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.

Getting involved at school to the beat of a different drum

December 21 2009. TalentEgg Incubator.

This year, I had a large number of people ask me what my ethnic background is. I’ve been told I look Mexican, Persian, Egyptian, native or biracial over the years. I’m actually of mixed European background and my last name is German, not Spanish or Italian like everyone thinks.

Meanwhile, I’m minoring in Indigenous Studies and I’m a member of the McMaster First Nations Student Association (MFNSA), which makes a lot of people automatically think I’m native. Let me be clear: I do not want to turn into a contemporary, female version of Grey Owl.

I just don’t see the reason why you have to be from a certain group (be it race, gender, ethnicity, social background, academic program, etc.) in order to participate in the activities of other groups.

I suppose a lot of my confusion stems from the way McMaster does things. There are many different cultural clubs and none of them excludes students from joining or participating because they are not part of that culture. For example, McMaster’s ALLY Program is open to any student who supports the LGBTQ community on campus. I’ve been a member since my first year.

I will admit it’s sometimes a bit weird being the outsider because I don’t always get all of the inside jokes and how certain things work sometimes needs to be explained because I wasn’t exposed to them growing up (among other things). However, I firmly believe – as a very wise author once put it – “a person is a person, no matter how small” (or tall, black, white, old, young, etc.).

Traditional dancer Devan Kicknosway

I think there are many benefits to taking Indigenous Studies and I’ve learned a lot while being a member of MFNSA. I helped organize a welcoming powwow on campus; I’ve seen important individuals like Dr. Taiaike Alfred and Fernando Hernandez speak; I’ve helped organize a toy drive for the holidays and acquired donations from students so more toys could be purchased; and I’ve volunteered as a representative of McMaster at the Canadian Aboriginal Festival.

This upcoming semester there are a bunch of other events, lectures and activities in the works, and I’m excited to participate.

Perhaps most importantly, I’ve learned about another point of view: modern Western society, cultures, politics, history values and science vary greatly from that of Indigenous persons. I’ve had an interest in social justice since high school and what I’ve learned through my education and extra-curricular activities has made me try to facilitate change.

Let me elaborate: people choose to see certain truths when information is presented to them, which can be to their detriment or benefit.

Take Stephan Harper, for example, who said only a few months ago that ‘Canada has no history of colonialism.’ He was called a fool for his ignorance and it is clear he does not know the history of this country.

I have had an interest in other cultures for as long as I remember (thank you, parents for taking me travelling as a child; thank you to all the family who has given me books over the years; and thank you, Anthropology degree) and that has contributed my rebellion against certain societal norms.

I will continue to be involved in groups outside my self-identified box because I find them interesting. I enjoy my status as a liminal figure; I am doing what I want to do and that is the most important thing.

Welcome Week Rep Survival Guide

"Welcome Week Rep Survival Guide", August 2008

With Welcome Week only a WEEK away (YAY!!!!), many upper year students are starting to prepare. Not as participants, like they were last year, or in years before that, but as Welcome Week reps.

For the past three years I have been a Welcome Week rep. I was a residence rep three times, for Whidden in 2005, and for Bates in 2006 and 2007. I was also a Social Sciences rep in 2006. This September I’ve chose to be a rep again, but this time as a Maroons rep. Because I have three years of being a rep under my belt (although most of the time I never wore a belt with my rep suit...), I thought it would be useful for all new reps to know what they’re getting into, and how to prepare for the week. Read on, and learn about how to survive Welcome Week!

Sleep
Get as much sleep as you possibly can before rep training starts, especially if you’re a Residence Rep. The first two days of Welcome Week will be 18 hours each, and physically exhausting due to move-in. None of your days will start after 10am, and most days don’t finish before 10pm. As a Res Rep, most of my days started at 8am, and finished at 1am. Add in all of the heavy lifting for move-in, and all the running around and cheering you will be dead tired. If you have any opportunities to take a break (even for a few minutes) try and take a nap of some sort.

Hydration
Three of the past four Welcome Weeks have been hot (last year being the hottest, with one day going up to 42C with the humidex). You will be wearing some sort of polyester suit that does not breathe. You will be sweating in it even if it’s a cool day. Make sure you drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. However, you should also drink other liquids, as drinking only water does not replenish everything that is lost through sweating. Last year I ended up in emergency with dehydration from drinking only water. So please remember to drink juice and Gatorade/Powerade as well to replenish the electrolytes you lose (or you could be really hardcore and buy Pedialyte, but that stuff is REALLY expensive). That being said, if you’re drinking caffeinated beverages remember that they are diuretics and make you lose fluids as well.

Throat Lozenges
You will lose your voice. You will lose your voice more than one time. The best way to keep cheering after you voice has gone is to take some sort of throat lozenge meant for sore throats. I personally like Cepacol because they numb your throat. Other people prefer to use Halls, but I don’t like them because they tend to burn. You may also want to have tea with honey a few times over the course of the week as well.

Sunscreen
Considering Welcome Week takes place at the end of August/beginning of September there is the possibility for bright sunlight and a high UV index. It’s totally mom of me to remind you about the sunscreen...but you don’t want skin cancer now do you?

Change of Clothes
Know how your mom wanted you to always bring a change of clothes when you went away somewhere? Well, Welcome Week is another one of those places. If it’s really hot this year, you’re going to get really sweaty, and if it’s rainy like it was in 2006, you’re going to get damp, if not wet or totally soaked. Either way, you’re going to want to change your clothes and it’s hard to do so if you don’t bring any to change into. Same goes for shoes. You spend a lot of time on your feet, so you don’t want to spend part of your day in squishy shoes. If your feet get sore, it’s a good idea to have something to change into, because it will alleviate some of the pain in your feet.

Deodorant
Apply every morning. Bring to campus. Reapply as needed. No one is friends with the smelly kid.

