are expecting a high of +2°C – let the snowball fights begin!

Happy Monday!

Allison Tapak, Admission Coordinator, Mid-Western Canada and USA

House Hunting Season Has Begun In Kingston!

Walking to a local coffee shop to get my treat for Friday afternoon at the office (Remember on “its treat yourself it’s Friday!!!” you treat yourself!) I couldn’t help but notice the gaggles of students walking around the blocks surrounding main campus and who were, currently, clumped in groups inside and outside this coffee shop – no doubt trying to stay warm and getting their caffeine fix to keep up their stamina. It was then that I realized…it’s house hunting season.

As a graduate and now employee of Queen’s I had completely forgotten about this sacred and chaotic time of year. Having returned from winter holidays with renewed vigor, students start the process of finding their perfect house, and for first years, they’re very first house, a place of their own. The smart ones come back knowing who to live with and what they can handle, visiting a variety of houses and not settling yet not holding out for the elusive perfect house. Inevitably, there are the ones that start looking with…less than realistic expectations of their first student house. I happened upon a group of first year students who’d bundled up to visit a few houses and in passing heard a student say to her friends, “Alright, veto. I already hate this house…it’s too far.” Now while I’m sure I would have had the same reaction as a new student, as a learned house hunter I could only just shake my head and think… “They’ll learn”. Queen’s is one of the lucky universities to have it’s student housing so close to it’s campus, so ‘too far’ at Queen’s should really be kept in perspective.

Having had to move every year that I was at Queen’s, I can sympathize with those students in their hunt for the Holy Grail of houses. From residence, to my first house after residence, to my second house (torn down for the Queen’s Center…sacrifices) to my third apartment to now my fourth  and, fingers crossed, final house in Kingston, trust me when I say I know how frustrating looking for a place to live can be. But I can also remember how much fun it was – to realize you get to live on your own with some of your best friends; to meet up for coffee to discuss options, warm up between houses and gossip about that hot fourth year guy or girl who’s bedroom you’d just looked at, it’s great.

If you’re a prospective student, don’t be turned off by this annual race for housing. It is totally worth the end result and you gain good life skills. If you’re in the thick of the hunt as we speak, just remember that a house with a dishwasher, washer and dryer, hardwood floor, fireplace, porch, pool, sauna, built in entertainment unit etc. might not exist, but remember that these houses have character. Queen’s students have been living in them for years. In my second house, the attic closet doors had messages written on them from all its tenants from 1980 to present. Remember the history, but also remember that when you find that house, it will be perfect because it will be yours and you will make it your own. With a little loving, laughs and memories, that house will be the best thing you ever could come home to.

Happy House Hunting!!!

 

Stephanie Anthony-Brown – Admission Representative

One Night in Doha

So here I am sitting in my hotel room on the other side of the globe in Doha, Qatar which for those of you who are geographically challenged is located on the Arabian Gulf in the Middle East.  What makes it even more surreal is that tomorrow I fly to Kuwait with approximately 20 other representatives from Canadian Universities as we’ve been visiting with students in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait.  I’m guessing that the phrase “see you in Kuwait” can only be uttered so many times in your life.

I decided to take a look at what people who were viewing our blog were searching for on the site and I was intrigued by two things.  The first was the fact that someone was looking for my name (thanks mom) but the other one that grabbed my attention were the international inquiries.  I figured that since I’m about as international as I can get at the moment, when will I have a better opportunity to talk about this.

I believe that this year Queen’s will be visiting 20 different countries and a few weeks ago Queen’s opened an office in Shanghai, China in an effort to have more of a presence in the area.  Added to this is the fact that our School of Business has begun a Graduate program in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the fact that faculty, staff and students travel the globe to conduct research, attend classes, participate in conferences and study abroad opportunities.  We also have 129 different countries represented on campus!  Plus don’t forget that we have the International Study Centre at Herstmonceaux Castle in East Sussex England.  These things truly makes Queen’s an international campus with international experiences as we set out to “engage the world”.

