Answering My Parents' Questions about Our University

It seems like just yesterday I was telling my parents that I wanted to move away from my hometown of Ottawa, Ontario and attend Ryerson’s Creative Industries program for the next four years. Understandably, they had a lot of questions. Mostly “Why?” and “How could you leave us?” 

Just kidding! Well, not really. 

They had a lot of questions about my program, living in Toronto and the university itself. I’m now in my third year and things are working out, so I asked my parents what questions they had when I first started university back in September 2019. I encouraged them to think of what they wanted to know as a parent sending their favourite daughter (me!) to university. 

I imagine that all the loving parents and supporters of future university students out there have similar — and maybe even the same — questions, so I answered them right in this blog! 

Creative Industries is the only program of its kind in Canada that teaches its students how to work behind the scenes or in business positions in creative fields. If you want to be a talent manager or work in public relations for an entertainment company, then Creative Industries may be the program for you. Since Ryerson is the only university in Canada that offers this program, I had to go to Toronto. Sorry parents! My mom and dad didn’t understand this program and why I wanted to enrol so badly, so I took them to an Open House session where they learned all about Creative Industries and what it offers. My mom suggested that all parents attend an Open House session like this if possible, she found it very helpful! You can check out upcoming events on our Future Student Events page. 

Throughout my time in Creative Industries, I’ve taken many classes including core Creative Industries classes, module classes and electives. I’ve written a lot of essays, done some fun assignments and participated in a number of group projects. I’ve been able to keep up by developing some much-used time management skills. I also love the program, and am happy with my choice to major in Creative Industries. 

In summer 2022, I’ll hopefully be completing an internship that has two requirements to be fulfilled. I need to complete 240 hours of work in a creative role at a creative company or in a creative sector of a non-creative company. I’m not sure exactly what I want to do after graduation quite yet, but I think I’ve learned a lot of valuable skills in the program and have meaningful job experience as well. I hope to work in marketing or communications, but I think that Creative Industries can prepare anyone for any type of position as long as they apply themselves.

Understandably, my parents had a lot of questions about my living situation. It would be my first time away from home, and I was more or less alone in a huge city. I was very happy with my decision to stay in residence on campus during my first year, and I would absolutely recommend it to any first-year student. It’s a great way to get to know campus and make friends. I adapted to residence fairly well after meeting friends on my floor and in my program, as well as getting comfortable with my new surroundings. I love living in Toronto, and the variety of things to do around the city will definitely help anyone find their place. 

Our university has three residence buildings: Pitman Hall, the International Living/Learning Centre (ILC) and the Daphne Cockwell Complex (DCC). The types of rooms on campus include double rooms, single rooms and apartment-style dorms, depending on which building you live in. Pitman Hall is where I lived in my first year. I had a single bedroom to myself, shared a bathroom in the hallway and had access to a communal kitchen and lounge space. I loved having my own bedroom and didn’t mind sharing a bathroom as much as I thought I would. The building could sometimes be a bit noisy for my liking, but that wasn’t the worst thing ever. However, I recommend looking at the residence website to find the room type and building that’s right for you. 

Ryerson automatically enrols their students residing in Pitman Hall, ILC or DCC into a meal plan, with options to upgrade. Most students end up with either the 5-day or 7-day meal plan. Students can use their meal plans in the eateries in Pitman Hall or ILC. There was always a variety of food available for all kinds of diets including vegetarian, halal and gluten-free. Their breakfasts were always AMAZING. My favourite part of the meal plan was the flex dollars which could be used at other on-campus eateries, like Oakham Café (external link, opens in new window)  and the Hub Café, for when students inevitably get tired of residence eatery food. 

Finding an apartment in downtown Toronto is to say the least, an adventure. When I told my parents I wanted to go to Ryerson, the very first thing my dad said was “Where are you going to live?” Luckily, I now live in a great, safe condo close to campus with my friend and fellow Ryerson student. We get along very well, or at least I think we do? We usually cook for ourselves but split the cleaning duties. If you want to know more about finding somewhere to live in downtown Toronto, check out a vlog I filmed in spring 2021. 

I love living in downtown Toronto because I’m close to campus. It makes accessing class and other on-campus resources easy. I’m also within walking distance or a short public transit ride to everything I could possibly ever need. Downtown Toronto also has so much entertainment; there are sports games, concerts, shopping, museums and art galleries to keep students busy in their free time. On the other hand, the city can be loud with sirens and car horns at many hours of the day. It can also be crowded during weekdays with working professionals and students all around. I rarely feel unsafe in the city, and I’ve been living here for almost three years now. The advantages of living downtown definitely outweigh the disadvantages in my opinion. 

To my dad, who is not a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs National Hockey League team, this was a very real concern. I grew up going to Ottawa Senators games, and they were the number one team in my household. On the bright side, my dad has nothing to worry about! I haven’t been to a Leafs game (yet), wouldn’t consider myself a fan and I don’t plan on purchasing a jersey anytime in the near future. 

If you’re a parent or supporter reading this, don’t be worried about all of the questions you may have! Just look at my parents — they had a ton! On the other hand, if you’re a future university student, be patient with your loved ones. They just want to have all the information to help you through your next adventure. 

Until next time, 

Jenna