Talking to People
Be as friendly as possible! You want to make sure that any student is comfortable talking to you, regardless of if they are from your building or faculty. You want to be approachable! You have to talk to people as a rep...which can be harder if you’re on the awkward side. It can also be difficult if the student you’re talking to is kinda shy. Although I must admit I’m not the best at small talk, you get a little bit of practice after awhile. Here are some suggestions for keeping a conversation going, that go beyond the ‘where are you from, how many siblings do you have, do you have a significant other’ type questions:
-What music they listen to
-What the favourite movie they saw this summer was
-What they’re looking forward to most during Welcome Week
-What sort of activities did they do in high school
-What course are they not looking forward to taking this year

Obviously there are tons and tons of other questions you could ask! As I mentioned, I’m not really good at asking questions, but I tend to better think of questions on the fly, especially since I can gage the kinds of questions I will ask based on earlier answers.

Food
I think as a res rep this is what bothered me the most. You get the most interaction with students, and have the longest days, and yet you get the least amount of appreciation. You will get two meals, both of which are on the move-in days. After that you have to supply your own food, and that $100 you are made to put on your meal cards usually helps cover that. If you’re Maroon on the other hand, you’re lucky enough to get most of your meals paid for. Faculty Reps are somewhere in between the two. Some good choices for food to eat on campus (to help you survive Welcome Week), includes sources of protein and carbohydrates. Protein helps keep you full and gives you energy, so try and have some at every meal. Another good food to have is soup. It has lots of salt, which you will need to replace over the course of the week. You will likely also want to bring things that aren’t sold by Hospitality services, such as fruit, cheese, Red Bull, peanut butter sandwiches or granola bars.

Weather
Remember to check the Weather Network website every morning before you leave. Then you'll know what to expect (at least a little bit...the forecast for Hamilton isn't always 100% right) in terms of weather for the day. Then you'll also know to bring an umbrella, sunscreen etc.

DFF
This is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING for you to remember. In residence you learned that DFF was don’t eff your floor. As a rep, it means don’t eff your frosh. If you happen to be really interested in one of your students, please wait until after Welcome Week before doing anything about it. You are a leader and a role model; starting a relationship while you are still seen as those means taking advantage of a first year student. NOT COOL! You can wait until August 8th, and if you can’t you’re in this for all of the wrong reasons. And by extension, this means don’t start anything with any of your co-reps either.

Just remember...it’s more fun being a rep than it is being a first year. I was told that in my second year, and I have to agree. I’ve told the same to tons of students down the line, and they have also agreed with me. Be smart, be safe and HAVE A BLAST AND A HALF!! (and hope to hell it doesn’t rain like it did in 2006).

Welcome Week Rep Kick-Off Event!

"Welcome Week Rep Kick-Off Event!", August 26 2008

Welcome Week is less than a week away now (w00t!!!), and what better way to start it off by having a giant party? This Thursday August 28th is the campus-wide Welcome Week Rep Kick-Off Party at Quarters. This is a GREAT way to see everyone you haven’t seen since school let out in April, as well as raise money for a great cause!

The McMaster Social Sciences Society Welcome Week Planners, Zack Marchesini (aka 'Crombie) & Michael Pett (aka Fitch) have organized this awesome event for all reps, regardless of whether they are reps for SOCS, Faculty, IRC, Maroons, Residence or other groups. All money raised is going to Shinerama and CURE Canada. Another good thing about the event is participation (i.e. attendance) helps gain points for the newly-reinstated Welcome Week Rep Cup!

The winning rep team gets a prize as well as bragging rights for all of Welcome Week. Points are awarded as follows:

• Total Donated by Team (Into Cover Jars) / Total # of Reps on Team

• # of Reps from Team That Wear A Toga / Total # of Reps on Team

• Total # of Reps That Attend / Total # of Reps on Team

Another incentive for you to come: ‘Crombie and Fitch will each be wearing a little bit less of their togas as the night goes on (and who doesn’t like a little bit of nudity). Although one may think that this is due to the “ginger ale” that is being served that night, it is because for every $50 that is raised a piece of their togas will be cut off.

So bring your toga, your student ID, your government-issued photo ID, and your wallet and prepare to have an awesome night!

Call me a cynic...but I bet you’re also wondering if all the money raised corresponds directly to points for Soc Sci for the Faculty Spirit Cup. It doesn’t. All money raised is being collected by the MSU’s Fundraising Initiative Team (FIT), and in turn does not benefit any one team. It only benefits the cause (and helps McMaster go from the post secondary school to raise the sixth highest amount of money nationally, so something higher this year)!!

Want more info? Check out the Facebook event here. Some other pivotal information: the party is from 10pm-3am, at Quarters. There will be kegs on the dance floor, $2.75 domestic bottles, $3.50 domestic pints, and a special “Shinerama Shot”. Cover for the event is a minimum donation of $3.00.

Can you attend even if you’re still underage? The answer is yes! You will just be subject to the X-ing/wristband policy of Quarters.

And in case you’re wondering...Zack and Mike aren’t actually going to be naked under their togas.

But I’m wondering...who is the guy in the poster? And I’m sure lots of single people are hoping that he will be there too...

Shinerama

"Shinerama", August 2008

You may have noticed over the course of the last week that the Maroons (aka the people in the Maroon jumpsuits) have been trying to raise money

for Shinerama by selling water and glowsticks, having a dunktank, and the ever-popular Charity Casino (and getting donations of spare change too). What is Shinerama? And what is the HUGE SHINERAMA event occurring on Saturday September 6th? Read on for more details!!

Shinerama is Canada’s largest post-secondary school fundraiser, involving students from more than 65 universities and colleges. The campaign has raised over $17 million to help fund cystic fibrosis (CF) research and treatment programs since its inception in 1964. What started as a shoe-shining campaign has turned into a huge fundraiser with funds going to monetary items as well as shining (or cleaning) objects.

CF affects the lungs and digestive system, and is the most common, fatal, genetic disease affecting young Canadians. Since the creation of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the life expectancy for those with CF has gone from the tender age of four to thirty-seven. Tremendous accomplishments have been made in the battle against CF; however, currently there is no known cure. The more money that is raised for this cause then hopefully the closer we can get to finding a cure.