I’ve also learned that no matter where you are students’ concerns are very similar.  Everyone is very focused on their academics and extra curriculars and asks the same questions about admissions, scholarships, fees and residence; however, it is the cultural differences that make it all so interesting.  Not to get into a rant but learning about different cultures makes us more understanding and that’s why it is important for us to step outside our comfort zone from time to time and embrace something different.   Do you think you can learn something from the student who has to go through a military check point on a daily basis just to attend school in Riyadh?  I bet you can and I bet you can share your experiences with them to help them make a smooth transition to the Canadian culture.  All I’m trying to say is embrace the international experiences that are out there and we hope that if Queen’s University is in your future that you are prepared to “engage the world”.

Dan Seneker – Senior Admission Coordinator

Fall Preview: A great way to learn more about Queen’s…

(…and maybe one of the world’s largest birthday parties!)

I have to confess that Fall Preview is one of my favourite events on campus. Part of this is because I have very fond memories of Fall Preview – when I was in my undergrad here, I spent many years as a Campus Tour guide, so I remember giving many campus tours to students and their families, but it was also the first event I coordinated when I started working at Admission Services. As well, the second Fall Preview always falls on – or very close to – my birthday (November 2^nd), which explains why I’ve always jokingly referred to it as a giant birthday party.

Now, I know that you have other reasons for coming to campus than to celebrate my birthday (though cakes and birthday wishes are always appreciated), so I also have other reasons why I love Fall Preview, namely that it is an incredibly exciting day, both for us and for our visitors. Fall Preview is a great opportunity for you to step foot on campus and really see whether Queen’s could be the right fit for you. Aside from campus and residence tours, you’ll also get a chance to speak to students and faculty members about what their program is really like. Many departments and faculties will have displays and tours of their building, so you really get a feel for what is available on campus. There are also student services and breakout sessions to help give you an idea of what to expect when you get here, and what your life will be like outside of the classroom. You can even find out more about how to get started, financial assistance, and the many international opportunities (including the Castle). There are countless staff, students, and faculty members who are on hand, just to make you feel welcome and to answer your questions – it really is a day designed for you.

Perhaps most importantly – and a fact not to be missed – is that it gives you a chance to physically stand on campus, surrounded by other prospective students, their families, and the staff, students, alumni, and faculty that make up the Queen’s community, to take a deep breath and look around at the people, the buildings, the campus, the lake, (and even the squirrels) and see if Queen’s feels right to you. It’s a bit of an indescribable feeling, but if you ask any current students or alumni, they’ll say something similar – that they visited campus and it just felt right for them. It’s that sense of excitement that really makes Fall Preview my favourite event.

For those of you who visited on October 20^th, and for those of you who will be visiting us on November 3^rd, thank you for coming to see our campus! To learn more about Fall Preview, please visit here or contact our office.

See you this weekend!

(And happy birthday to everyone else who will be celebrating this weekend!)

P.S. One final tip for those of you attending on November 3^rd: don’t forgot that this is the day of the Engineering “Sci Formal”. Make sure to check out Grant Hall to see how they’ve turned it into Broadway! For more information, check out the Engineering website.

Danyal Martin – Admission Coordinator

 

 

The Ontario Universities Fair – OUF!

OUF – it kind of sounds like you’ve been kicked in the stomach.  Let me assure you though that instead it might be the sound you make if you visit the Ontario Universities Fair happening right now – September 28, 29 and 30 at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre.  You might make that sound just because you’ll be utterly amazed at how huge this event is!  Thus the possible, “OUF – that’s big!”

All of Ontario’s Universities come together under one massive roof to meet with students and parents and talk about their university and post-secondary choices in general.  We’re expecting about 60,000-80,000 visitors over the three days!   There are specific presentations and booths that allow you to speak to various university representatives one on one, or just allow you to grab some information and run to the next booth.

This year Queen’s has a brand new booth – so new that the fair is the first time anyone, including most of our staff, will see it.  I’ve been told that it is awesome and I believe it.  More importantly though it will be staffed by Queen’s faculty members, staff members from various offices across campus (Admissions, Awards, Residence, just to name a few), Alumni and of course current Student volunteers that can give you a student’s perspective on everything Queen’s.

