The Student Series

Episode 4 - Tina Assefi

Kiranvir Kaur Season 1 Episode 4

Tina ia a Humber student who is in her second year of of her 3D-Animation Advanced Dipoma program. Tine shares how her transition from online to in-person education and how that effected her metnal health. Tina shares how becoming more social and involved in Humber events allowed her to build relationships with her classmates and peers. She shares her experience of having an on-campus job with Humber’s First Year Experience (FYE) allows her flexibility with her classes. 

Thank you everyone and stay tuned!

Transcript

00:00:07 Speaker 1

Hi everyone. Thank you for joining us on the student series. We are on our 4th episode and today we have a special guest with us. We have a Tina Assefi.

00:00:21 Speaker 1

Yeah. So everyone join me welcoming Tina. Hi, Tina. Hi. How are you doing? I'm good. How are?

00:00:27 Speaker 1

I'm good. I just wanted to thank you for joining me on this podcast, and I was pretty hectic for you right now. Thanks for having me.

00:00:34 Speaker 1

So do you all just give us a little bit about your background where you're from, which program you're in currently at Humber?

00:00:41 Speaker 1

Yeah. So I am from a little city new market.

00:00:47 Speaker 1

Suburban area of the GTA kind of far from here.

00:00:51 Speaker 1

Like 2 hours.

00:00:52 Speaker 1

But I live on there, so that's really.

00:00:54 Speaker 1

Fun and I'm in the 3D animation program. It's actually my second year this year and that's super exciting and more than halfway through, which is insane. But yeah, that's a little bit about.

00:01:07 Speaker 1

So thank you so much. So how did you find out about the?

00:01:10 Speaker 1

3D program.

00:01:10 Speaker 1

At Humber College.

00:01:11 Speaker 1

So I actually was always.

00:01:14 Speaker 1

Interested just in animation in general.

00:01:16 Speaker 1

Like ever since I was like a.

00:01:17 Speaker 1

Little kid like I.

00:01:17 Speaker 1

Was watching the behind the scenes and like all my favorite movies and all that type of stuff, but then I really became interested in it when I took.

00:01:25 Speaker 1

A dual credit course at Humber.

00:01:27 Speaker 1

So I took this introduction to animation dual credit course when.

00:01:30 Speaker 1

I was, I think in the.

00:01:31 Speaker 1

Upgrade. Yeah. So it's like a joint program with your high school, so you get a high school credit and then you?

00:01:32 Speaker 1

Can do.

00:01:37 Speaker 1

Also get a.

00:01:37 Speaker 1

College credit.

00:01:38 Speaker 1

So yeah, I got a college credit in high school. Just.

00:01:42 Speaker 1

Yeah. So I did that.

00:01:45 Speaker 1

It was super.

00:01:45 Speaker 1

Fun I really enjoyed it and my teacher was really great. Like he gave me a lot of good information and then once I was in grade 12.

00:01:52 Speaker 1

Applied to a bunch of different programs and arts and you always good arts and I applied to like semico for animation. I applied for Sheridan which if anyone knows animation like that.

00:02:04 Speaker 1

Is something in itself. It's so bad which I just like gave up what halfway through, but I got my acceptance for Humber and I just knew that I was going to come here anyways just because I wanted to specifically go into 3D and not 2D. And then the other times on the program, I really do love the programs and great programs you get.

00:02:23 Speaker 1

For a year or.

00:02:24 Speaker 1

It's three years as Advanced diploma.

00:02:26 Speaker 1

So then did you find when you were doing a dual credit in high school to help make your decision that you wanted to come to America?

00:02:32 Speaker 1

Yeah, for sure, because although when I took.

00:02:35 Speaker 1

Him do credit it.

00:02:36 Speaker 1

Was completely different. It was so much.

00:02:38 Speaker 1

Like slower paced and there was just a lot more of the basics and it was a lot more of like a bunch of different things.

00:02:45 Speaker 1

So like we were like 3.

00:02:46 Speaker 1

D modeling even.

00:02:47 Speaker 1

There was an animation class and it was a lot of stuff with that.