On the morning of Saturday September 6th, the HUGE Shinerama event takes place. The Maroons will hook you up with a FREE T-SHIRT, stickers, tattoos, jellybeans, buttons, and a donation box and send you across the city to take part in shoe-shines, car washes and other fundraising campaigns.

After a busy morning of shining, you will come back to campus for the McMaster stadium’s GRAND OPENING for a free lunch and McMaster Marauders soccer home opener against Windsor!! GO MAC GO! Make sure you’re there to catch the half-time show, the free stuff, and the hilarious cheers!! Let’s get a little bit rowdy! R-O-W-D-Y!!

After the game marks a favourite Shinerama activity: the SHINE-OFF COMPETITION!! This Welcome Week Cup event is a time to cheer and get dirty with your residence!! The more people you bring, the more points your team gets so be there and bring your residence or society closer to the Welcome Week Cup!!

For the last 38 years, McMaster students have supported this fantastic cause in a big way. We hope you carry on the tradition and help us reach this year’s goal of $40,000!! Last year McMaster had the sixth highest amount of money raised for the cause, and this year our goal is to do better. Shinerama is a great time guaranteed! You won’t want to miss it!!!

The MSU Fundraising Initiative Team (FIT) is the group responsible for running the fundraiser. The FIT is a related, although separate part of the McMaster Maroons. FIT promotes student involvement in fundraising initiatives both on and off campus. They also host many awesome events through the year such as casino trips, bar blitzes, tournaments, and awareness campaigns – all of which aim for students to have some fun while working together for a worthy cause. If you’d like to get more involved with FIT, please check out their website, or send an email to the FIT Coordinator Alayna Kolodziechuk at fit@msu.mcmaster.ca, or alternatively you can visit her in MUSC B109.

Easy Summer Orientation Program: Upper-Year Volunteers Needed!!

"Easy Summer Orientation Program: Upper-Year Volunteers Needed!!" June 2008

Are you a student in second, third or fourth year, or

a recent graduate of McMaster? Are you working part-time hours or taking summer school and thus have some time you can volunteer? The First Year Experience Office (FYEO) is looking for volunteers for their Easy Summer Orientation Program and would really like your help!

This is the FYEO’s second year running the program, although the name has been changed from Summer Orientation Days which was used last year. The program focuses on getting incoming first year students oriented to the academic side of life at McMaster. There are five sessions for students and one for parents offered through our office, in addition to the sessions being offered through the faculty offices.

We need volunteers to help first year students and their parents register, direct them to the appropriate rooms where their sessions are taking place, and act as monitors for the Transition Activity. There is also a good possibility that you will be talking to students and parents on a one-on-one basis about life as a student at McMaster as well (it happened to me last year when I volunteered).

The days of Easy Summer Orientation Program are July 2^nd- 4th, July 7th-10th, and July 17th, 2008. The schedule varies each day, but no day starts before 8:00am and none finish past 5:00pm. However, if you have other commitments, you can come for half a day if it works out better for you (8-12 or 12-5). Even coming for one or half a day would really be a big help!!

For volunteering on these days, lunch will be provided for you by the First Year Experience Office. It should also be noted that a dress code does apply for these days. You will be provided with an Orientation polo shirt to wear the day(s) you are volunteering.

More information about the schedule can be found on the July calendar of the FYEO website.

We need students from all faculties, and even if your faculty does not have a session on that day we still would like your help! Remember, orientation at

McMaster is about inclusivity! (Which means no spatula comments!!)

More information on the volunteer position is available from the Leadership Positions page on the FYEO website, here. It explains the dress code and other essential information.

If you would like to participate please email me the following:

• Your first and last name
• An email address you regularly check
• Your year
• Your academic program
• Days and times you would be available to help
• Examples of how you have illustrated leadership and/or volunteered while a student at McMaster

If you have any additional questions about the Early Summer Orientation Program or the volunteer positions, please contact me at danielleelorenz@gmail.com.

Welcome Week Rep Applications Part Four: Residence

"Welcome Week Rep Applications Part Four: Residence", January 29 2008

Deep in the heart of the West Quad Jungle, you

can hear the West Quad rumble. You listen to them. You can also see them; colourfully adorned and decorated. They are ready to...Welcome?

Your first encounter with them was when they sprinted over to your car and sang you a little song. Afterwards, they promptly unloaded all of your belongings and sent them up to your room (and maybe a fan got a little bit lost along the way?). They have obscure names. They are your Welcome Week Residence Reps.

It is their

chief responsibility to welcome you to your new home. They teach you about tradition; both of your residence but McMaster as a whole. For the past three September s, I have been lucky enough to have this opportunity. And it is highly likely that I will be doing the same thing next September too. The first time I was a rep, I was luckily enough to be representing the residence I lived in the year previous (Whidden Whidden Whidden! Bash Bash Bash!!). Although for the next two years I ended up in a different residence (Hey Bates...Fire it up!), I still had a blast and a half.

I was told by one of my Welcome Week reps, Rammer, that regardless of how much you enjoyed your Welcome Week as a first year, you have a lot more fun as a rep. I found that to be true each and every year. I have passed on the same advice each year to my frosh, and for the past two years I have had feedback from them, telling me the same thing.

As reps you form bonds, ones stronger than covalent bonds.

These bonds occur with both your co-reps (you spend 10 days together, for at least eight hours a day; it can’t not happen), your frosh, and also to some extent the IRC and RLS staff in the building you rep for. More than three years after my own Welcome Week, I am still in contact with a few of my own reps. And I still talk to and hang out with my frosh from along the years as well. It’s also not uncommon for me to be called by my rep name, or to address my reps, or fellow co-reps by their names. These may be some of the best relationships you form in university.

And all of this without a single drop of rum. As a rep, you are under a contract and there are rules you must abide by; one of which being you will not drink any alcohol for the duration of Welcome Week. There are other things too, you must be aware of. First off, you are not paid; this is strictly a volunteer position. Some of your meals are paid for, but for the most you are on your own. During the summer months you are expected to keep in contact with your HPA in order to help them plan out the various events of the week, as well as themes, t-shirt designs, and cheers. Your summer is shortened: mandatory training for Welcome Week starts the Wednesday before the Labour Day weekend lasting for three days, and Welcome Week starts bright and early the Saturday of that same weekend.