It’s a great opportunity and I encourage you to make the trip to downtown Toronto (the convention centre is located right in between Union Station and the CN Tower) to visit the OUF.  If you want more information visit our website.  If you do go down say hi to all the Admissions staff in the nice red Queen’s golf shirt – tell them Dan sent you!  Enjoy the Fair!

Dan Seneker – Senior Admission Coordinator

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Yes I know it isn’t January 1^st but it is the start of another new school year which is just as exciting as New Year’s! Campus has come back to life, returning students are getting back into their groove, new students are quickly trying to find their groove and it also means that the gym is busy again and I have to arrive early to get my favourite machines – but I’m OK with that as this is my favourite time of year.

A new year also means that in the next few weeks and months our Admission Services staff will be hitting the road, traveling across the province, the country and the globe to talk to students about Queen’s and admission for Fall 2008 (only 355 days away). Our travel schedule is being updated daily but you can track where we are planning to be by visiting the Queen’s On the Road section on our website. I think at last count there were close to 700 schools and events in our calendar for this Fall alone.

I don’t want you to forget that you can also come and visit us! We have campus tours starting up again that operate Monday to Friday at 11 am and 1 pm, plus we have a few on campus events happening including Fall Preview Days on October 20^th and November 3^rd, as well as March Break Open House on March 12^th and 13^th.

Keep tuned to our blog for posts on stories from the road and on campus and if you have a question or topic that’s of interest to you post a comment and we’ll do our best to accommodate it.

See you this Fall!

 

Dan Seneker – Senior Admission Coordinator, Western Canada and USA

 

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

Kingston, Ontario: Best When Experienced

Soon, you will be moving out of your accustomed space to begin a new life at Queen’s. Not only will you be moving out of your house, apartment or yak haired tent (if you’re coming from the Tibetan plains, that is), you will be leaving a home community that is comfortably familiar and rich in your past experiences. You may be wondering if the City of Kingston will be able to offer a lifestyle through which many rewarding and diverse experiences are readily possible. Well, I’m here to tell you that it can!

Mid-way between Toronto and Montreal, and just a 30 minute drive from the U.S. border, Kingston is a flourishing regional centre that gives way to a quality of life experience, which is at once dynamic in its inspiring present and absorbing in its celebrated past. Yes, you will soon become resident of one of Canada’s most vibrant and historic communities: a city clad with all the bustle and amenities one could ever need. Here, you’ll be able to explore many historic sites, art galleries, museums, theatres, and bookstores that make for the appeal and enjoyment a day’s outing should afford. You may wish to spend an evening chatting with friends at a sidewalk cafe, tasting a new exotic dish at one of the assorted restaurants, or look for fair trade goods and local artisan crafts at the countless eclectic shops, all readily within walking distance of the University.

Whether you choose to stroll through Canada’s oldest continuously run Farmer’s Market in search of maple syrup candy and pecan tarts, or enjoy the great licks of a White Mountain ice cream cone while on route to Wolfe Island via ferry for a mid-day stroll, you’ll find your new home lending itself well to the sensibility and budget of those ever burgeoning interests you possess. If you’re an experienced scuba diver, autumn may find you eagerly taking advantage of the various historical and artificial shipwrecks (e.g. paddlewheelers, schooners, wooden steamers, etc.) found underwater and just offshore. For the less adventurous, you may simply prefer to wake early and head to Pan Chancho Bakery and Café for some freshly baked pain au chocolat and a leisurely waterfront walk, only to find yourself marveling along the way at the architecture that has earned Kingston the “Limestone City” nickname. Halloween might find you audacious enough to brave the Haunted Walk of Kingston or visit Fort Henry National Historic Site for the Ghosts of the Fort tour.

Should you be tempted to pack your figure skating fringe or hockey gear, Kingston has a use for them. As the weather becomes brisk with winter, you can head on down to Market Square for the quintessential Canadian outdoor skating experience. Afterward, you can stop by Coffee and Company for a toasty cup of hot cocoa to warm you from head to toe delicious.

