Becoming a Welcome Week Rep: Reflection of a Graduating Student

February 7 2010. MacInsiders.

I cannot believe I will (finally) be ending my undergraduate career at Mac as of this April. I have had lots of good times (as well as some hard ones) here, met tons of people, and had a lot of shenanigans (random or otherwise). I'm very sad (bordering on despondent) that I will no longer be able to be a Welcome Week Rep.

I was a WW Rep for four years: I was a res rep three times (Whidden '05, Bates '06 and Bates '07), a Faculty Rep (Soc Sci '06) and a Maroons rep in 2008. My experience as a rep were some of the best I had at Mac: I met a lot of people; I got to initiate students into the traditions we created during my Welcome Week; I've helped start new traditions; I've raised money for Shinerama; and perhaps most importantly, yelled and jumped around like an idiot in a brightly-coloured jumpsuit.

I'm going to miss it so much.

My frosh have told me that they have wanted to become Welcome Week reps because of how awesome I made their Welcome Weeks. Not everyone enjoyed their Welcome Week (or even attended it, for that matter), but that doesn't mean you can't be a rep. Everyone I know has a better time being a rep than they did as a first year student, which is why so many people become reps year after year.

If you are thinking about becoming a rep, we have a stockpile of old articles that give first-hand experience to what it was like being a rep. Applications to become a rep for Welcome Week 2010 start soon, and we will be posting information as it becomes available.

In the meantime, please check out some of our existing articles on being a Welcome Week Rep. If you would like to tell the MacInsiders community about your experience please do so! You can submit it here.

Welcome Week Reps Part One: IRC
Welcome Week Rep Applications Part Two: Faculty Rep
Welcome Week Rep Applications Part Three: SOCS Rep
Welcome Week Rep Applications Part Four: Residence Rep
Welcome Week Rep Applications Part Five: Maroons

Being involved in extra-curricular activities could lead you to a whole new career

7 January 2010. TalentEgg Incubator

When choosing an academic program, some of us are more certain about the disciplines we can’t do than the ones we can.

For example, I realized that not being proficient in math would prohibit me from the sciences, specifically zoology, so I had to consider other choices when I first went to university.

For others, it is not until first or second year that they recognize they aren’t able to handle the demands their program. They might realize that although they enjoy their degree program, after being exposed to different kinds of work through extra-curricular activities, there are other possible careers they would like to pursue.

I recently spoke with Alana Clarke – an alumnus of the University of Toronto’s political science andcriminology programs who is currently enrolled in Humber College’s post-graduate certificate in fundraising and volunteer management – to get her perspectives on how her extra-curricular activities influenced her career goals.

Q. Why did you want a degree in criminology and political science?
A. Since I was very young, I loved watching crime shows and I have always had an interest in the concept of crime. I wondered how people could do things like home invasions, murders or rapes. I wanted to be a criminal lawyer at one point. I picked my degree concentrations based on my interests.

Q. Tell me how you started getting involved in extra-curricular activities.
A. When I was in high school, I was part of the formal committee and did a lot of theatre. I was in the regional arts program at Mayfield Secondary School. Once I went to university, I discovered my college at U of T had a year formal and I volunteered to head the decorating of one room. From there, I met other people interested in student government and the rest is history. I think I spent more time doing extra-curricular activities than doing my school work.

Q. What did you learn from these activities?
A. Since I was balancing the workload of a double major and extra-curricular activities, all I have to say is TIME MANAGEMENT. Also, I learned how to work with people and in groups.

Q. Did your extra-curricular experiences lead you to doing a post-graduate diploma in fundraising and volunteer management?
A. Yes, they did. I did fundraising for Shinerama and also did not-for-profit work when I helped run UC Orientation, and was a member of the University College Literary and Athletic Society (student council) – a not-for-profit corporation.

It seemed like a natural progression and, at the risk of sounding cheesy, I wanted a career that would help me make a difference in the world. I wanted to be a lawyer for a long time but realized it was not what I was meant to be.

Not many people who have a criminology degree go into fundraising so a lot of people are surprised when they hear my majors.

Q. How do you think your degrees in addition to your extra-curricular activities will help you find an interesting career?
A. My U of T degree taught me how to do a lot of work in a small amount of time. My extra-curricular activities gave me the opportunity to work with others in a team work style setting, which you do not tend to get at a large university like U of T.

The program I am in now has taught me the tools of the trade when it comes to fundraising. There is a lot of work, but we are learning basically everything you need to know from how to do a capital campaign to marketing our future organizations.

I also have a background in criminology and political science, so if fundraising does not seem to work for me I’ll have other options. I feel my education and experiences outside of the classroom have prepared me for a variety of career paths.

Q. What do you hope to do after you finish your diploma?
A. I would like to work for the University of Toronto or for a theatre like the Stratford Festival. I’d like to work in the development offices of either organization. I love U of T and have always desired to stay on campus…forever. I have been attending the performances at Stratford Festival since I was a child. I love drama and theatre and miss being directly involved in it.

Entry-Level Living: Travel Close to Home, Its Patriotic

" Entry-Level Living: Travel Close to Home, Its Patriotic", July 6 2009

You’ve probably heard of the 100 Mile Diet, but what about a 100 Mile Vacation? In trying economic times, being able to go on vacation has become increasingly difficult, especially for those of us who are still in school or who have recently graduated and are just starting in the workforce. To go on a 100 Mile Vacation, plan a vacation no more than 100 miles from your home (or 160.9344 km, since we use the metric system here in Canada).

Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia

Travelling closer to home (in Canada, if not within your own province/territory) has a lot of benefits. As with the 100 Mile Diet, you’ll have a lesser impact on the environment and you’ll spend less money. Also, you’ll never have to worry about changing your money to another currency!

Throughout the year, each province and territory has a slew of large-scale events that occur. To name just a few, Alberta has the Calgary Stampede; Ontario has Caribana, Pride and the Canadian National Exhibition; while Quebec has Carnivale. These events have a lot to do with our national identity and are something everyone should see at least once in their lifetime.

There is a lot to see and do within Canada, and most of us take it for granted. Although our nation is a relatively new one in comparison to our neighbours in the Eastern Hemisphere, there is plenty of history to see and learn about. They say history repeats itself, so why not get a better understanding of our current affairs by learning about Canada’s past?

There are currently 15 UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) heritage sites in Canada, all of which can teach you something about how and why Canada is functioning as it is today.

There is also the large variety of climate and geography within Canada: you can see mountains, deserts, tundra, dense urban areas, lakes, oceans, forests, prairies, etc. In no other country do you see the kind of variance that you do in Canada in terms of landforms and temperature.

Travelling within Canada may also be helpful if you are looking for a job or a post-secondary institution. If you’ve found there is nothing available for you in your home province/territory, maybe it’s time to start looking at employers in other parts of the country and consider relocating. Sometimes getting a fresh start somewhere else can be very beneficial to your future.

Similarly, if you think your education isn’t getting you anywhere, maybe you should see what educational options are available in other parts of the country, as schools in different parts of the country can offer location-specific programs and specialties.

If you’re traveling in Vancouver for example, why not check out the forestry department at UBC or the School for International Studies at Simon Fraser? Sometimes trying something new or visiting a new place is the best way for you to find out what you really want to do with the rest of your life. Why not experience it in Canada?