During Welcome Week, your days are at the very least twelve hours long. Staying until past midnight is not uncommon, and some days you need to be there for

7AM. You do not know what sleep deprivation and exhaustion is until you are a Res Rep. You are expected to help for your entire residence’s move-in; which is about seven to eight hours. You are constantly lifting, cheering, and directing. And sometimes (always?) carrying items up the stairs (Brandon has 11 floors...I’ve only ever had to climb up five flights, and that was still tiring) because the elevator(s) conk out on you. And you have to help your sister residence move-in the other day too (although for not as long). Extreme heat (like this year) in those polyester suits is not fun, dehydration is normal. Or, you get the opposite, which is rain; being damp is only slightly more tolerable than being dehydrated.

Despite this, I have not yet met a rap who has regretted their decision. Many reps go on to rep again, although some go to do Maroons, Faculties or SOCS. But then there are repeat offenders, such as myself who are res reps every year.

You may also think that you must be loud, obnoxious and gregarious to make a good rep. This is not true at all; I have seen some very shy people make very good reps. It may or may not have to do with the suit: it gives you confidence (me too! I’m more confident in my suit).

Like other positions at school, you must attend the info

session in order to make the first cut. It will outline other logistical things; such as how the application system works, and what you can expect as a rep (but I’m pretty sure I’ve gotten than covered here). One session is this Wednesday on the 30th (10:15 - 11:15pm). One is on the 5th (5:30-6:30pm), and the last on the 13th (10:15-11:15pm); all are in Council Chambers, Gilmour Hall (across from Career Services).

And now for the shout-outs...

To my reps: E-Mac, Tops, Hondo, Sizzle, Superstar, Bambi, Scuzi, Kwota, Staples, Mumu, Snitch and Rammer; thank you for the inspiration. And thank you for coming back in your suits for Welcome Week 2005 to help us out with the Bedraces Pep Rally.

To the Whidden 2005 Team: Pops, Roo/Veto, Duffman/Akorn, Gromit, Honeybun, Sunshine, Trigger, Casanova, Q-Bert/Jello, Slightly/Slightlier, Head Butt Girl and Plonk; the ribbon we used for Bedraces was pivotal. I’m so glad to have repped with you, it continued what was an awesome first year in an awesome res.

To the Bates 2006 Team: Sizzles, Jewelz, Butter, Beta, Rex, Dice, Chowda, Bud, Chicka, Pitch, J-dawg, and Chi-Chi; we eliminated the stigma against Bates. That was awesome.

To the Bates 2007 Team: Baron, Blackout, Justin King of the Unicorns (JKU), Borat, Akorn/Duffman, Taz, Tetley, Banjo, Lil Fizz, Scaramouche, Nacho, Cinnamon, and Mr. Christie/Calgary; this team was so unique. I got to rep with friends from res, a previous co-rep, as well as frosh from two different years. I will never forget how well and how far we got Bates as res....FIRST PLACE IN AIRBANDS!!!

And thanks to MSU Pres Ryan Moran for everything he did for and with Bates! You really enhanced everything for the students, and made their Welcome Week an awesome one too.

For all of the other reps I befriended along the years: Pix, Porche, Tink/Inspector Clouseau/Fingers, Aqua, Wheaties, Hot Pants, Scotty, Swiss, Wingman, Monster/Squishee/Rocky, Crazy Eyes, Fluoride, Ace, Kodiak, the Llyod Twins, A-Team, and many IRC, faculty Maroons and SOCS reps; thank you for enhancing the rep experience that year(s)! Even though you weren’t on my team, you still made the week amazing.

Last, but certainly not least I would like to thank: Rezult, Fajita/Clutch, Zee, Lusty, Tank, Skittles, Bunk/Diamond, T-Spoon, Boxy, JKU, Blackout and Calgary/Mr. Christie (and anyone I may have missed!); for keeping the tradition alive. I’m so happy to have had frosh who have wanted to do this too!

WHOOOOOO WELCOME WEEK!

Okay, I’m done now.

Welcome Week Rep Applications

"Welcome Week Rep Applications", January 2008

The vast majority of people have strong memories about Welcome Week. I am no exception, I have technically had four after all (yup, you read that correctly. FOUR). If I may lend a machete to your intellectual thicket, I’ll explain.

Welcome Week at McMaster is a serious business, with preliminary planning actually occurring before the summer break. Thus, the Welcome Week selection process is underway. The beginning of the process starts with the IRC elections, which start this month. The rest of the reps – Maroons, SOCS, Faculty and Res – start their application process later on. Most commence in February.

This is only the first in the series (and the intro), so sadly this is all of the information I am willing to give up at the moment. But we at MacInsiders will be providing you with detailed accounts (with some personal stories smattered in [and not all of them mine!]) as the weeks progress. Start getting excited, damn it! I am (again/already!).

Getting Involved at Mac Part Seven: Term Two is Not Too Late!

"Getting Involved at Mac Part Seven: Term Two is Not Too Late!", January 5 2008

First semester has now come and gone. You have familiarized yourself with your new residence and the campus layout (or most of it...the basement of the Arts Quad is still of course another story [hell, it took me three years to figure it out]), and what all those damn acronyms for all the buildings mean. You have survived your first round of midterms, first university-level essays, and your first ever university level final exams. There was also Welcome Week, homesickness, getting lost several, if not many times, changed relationships with friends and family, new friends, the Freshman Fifteen (I told you so), and various random adventures and occurrences.

But maybe you did not get involved in any extra-curricular activities, or did not get involved as much as you liked. Either because you were too concerned about keeping up with your studies, or because you did not know what was available. IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO GET INVOLVED AT MCMASTER! You can check out the previous articles in this series for ideas, if you’d like.

