Recapping my semester at TMU
Every time I finish a semester at TMU, I find myself feeling a deep sense of academic fulfillment and personal satisfaction. It would be a lie to say it wasn’t challenging at all, but it would also be a lie to say every single second wasn’t completely worth it.
As an international student originally from Mexico, I was scared that I would end each semester feeling burnt out, especially being so far away from home. But in reality, every semester at TMU has taught me so much about myself — not only who I am as a student but more importantly who I am as a multicultural and independent person. As I finish the first semester of my third year at TMU, I have come to realize that TMU gives you as much as you give it in return. And when, like me, you give it your all, the beautiful experiences it gives you right back are pretty amazing. I’d love to share some of the highlights of my Fall 2022 semester with you!
I Started My First Job at TMU!
When I first applied for the International Student Ambassador position on Career Boost, I had no idea it would take me on the amazing journey it has this semester!
Being able to talk to prospective international students on a daily basis and provide them with insight into student life at TMU has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Back when I first found TMU and thought about applying, I think I watched every single virtual campus tour and read every single international student blog online. It’s truly so enriching to now have a full circle moment and be the one giving campus tours and writing on the international students blog. I have been so fortunate to have met the most incredible people through this job, talked to prospective students who are just as scared and curious as I was, eased parents’ concerns about having their kids move so far away, and worked alongside a hard-working team who all love what they do.
My Best Friend and I Met Taylor Swift!
I’ll try to get through writing this without embarrassing myself too much. My best friend and I have been absolutely obsessed with Taylor Swift since we were 12. Being a TMU student, one of the first things you’ll hear about often is the Toronto International Film Festival (external link) .
The Theatre at the Creative School has been one of TIFF’s main homes in past years. We have hosted many TIFF screenings in our own backyard, and many of our students have gotten the chance to screen their own original films in front of the world’s best directors, producers, and industry professionals. Because of this, as soon as I arrived in Toronto I knew I had to see what all the buzz was about and watch some screenings! Little did I know that this year, my favourite artist would be presenting her own short film, “All Too Well”. When my best friend and I heard about this, we just knew we would do whatever it took to be there.
Unfortunately, due to high demand, we couldn’t get tickets to the actual screening, but we were determined so we decided to hang out by the theatre to see if we’d get a chance to say hi. Luckily, Taylor Swift came out right by where we were standing to say hi to all of the fans waiting outside! She was incredibly sweet and took the time to take a picture with us! It was definitely something that I would have never gotten the chance to do in my home country, and it’s an experience my best friend and I will be forever grateful to Toronto for.
Experiential Learning in Creative Industries!
I’m in the Creative Industries program and one of my modules is The Music Industry. I’m extremely passionate about this industry and concerts, so when I took my Business of Music class last semester I knew I’d get a lot out of it. My class and I got to reach out to local Toronto artists and help them with their marketing; we created online content for them, held a photo shoot and interviews, and organized a concert from the ground up for them to perform right on the TMU campus! This semester, I got to keep working with some of the artists from that course and I got to see them live multiple times. It’s really special to see how your courses from one semester can impact the next and how easily you can make friends and connections. I got to go to multiple concerts and was able to examine them from a different perspective now that I know exactly how much work goes into putting on a live show. Additionally, this semester I took Concert and Festival Management and had the opportunity to apply all of my previous learnings to this class, while also learning more about the technicalities and logistics behind planning music festivals in Ontario.
Overall, this semester was full of work-related growth, academic development, and personal successes! It was also full of a lot of homesickness and stress, but it was endlessly comforting knowing I was surrounded by a community of international students who were all in the same boat as me.
As much as I love university, I’m excited to go home for the holidays. Mainly because it’s starting to get really cold and back in Mexico I live 10 minutes away from the beach and that is exactly what I need to recharge and be ready for the winter semester come January!
This semester taught me a lot of valuable lessons about the importance of time management, taking advantage of campus resources, and making time for self-care. I’m excited to take these lessons with me going forward for the rest of the academic year.
Finally, if I could tell beginning-of-semester-me one thing, it would be to breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, and breathe out. And don’t forget to soak in the city and have fun!
