The Ultimate First-Year Experience Starter Pack

Hi! My name is Lynn and I am going into my second year of Computer Science. I am also a commuter student! Coming to university is a new experience, so to give you the inside scoop of what it is like to be a TMU student, here are my top five experiences, or as I like to say, The Ultimate First-Year Experience Starter Pack.

I’ve heard many people say campus is in the heart of downtown, and now I can attest to this. Within minutes of stepping off the TTC, you've made it to Dundas Square, the home of the Toronto Eaton Centre (external link, opens in new window)  and many food locations. This is where you will spend a good chunk of your time (and money), trust me! Near Dundas Square is also 10 Dundas, which is home to the movie theatre, Cineplex. Not only is this building built for movie lovers, but it is also where I learned how to code during class! Meanwhile, on Gould Street, there is always something going on! Whether that be a farmers market or just enjoying free TMU swag and ice cream with friends!

As Computer Science students, we do lots of programming and math. So, to stay in touch with my other passion of art, I joined a student organization (opens in new window)  called ArtSci (external link, opens in new window) ! My favourite ArtSci memory was when the entire team met up to get headshots for our website and created a science-themed photo booth for students in the Science Lounge! The day was filled with laughter as we struggled to hang up the streamers for the backdrop, but also introductions as this was the first time many of us were meeting in person. Afterward, we headed over to Balzac's — an on-campus coffee shop — for a warm drink!

During my first year, I volunteered with SciXchange for their computer literacy program. Now I am working with SciXchange and it is a blast! My favourite opportunity was attending an Educate to Innovate (external link, opens in new window)  event which encourages girls to get involved in STEAM education. At the event, I got to teach kids how to program a rock, paper, scissors game using Micro:Bits, meet others in my program, and my personal favourite, enjoy delicious food!

Lunch, everyone's favourite time of the day! At lunch, my peers and I would go on a new adventure exploring the university. I’ve heard many people say Kerr Hall is confusing, which at first confused me because from the outside it just looks like a simple square. Turns out they were right, Kerr Hall (external link, opens in new window)  is a maze. On the bright side, we did find our favourite study spots and a piano that we would play here!

My other favourite lunch memories were ordering Light Cafe Brunch Boxes to the engineering building and attending a Faculty of Science barbecue with the SciXchange team!

Coming into university, I was nervous about the academic support I could receive and meeting new people. These worries soon disappeared, as Orientation week was a blast with a campus filled with inflatable sports games and activities that I got to enjoy with friends! Meanwhile, before school started, The Debug Room ran a coding camp to help new programmers learn Python. I soon realized that TMU offers many more academic resources. To improve my math and writing skills, I took advantage of the Student Learning Support’s free tutoring services, and to help ease into the TMU community, I joined the Tri-Mentoring Program.