Clubsfest II is happening Wednesday January 9th in MUSC, starting in the morning and going practically all day. Nearly half of all the student clubs at McMaster will have a table and information for you. Check it out! Maybe you can find something that will suit your personality. You can also peruse the listings for all of the MSU clubs, available at the MSU website, here: http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/clubs/listings.php. You can just send the club executives an email of inquiry and hopefully they will get back to you with information about their club.

Getting involved really helps to highlight your time at McMaster. It is also a way to meet new people, and beef up the resume, so get out there. Speaking of which...MacInsiders has some ways for you to get involved too! We’d LOVE to build up our teams, so please consider being part of ours!

Presently, we have five teams that you can be a part of. They are the Events/Social Team, Video Team, Promotions Team, Photography Team, and Writing Team. You can join one team, or all of them, the choice is yours. The members from each team are responsible for helping their Team Leaders to complete tasks designated to the specific teams. For example, members of the Photography Team take pictures at MacInsiders events, the Video Team creates the video series, the Promotions Team promotes events and the club in general, and the Events/Social team helps to run and brainstorm events. Lastly, there is the Writing Team, which is responsible for the articles that go up on the MacInsiders website. *cough* this is the most important team because I’m the Team Leader *cough*

How can you get involved? It is as simple as joining our Facebook group, sending an email to support@macinsiders.com, or Private Messaging Chad or myself (lorend) using the MacInsiders PM option. What we need is your full name, e-mail, academic year (eg. 1st), teams you want to join, and MacInsiders username! That’s it!

As a member, you will need to attend both general meetings, as well as meetings for the specific teams. We realize that attendance may be difficult at times, but if you can make it out it helps out a great deal. The amount you want to participate is up to you, however; if you participate actively and often, you may get some special rewards and incentives only available to the MacInsiders exec.

RLS Staff Applications

"RLS Staff Applications", December 2007

The time has come for you to start considering what you will be doing next year. Will you be living off campus, or on campus? If you are choosing to live on campus, have you considered taking a leadership position within Residence Life Staff? Specifically, this means becoming a Community Advisor (CA), or a House Programming Advisor (HPA). Unless you have already been an RLS staff, you are not able to apply to be an HCA, so I don’t exactly recommend attempting to apply for the position.

Do you want to know more information on becoming RLS staff? There are some mandatory information sessions (mandatory in that if you do not attend you will not be considered for the position) in the new year. They are Wednesday January 9th from 10:30pm-11:30pm, Friday January 11th from 3:30pm-4:30pm, and Monday January 14th from 10:15pm-11:15pm. All of the sessions are in Council Chambers, which is Gilmour Hall Room 111. In addition, you can also check out the RLS Information Package.

If you have lived in residence, you know what a CA is: an upper-year student who is a role model for first year students, and whose responsibility is to aid them through various issues that may occur – be they academic, social, or personal. They conduct floor meetings and tell you about the goings-on within the residence, as well as the greater McMaster community. In addition, they create programming in order to entertain, de-stress, or create a feeling of belonging. As well, they make sure students must follow the Residence Code of conduct, and must discipline those who do not accordingly.

The primary responsibility of the HPA is to plan Welcome Week for their respective residence. This is a long and detailed process (seriously, it’s a LOT of work to get Welcome Week to run smoothly!), with the planning taking place before the academic year ends and continuing throughout the summer. Throughout the remainder of the year, the HPA works with other RLS staff, and IRC to develop further programming for the building. Subsequently, they have some of the same job details as a CA, such as going on coverage a few times a week.

There are many pros and cons to each position. As such, I am going to do my best to list several of each for you to consider. Over the years, I have come to know many who have been involved in RLS, and what I am going to list are examples of what they have told me about their jobs.

Pros:

• Your residence fees are partially paid for
• Getting to meet a ton of people and develop new friendships
• Being seen as a role model by both staff and students
• The convenience of living on campus
• Developing networking skills and again getting to know a lot of people
• Improving your life skills – you will learn things such as stress management, how to deal with different kinds of people with varying needs, crisis management, increasing your communication skills, learning to adapt, and strengthening your time management skills, to name a few
• Working while in school looks good on a resume

Cons

• This takes up a lot of your time. Coverage can last until 3:30AM, and it is done at least once a week, if not more. There are also regular meetings and training sessions.
• Paperwork
• Lack of sleep, developing a love for caffeinated beverages
• Paperwork
• Change in your relationships – partner, family friends – are all affected to some degree
• Paperwork
• Sometimes it is hard to balance your responsibilities with school and your relationships
• Paperwork (there is LOTS of it)

I would like to reiterate that none of these pros and cons has to do with what I have experienced. They are related to things I have overheard from friends, as well as what I have witnessed first-hand. The best people for you to ask are likely your own RLS staff. But of course, attending an info session is also a good idea, as you will get more information on the process than what I have given. I must admit, I have only given a brief overview, and want you to reach your own conclusions.

Furthermore, you can obtain more information from the Housing and Conference Services website: http://housing.mcmaster.ca/

Mary E. Keyes Leadership Program

"Mary E. Keyes Leadership Program", October 2007

Are you a little bit on the shy side? Do you want to know a way to get involved in the McMaster community? Have you ever wanted to be a leader, but didn’t know how to go about doing so? How about getting involved in the Mary E. Keyes Leadership Program? You can find more information about the program from the website, available here: http://csd.mcmaster.ca/leadership/index.htm

The Mary E. Keyes Leadership Program is a curriculum set up to allow students to develop stronger leadership skills and become better citizens. The program is designed for individuals who are in a leadership position, or have never considered it. Completing the program can help you to communicate better in groups, learn to be assertive and not aggressive, resolve conflict successfully, as well as aiding your listening skills (and more!). The skills that you learn can be transferred, and will help you to motivate others, set and meet goals, and be a more effective participant in groups.

The program is meant to be completed over the course of your time at McMaster, but can be completed in one academic year. It is composed of four mandatory workshops, four elective workshops, forty hours of community service, and a two page reflection paper. Upon completion of these elements, you will be awarded with a certificate, as well as the skills and knowledge mentioned above.

