"Come See ÎçÒ¹av For Yourself"
Hey Future ÎçÒ¹avdent!
I’m Ailish, from Halifax, NS, and I’m a first-year student at St. Thomas University (ÎçÒ¹av).
It wasn’t until I discovered there were universities like ÎçÒ¹av—that focus on liberal arts—that I began to take classes in high school that really interested me like sociology, law, and leadership. Discovering ÎçÒ¹av helped me realize there was and is a future for me in these fields.
The Open House
I was planning to go to a different university when Clara, an admissions counsellor, came to my school and convinced me to attend an upcoming Open House at ÎçÒ¹av. After looking into academic programs and talking to my teacher, who was a ÎçÒ¹av alum, I decided to make the trip to Fredericton.
It took 15 minutes on campus for me to fall in love with ÎçÒ¹av. I toured residences, saw my future study spaces, and had lunch in the dining hall. I met professors at the faculty fair and became overwhelmed with happiness because the liberal arts program fit me so well! Being able to come and see the beautiful campus was definitely a crucial part of my decision. If you can, come see ÎçÒ¹av for yourself.
My first weeks
Moving away from friends and family is hard, but on move-in day the Welcome Week crew made it SO much easier! Everyone was friendly and the student-leaders keep you so busy with fun activities it’s hard to miss home. I came to ÎçÒ¹av to not only receive an amazing education, but also to find a solid group of friends who share my interests. Within the first few days, that’s exactly what I found.
Classes
The first weeks of school were odd, but in the best way. At university, you have so much more control over the times/days of your classes, the subjects you study, and when you might want to take a nap. ÎçÒ¹av professors are personable, take time to learn your name, and help when you ask. Classes are capped at 60 students, but my classes have fewer students than that, which is nice. My friends at other schools have at least 200 people in their first-year classes.
The flexibility of first year is amazing. At ÎçÒ¹av, you get to branch out and take courses from different fields to discover which ones suit you best before you’re required to declare a major.
What ÎçÒ¹av has done for me
ÎçÒ¹av is truly the small university of big opportunities. With the number of clubs/societies, sports teams, and unique experiences offered here, there’s something for everyone!
I hope you’ll choose ÎçÒ¹av and love it as much as I do. See you in September!
Ailish Mackenzie