Student Spotlight: Shabrina Rahman

Choosing what university to attend can be a difficult decision for some. For others, it’s one of the easiest decisions they’ll ever make. Bishop’s very own Shabrina Rahman has been interested in Bishop’s since she was 10 years old. She started doing research about what university to go to as early as elementary school, and that’s when Bishop’s caught her eye. 

             As she grew up and learned more about Bishop’s, Rahman fell in love. “I would constantly see Bishop’s University appearing as No. 1 in student satisfaction in the Maclean’s rankings, and I had a friend who attended Bishop’s and he told me that Bishop’s is like no other university. The connections you make here with your teachers and friends is like no other,” she shares.

             Rahman is a second-year student pursuing a Major in International Studies and a double minor in Sports Studies and German. Being from Montreal, her transition from a big city to a small town was unique. She explains that it was difficult having fewer transit options, malls and restaurants to choose from. However, the transition was made easier with the small community vibe that Bishop’s has, and how much easier it is to approach students as well as her teachers. She also explains that she had some worries being a person of colour, and was apprehensive about transitioning into university life in a small city setting. “As a coloured person, sometimes I feel like I have to change certain things about myself to fit in, but with the friends I’ve made at Bishop’s, I haven’t felt that way, and I am grateful for that,” she says.

             Rahman explains that the best way to make friends at Bishop’s is to first attend Orientation Week. Don’t shy away from  talking to people and getting to know everyone during that week. She also shares that it’s important to volunteer and to join clubs. Rahman is in the Caribbean and African Student Association,  part of the Environmental Club, and was hoping to be member of the Big Buddies club (which was unfortunately cancelled because of the pandemic). She was also a volunteer for the 2020 edition of Winterfest and for last year’s Fashion Show as a hairstylist. “Bishop’s is such a small and tight-knit community that once you start getting involved, you get to know and become friends with everyone,” she says. For Rahman , this is what makes Bishop’s such an amazing experience: to be in a university where you feel like you are a part of something, to know everyone, and benefit from the small community vibe.