The program director, Jeanette Button is extremely helpful and easy to talk to if you have further questions. You can contact her at extension 27488, or at leadership@mcmaster.ca

I highly suggest you check out the website and consider participating in the program! The sessions are a lot of fun and will help you a lot in your life post-McMaster.

Getting Involved at McMaster Part Five: Writing for Your Faculty Paper

"Getting Involved at McMaster Part Five: Writing for Your Faculty Paper", July 2007

Previous to reading the above heading, you may have thought the only newspaper on campus was the Silhouette. Wrong, my children, wrong. Most of the faculties at MAC offer a publication, and as an undergraduate student, you are able to write for them. Not only is this a good way to get involved, it also improves your writing skills.

For students that want to pursue a career in the health care field, research or ethics, then writing for the McMaster Meducator is for you. Starting in only 2001, the Meducator is full of information on medical topics, some of which may even be controversial. According to their website, there are currently staff positions available for this upcoming year, so contact them and see if you can get involved!

Those crazy and ingenious Arts Sci students have a publication called the Agora. Although it reminds me very much of the components of a nice sweater, the Agora is not the downy coat produced by the Angora rabbit, or mohair; the fiber produced by the Angora goat. The Agora is amazing poetry and short stories, photos from Arts Scis' global travels and other impressive artwork, the stop-motion chalk extravaganza that is the Agora introduction, and more. Unique to the rest of the faculties, the Agora is compiled on a CD, and can actually be mailed anywhere in Canada. Get those creative juices flowing, Arts and Science students!

And in case anyone was wondering what an agora actually is (because I had no idea), I hunted down the definition on Wikipedia: “An agora (αγορά), translatable as marketplace, was a public space and an essential part of an ancient Greek polis or city-state. An agora acted as a marketplace and a forum to the citizens of the polis. Agora also means a place of assembly in any Ancient Greek state. It is sometimes used in modern language to refer to a crossroads, either metaphorically (the point or concept which links, or is the crossroads of multiple related concepts), or literally, a point at which many physical roads or paths meet.” Now you know.

Once wrought in controversy, the Plumbline is the newspaper of the engineering students. Although it has been toned down in the last few years, the Plumbline is a humourous publication, where you will find everything from distasteful jokes to informative editorials between the cover of this journalistic masterpiece which has managed somehow to survive the test of time. Originally first published in 1968, and moving to a newspaper format in 1971, the Plumbline has become synonymous with Eng at MAC.

The Bottom Line is the undergraduate newspaper of commerce students. With a tagline of “Commerce Students with Something to Say”, the newspaper values editorial pieces. The paper wants articles of reasonable length (I don’t really know what that means either), which are in regards to being concerned/happy/angry/cheesed off about something. Get mad, and get writing, Commies!

Like many of the other faculties, the publication of the Hummers (Humanities students), Between the Lines, is filled with a wide variety of submissions. Common ones include poetry and opinion pieces, as well as photography and artwork. If you have an artsy fartsy side, then submitting work to Between the Lines is your best bet.

In past years, Science had a paper called the Incubator. However, for the last few years, the publication did not run. But, I may have good news for you, Science students! I got the inside scoop, and they are thinking about starting the Incubator up again. Talk about it to your Faculty Reps, and hopefully the Incubator can be hatched this year!

Lastly, I am going to talk about The Frontline, the Social Sciences newspaper that I am currently the co-editor of. (This is not a shameless plug, I promise!) Because of the diverse nature of Soc Sci students, The Frontline encourages contributions from many different topics, be they politics, photography, art, what it’s like to go on exchange, editorials, personal stories, upcoming events…really the list can go on forever. New this year, and unique to any of the other faculty publications, we are currently running a contest for incoming first year students, which closes August 1st. The contest itself was even mentioned on the McMaster Daily News webpage! First Year students, look for the Fall issue of The Frontline in your MAC Pass, and everyone else look near the MSSS office in KTH.

Getting Involved at McMaster: Part Six: Residence

"Getting Involved at McMaster: Part Six: Residence", August 2007.

You may find being in a large-scale club or team rather daunting, so perhaps getting involved in residence is more your thing. While at your new home on campus, there are plenty of ways to get involved within your own building. One of these ways will even pay you. Sound interesting? Read on…

The governing body in residence, the Inter-Residence Council, or IRC, is the voice of students who live in residence. The IRC’s objective is to assist communication between the residence student body, the University, and other organizations. The delegates of the IRC are upper-year students who live in residence and wish to improve the quality of life to students who live in res. Yes, I realize that you are not (yet) upper year students, but a proper introduction was in order.

The way a first year student can become involved is to join the Floor-Level Inter-Residence Council. FLIRCS encourage attendance and involvement in inter-residence, as well as in-hall activities, as well as attend bi-weekly meetings. FLIRCS are sub-divided into two categories, committee and spirit. Committee FLIRCS must be on at least one committee (Student Dining Committee, Facilities Committee, Budget Committee, or Ways and Means), and attend one IRC Proper meeting. Spirit FLIRCS promote in-hall events, assist with special promotions, and must attend one IRC Res-wide Programming meeting. Additionally, FLIRCS help plan the Res-Wide formal which takes in November, as well as create the Residence Yearbook. More information about becoming a FLIRC will be presented to you during your first floor meeting.

In a previous article, I mentioned the Maroons, the spirit group on campus. Once you become a member of the Maroons, you can campaign to be a Maroons Hall Rep for your building. Similar to a FLIRC, the Maroons Hall Rep also encourages participation and involvement, however; for the Maroons it is for a campus-wide scale. If you want more information, talk to a Maroon during Welcome Week (they will be wearing the Maroon jumpsuits…they are hard to miss).

And now what you were all waiting for…a way to get involved and get paid at the same time. In residence, there are door staff that work on weekend nights (Thursday to Saturday). Their job is to make sure no one is coming into the residence that does not live there. It is a straight forward job, and is for a few hours each week. More information about becoming door staff will also be presented to you during your first floor meeting.

