Switching out seafood for poutine
All my life, I knew I wanted to travel quite far to go to university. I love my small hometown, but I needed to get out of rural Nova Scotia to see what else was out there. I had never heard of Bishop’s before, but I was drawn to its small student population and Harry Potter-esque buildings, and intrigued by the School of Education, especially the Teaching and Learning of the Creative Arts program. As immersed I have always been in the arts, it was the idea of getting my BEd in something that I was really passionate about that was the final piece of the puzzle.
Finding my footing (literally)
My first few weeks at Bishop’s were exciting and overwhelming. Believe it or not, I broke my foot just days before moving to Quebec, and went through Orientation Week on crutches. So, if you think moving away from home is hard, try doing it on crutches!
So, I was away from my family for the first time, in a strange new place, and somehow managed to feel so alone while meeting what felt like thousands of new people every day. Despite this, I had so much fun. So many people will tell you that you meet some of your best friends in O-Week, and I can’t stress that enough. It’s true. The friends I met that first week of school have become my best friends and my family here at Bishop’s; the people that waited up for me as I hobbled behind the group on my crutches are the same people that now wait up for me as I struggle to lug my groceries home from the Provigo, or as I drag my feet on the walk home from the library at midnight during exam season.
University is not a spectator sport
One piece of advice that really influenced my Bishop’s experience was given to me on my first day on campus by my O-Week leader: “Your time at Bishop’s is what you make of it”. She encouraged us to get as involved in university life as possible, and to immerse ourselves in the community. I am grateful for this advice, because being active in academics, extracurriculars and social events has truly enriched my life in ways I didn’t see coming. Probably, neither do you.
Getting involved
On top of being a full-time student, I also am a Senior Coordinator of BU Dance, on the executive team of the Academic Honours Society, a singer in the BU Singers choir, a dancer in the Charity Fashion Show, an actor in the New Plays Festival, the VP of Marketing and Communications for The Campus newspaper, and a Peer Academic Mentor at the Student Success Centre. That may sound like a lot, so I’ll break it down a bit:
BU Dance: This is the dance club here at Bishop’s! There are 3 sections of BU Dance: Club, Competitive and Pom. There is really something for dancers at every level, check out more about it here: https://sites.google.com/view/budance?usp=sharing
Academic Honours Society: A society for students in the top 15% of their respective divisions. We have fun events like tea with the Principal, wine and cheeses, and study sessions!
BU Singers: A choir with over 150 singers from Bishop’s, Champlain and the Lennoxville community. We sing a wide range of songs, last semester we sang a full show of Beatles songs! You can watch the show from two years ago here: https://youtu.be/1h2L0ZjI0Es?si=ZE9KHjIVLZIbzxum
BU Charity Fashion Show: Bishop’s University’s largest student fundraiser. Each year, the committee chooses a local charity, and we put on a fashion show with modelling and dancing to raise money! One of the best nights of the year. You can find out more about it here: https://bufashionshow.square.site/
New Plays Festival: A festival held in Turner Studio that features plays written by, directed by and starring students!
The Campus: The official student-operated newspaper of Bishop’s university, which has been keeping students updated on everything Bishop’s related since 1944. Read about news, sports, opinions, arts and more, written by BU students! You can read all of our issues here: https://thebucampus.ca/
Student Success Centre: A group of Peer Academic Mentors here to help you with any school-related struggles you may be having, and point you in the direction of all of the wonderful resources we have here on campus!
While sometimes all of these commitments feel like a lot, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love being a part of this community and getting to interact and work with all of the amazing people in it.
“Remember how you entered, be proud of how you leave.”
This quote is one of the first things you see when you walk onto campus. Though at first glance it can be easy to write off as cheesy or self-consciously inspirational, I would urge you to take a minute and think about how you can apply its message to your time here. Coming to Bishop’s is a big change, but it is such a great adventure! Your time here will be a journey, and it is a journey you will be glad you took with Bishop’s.