For thespian inspiration and as winter slowly wakens to spring, you might choose to share in the Reelout Queer Film Festival or Kingston Canadian Film Festival, but you don’t have to wait for these events to engage in dramatic flair. You can do so all year long by viewing a picture at the Screening Room or Cinema Kingston, or instead by taking in a live student-run production by attending Queen’s Musical Theatre.

Regardless of preference, season or mood, Kingston has ample activity and interest to keep you occupied when not in the throws of academia or immersed in on-campus buzz. You’ve made a great decision to attend Queen’s and in doing so, have chosen a new hometown that is nothing short of a cultural and recreational hub for the best student experience that a city such as Kingston can ever hope to provide.

Kimberly Fournier ~ Admission Coordinator ~ Western Canada

 

Whether you weather the weather or not…

A few of you might be coming to Queen’s from a few short blocks away. I’m willing to bet that most of you who are reading this are coming from significantly further away than that! In fact, I’ll put $20 on approximately 95% of you coming from more than 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Kingston… Ha! I win!

One of the main questions I’ve encountered from prospective and future students (aside from “Where is Kingston??”) is “What is the weather like there? Do you get 5 feet of snow?” While we are a bit further north than larger metropolitan areas like Toronto, our weather here is much the same as you’d find in nearby areas! For my inaugural post, I’ll walk you through what you should expect during the four seasons here in Kingston. I’ll start with our current season – sweet summer!

Summertimes in Kingston are marked with pleasantly warm days and cooler nights. The average temperature in July is about 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit) but daytime highs and the humidex can often make it feel like it’s 30+ out there (over 86 F). Luckily, we have the wonderful breeze of Lake Ontario here on campus to keep things cool! Nonetheless, if you’re visiting Kingston sometime this summer, be sure to bring shorts, a couple t-shirts, and lots of sunscreen!

Once you arrive in September, things will start to cool down. Fall in Kingston, and especially on campus, is a beautiful sight with some amazing colours in the local foliage. Campus is fairly well tree-covered, so you don’t have to go very far for some great photos. Summer-like weather will still be prevalent in early September, so don’t leave all your shorts at home. For the latter parts of September and most of October, you could definitely get by with a couple pairs of comfy jeans and the traditional Queen’s Hoodie!

Now, let’s talk winter.

First things first, we’re not in Iqaluit. You won’t be wearing a parka for six months of the year. To be honest, I didn’t even break out my heavy winter coat (my Team Canada Hockey jacket) until halfway through January. That nice cooling breeze you experienced in the summer will now work against you a little bit, but it’s nothing that’s not manageable. In fact, most students wear their faculty jackets all winter if they get one. The coldest day ever in Kingston was way back on January 4th, 1981 when the mercury hit -34.5 C (-30 F). Luckily, nowadays, we don’t get anywhere near that cold, with the average temperature in January being around around -8 degrees C (18 F). Yes, we do get snow here, but it tends not to accumulate much. Kingston winters are marked by colder snowy bits interspersed with mild melts partway through. While we might get a total of over 6 feet of snow falling on the city, you will rarely see more than a foot or so on the ground at any given time.

Once the beauty of spring starts, you’ll know it. The first day that the spring temperatures start climbing above freezing, Kingston comes back to life again. You’ll find yourself outside with your fellow classmates playing road hockey or trying to find a dry spot of ground to sit and soak in the sun while studying. You’ll first notice the weather changing and the days getting longer in about mid-March. By the time April hits, the days are nice and warm – tempting you to stay outside and enjoy the sun when you should be studying for your finals!

So there you have it! What you should expect here for weather. If you’re coming from not too far away and you plan on going home for Thanksgiving, I recommend switching your summeresque clothing for your winter gear at that time. If you’re coming from further abroad and want to pack lighter, there are tons of great stores here in Kingston you can purchase warmer clothing from, including our own Campus Bookstore!

Just for the record, today it’s sunny, 22 degrees C and I’ve got a date with the golf course tonight.

I love it.

Kevin du Manoir – Admission Representative/Amateur Meteorologist