Unfortunately, those are the only ways a first-year student can get involved in residence. However, early in the second term, you will be given information on how to become an IRC rep, a Community Advisor, a House Programming Advisor, or a Residence Welcome Week rep. Thus, being involved in the residence community does not need to stop after you finish first year.

Getting Involved at McMaster: Part Four: Student Societies

"Getting Involved at McMaster: Part Four: Student Societies", July 2007

Yet another great way to get involved in the McMaster community is to participate in your faculty’s society. Even though all of the executive positions will be taken for this academic year, you still have the ability to become a First Year representative. Becoming a first year rep will help pave your way into the exec when the time comes in second term, so why not get involved? You will see various representatives of these societies during Welcome Week (dressed in their suits), so ask them questions. I have included all the societies in this article, and to be fair, have alphabetized them.

The Society of Arts and Science Students (SASS), represents the smallest faculty on campus. Although small, the Arts Scis are mighty. This year’s president, Anne Van Koeverden, apparently rules with an iron fist and a loving heart, and also likes kittens. I’ve heard that she is also a really awesome girl. Why wouldn’t you want to get involved with SASS? You can check out their website, at http://www.sassweb.ca and look at all the reasons why I’m jealous that I’m not an Arts Sci.

Money, money, money! Money! If you are in Commerce, then you will probably wish to join the Degroote Commerce Society. Last year the society celebrated its fortieth anniversary. The greensuits are loud and proud, and you will see (and hear them) during Welcome Week. Their office is located in MGD (aka the Commerce building) 132. For more information about all the clubs (yes, they have several) that fall under the Degroote Commerce Society check out http://www.degrootecommerce.ca .

Who are we? Engineers! What do we do? School work! HA! The engineers are special…they have more class time than any of the other faculties on campus. Yet, they still have a ridiculous amount of faculty pride. The Redsuits, who are known on campus for various hijinks and pranks, are members of the McMaster Engineering Society. Take a look at their office, located in JHE 121 to see how random these guys (and gals) are. Their website is http://mes.mcmaster.ca/ and while you are there you can examine all of the things the MES does (good or bad) throughout the year and get a heads up for what you may be in for.

The McMaster Bachelor of Health Sciences Society is where all the supafly kids hang out. Boasting a buddy system (a first year being paired up with an upper-year student) an awesome formal, many other events during the year, and a lounge that can only be accessed by a key, Health Sci is a very unique faculty at McMaster. Mandark Gandhi, the chair of the BHSS, assures that this year will be an awesome one, and wants all students in Health Sci to get involved. For more information, check out their website http://www.bhss.ca/index.php?n=Main.HomePage

If you are one of the many people in the faculty of Humanities, you can become a member of the McMaster Humanities Society. The MHS offers various ways to socialize throughout the year, including wine and cheese meetings, meet the prof nights, musicals, art exhibits, various guest performers, and many more. If you are in any way artistic, then being involved in the MHS is for you. During the school year, their room in Togo Salmon Hall B109A is usually open, and there are many things that are going on (some kind of odd, and some pretty standard). You can peruse their website at http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~mhs/ and take a look at all the stuff the MHS has to offer.

M-A-C! Pimpin’ and a Mackin. The Kinesiology Society, located in IWC 130 is active, athletic, and also very loud! Kin students boast activities that no other faculty societies on campus can, such as the Kin Games (an inter-university Olympics held for only kinesiology students), many mystery road trips, and weekend camping trips. During Faculty Day, you are going to have LOTS of fun with the Blue Boners, and discover how they got their name. Although their website (http://www.mcmaster.ca/kinesiology/kss.cfm) is somewhat lacking, don’t be afraid to talk to an upper year student during Welcome Week for more information about the KSS.

Unfortunately, when I went to look up information on the McMaster University Nursing Students Society, all I got was information from a few years ago! Sorry Nurses L It looks like you will need to find out information on your own during Welcome Week!

*edit August 18th 2008*
The McMaster Science Society's website is now up and running!!
Their website is http://www.mac-sci.com . There is a ton of information on their site for Science kids, so check it out!

Last, but certainly not least, is Social Science. We’re Soc Sci. We’re awesome. One of the largest faculties on campus, Soc Sci students also have a lot to boast. Every year they have a great formal, go on mystery road trips, have bar nights in other cities, and do lots of other stuff. This year, they are also offering a contest exclusively for incoming first year students, something that has not been done at McMaster before. Their website, http://www.macsocsci.com/modules/news/ has TONS of information on all the services available to Social Science Students. Jon Borrelli, the president for the last two years is a very friendly and helpful person. Sometimes I manage to frazzle him, but nevertheless Jon is still awesome. So, go visit him (and the rest of the executive) during the school year in KTH 101A.

Getting Involved at McMaster: Part Three: (more) Student Services

"Getting Involved at McMaster: Part Three: (more) Student Services", July 2007

My previous composition on student services features those which were a little bit on the ‘lighter’ side. The services I am going to mention are seen as more essential to students be it for emergencies, prevention, or education, AKA the ones you need to know about.

Uh oh, an emergency on campus; what do you do? You do NOT call 911. On any campus phone you dial 88, and you will be patched in to the Emergency First Response Team. EFRT is responsible for handling all emergencies that occur on campus, and are extensively trained in the areas of medical and first aid emergencies. Their average response time is less than two minutes (and they travel by bike and by foot!). There is an extensive interview process to be a member of the EFRT team at the beginning of every term. For more information, consult the website www.msu.mcmaster.ca/efrt, or stop by the office in MUSC 103. Additionally, EFRT offers first aid courses throughout the school year.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Centre in MUSC 221 offers an essential service for students. Their mandate is to act as a place where individuals can access resources, support and contacts pertinent to issues surrounding gender and sexual identities. It alsooperates as a safe space for individuals who may identity themselves as either/or Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Asexual, Two-Spirited, Heterosexual, Questioning and other diverse sexual, gender and social identities. With at least eighteen services available, the GLBTQ centre offers many volunteer services each term. Additional information about the provided programs of GLBTQ can be found at their website http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/glbt/index.php.

Various studies have found that many youth do not know the information about sexual health that they should. Oftentimes university-age students put themselves at risk by not knowing the facts that can save them from potentially devastating behaviors. SHEC, the Student Health Education Centre, located in MUSC 202 offers many services to students, including: free prophylactics, free anonymous pregnancy testing, confidential, anonymous, non-judgmental peer support, off-campus referrals, and tons of information and resources about sexual health. More information can be found at their website, which is http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/shec/index.php. People who want to volunteer for SHEC need to be in an undergraduate program. Unfortunately, the deadline for volunteers for the 2007-2008 academic year has passed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved next year!

The Student Walk Home Attendant Team, or SWHAT, is a volunteer service operational seven days a week during the fall and winter terms from dusk until 1AM. SWHAT will walk anyone anywhere on campus or within a thirty minute radius to make sure they get home safely. Two walkers, one male and one female, come with a SWHAT jacket, flashlights and a radio so they are in constant contact with the SWHAT office and McMaster security. Getting involved with SWHAT is a great way to meet a diverse range of people as well as to get to know the geography on and around campus. You will see SWHAT, and their mascot, SWHATTY at Clubsfest. However, if you want information before then you can either check out their website http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/swhat/index.php, or visit MUSC 204 starting September 1st.

As I mentioned in the previous article, I was not going to mention all twenty of the student services offered by the MSU. For a complete listing, and all of their respective webpages, go to http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/services/.

Getting Involved at McMaster: Part Two: Student Services

"Getting Involved at McMaster: Part Two: Student Services" July 2007

Like other universities, McMaster offers a great deal of services for its students in many different areas. The McMaster Student Union (MSU) offers twenty services to students. I am not going to mention them all, but I will speak about the ones I think are really good to get participate in. Because the services include a variety of different areas, there are many ways in which to get involved. As previously mentioned in my earlier piece, getting active at school is a good thing (so do it)!

MSU Diversity Services’ mandate aims to build and maintain a campus that celebrates, advocates and ensures that the McMaster campus is an inclusive and diverse community in areas including, but not limited to, ethnicity and culture, faith and spirituality, gender, ability/disability and sexual orientation. Along with various events throughout the year, Diversity Services runs Bridges Café, the vegetarian restaurant on campus. During the school year, Diversity Services offers many different volunteer opportunities, so either check out http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/diversity/index.php or go visit them “under the staircase” at Bridges Café for more information.

Do you like bike riding? Then MACycle CO-OP is for you! In a world dominated by gas-guzzling automobiles, MACycle has the goal of promoting cycling as both an alternative mode of transportation as well as a form of recreation. This five-year-old program is one of the first of its kind in Canada. It offers bicycle repairs, refurbished bikes available for sale, and information sessions on fixing your bike. MACycle is located in B115A in Wentworth House, or you can get more information online from http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/macycle/index.php.

MACgreen’s purpose is to serve McMaster and the community around campus in all ways environmental. On Campus, MACgreen works to create an environmentally conscious culture by creatively re-thinking and reducing waste, promoting and providing re-usable options, and educational campaigns to ensure proper recycling, and knowledge of composting options. Beyond MAC, MACgreen works with other large environmental groups and community organizations. MACgreen encourages volunteer participation, and there are many opportunities throughout the year to get involved. Check out their website at http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/macgreen/index.php. Alternatively, go visit the executive members in B115B in Wentworth House during the school year. While you’re there don’t forget to talk to Mark Wade, this years President. He’s an awesome guy.

One! We are from MAC! Two! A little bit louder! Three! I still can’t hear you! Four! More more more…During Welcome Week, and many other times during the year you will see a rather loud and spirited group of individuals walking around wearing Maroon jumpsuits. These are the Maroons, the Spirit organization at McMaster. They are responsible for organizing events related to anything and everything about MAC pride. They are also involved in getting students involved in the community in non-academic ways. If you have McMaster pride, and are an undergraduate student, this is THE group for you. They are always doing something, and being a Maroon is tons of fun. Either go visit them in their office in the Student Centre (MUSC UB 109) or peruse their website at www.msu.mcmaster.ca/maroons

Getting Involved at McMaster Part One: Clubs and Athletics

"Getting Involved at McMaster Part One: Clubs and Athletics" July 11 2007.

At some point or another, you probably thought about being involved at school. Maybe this didn’t happen for you in high school, but there are plenty of reasons why you should get involved in university, as well as a variety of different ways to do so.

Becoming involved serves two purposes: the first being it gives something to do outside of academics, and the second being it can look better on your resume. For example, when applying for a summer job, many companies will look at the kind of involvement a prospective employee had. This will show them that you are able to balance academics and other priorities. The same is true for post-graduate studies as well; if you are able to maintain equilibrium with schoolwork and extra-curricular activities you will be looked at with higher favor than someone who only focused on school work.

At McMaster, there is a large assortment of clubs (around 200!) one can become connected with. They are divided into five categories: Academic Clubs, Athletic and Recreational Clubs, Cultural Clubs, Religious Clubs and Social Issues Clubs. Examples of clubs at MAC are: Family Guy at MAC, the Art and History Society, Campus for Christ, the Chinese Engineering Society, MAC Trampoline, McMaster Psychology Society, Unicef MAC, the Canadian Club, and many, many more. If you become an executive member of a club, this will only increase your employability. For more information check out http://www-msu.mcmaster.ca/clubs/.

Aside from being active in clubs, there are various levels of athletics available at McMaster, from the varsity level to intramural sports. The website that features information on both is http://www.athrec.mcmaster.ca/. For the 2006-2007 school year there were over 5000 participants and staff involved in intramurals. Intramurals vary from competitive level (high to fun) and by gender (single-sex or co-ed), and include both popular and somewhat unknown sports.

This seems far too long. I’m concerned. Mostly because I haven’t touched on student services, media at mac, part-time work, volunteering in the community…

(to be continued )