00:02:51 Speaker 1

So it was very good because it gave me a sense of what the programs could be like. But like, I don't think anything prepared me for.

00:02:57 Speaker 1

The workload that was going to happen.

00:02:58 Speaker 1

Here, like nothing prepared me and I was like a good student in high school. It's not like I was a bad student and then I didn't have a good grades or I didn't have, like a lot of motivation to study. I definitely did. Like I was very.

00:03:08 Speaker 1

Like academically motivated. Let's go. Let's go college. And then I got hit. I'm like, oh, OK.

00:03:17 Speaker 1

Currently a change because you're like the pace and the.

00:03:20 Speaker 1

Environment is so different.

00:03:21 Speaker 1

Oh yeah, no, the pace.

00:03:23 Speaker 1

Of my program is insane, yeah.

00:03:25 Speaker 1

It's so fast-paced.

00:03:27 Speaker 1

So then how did?

00:03:28 Speaker 1

You find because we talked we're talking about right now how it's so different. It's not really what you expect. The pace, the environment. So how do you find the?

00:03:38 Speaker 1

Are you working right now like if you.

00:03:39 Speaker 1

Are how do you find that balance between?

00:03:42 Speaker 1

Work and school life.

00:03:44 Speaker 1

Well, I'm very fortunate that I have a job on campus since I'm a work study student, so that's a little bit different because they're very lenient with your schedule.

00:03:51 Speaker 1

Yeah, like I'm booked in, like in between my classes for an hour. Like on a certain day. So I can make up my hours and still get paid.

00:03:58 Speaker 1

But like, it's very much like I'm squeezing it in where I can and they're relating with that. So it's good in.

00:04:03 Speaker 1

A sense because.

00:04:04 Speaker 1

I'm doing it on my own schedule and like what?

00:04:07 Speaker 1

Or like workload I have but at the same time, for me it's a downtime because everything has to be done on.

00:04:13 Speaker 1

My PC at home.

00:04:14 Speaker 1

Yeah, like on this so well, I have to like, it's so like heavy all the programs that I use that no laptop can handle it.

00:04:22 Speaker 1

So I.

00:04:23 Speaker 1

Can't move my.

00:04:24 Speaker 1

PC obviously I'm doing my work here, so I just have to sit there.

00:04:28 Speaker 1

At work and just stare.

00:04:29

On the.

00:04:30 Speaker 1

Yeah, but I can't do.

00:04:31 Speaker 1

My work at work, which is.

00:04:33 Speaker 1

What everyone else does, because like if you work on campus, you.

00:04:36 Speaker 1

Probably know like you really.

00:04:37 Speaker 1

Really are doing actual work.

00:04:39 Speaker 1

You're mostly just there, so it's a lot of.

00:04:43 Speaker 1

The benefits of working on.

00:04:45 Speaker 1

It really is honestly, it's.

00:04:46 Speaker 1

Kind of great, I love.

00:04:47 Speaker 1

It but like I'm getting paid, but I can also.

00:04:49 Speaker 1

To have my time to study and.

00:04:51 Speaker 1

Work on my courses.

00:04:52 Speaker 1

Except I can't. Unfortunately, I can't do anything, so that's been really hard for me to adjust because I just constantly.

00:05:01 Speaker 1

Like I'm running out.

00:05:01 Speaker 1

Of time, but.

00:05:04 Speaker 1

I squeeze it in as much as I can.

00:05:05 Speaker 1

Now, I'll pull certain nights where I'm like, up till like 2:00 AM trying to figure out what on Earth is.

00:05:10 Speaker 1

Going on with my.

00:05:11 Speaker 1

Assignment I think just because you know, you probably have like softwares that are so heavy and so just the regular laptop.

00:05:17 Speaker 1

Cannot handle.

00:05:17 Speaker 1

Yeah. No. Like, they're so heavy like I have. So my as an animation software, I have that on the computers at work and it'll crash like 6 times.

00:05:25 Speaker 1

Yeah. OK. That's on my last laptop completely crashed because it just.

00:05:29 Speaker 1

Couldn't support it.

00:05:31 Speaker 1

And I think that's one of the challenges.

00:05:32 Speaker 1

That you figure?

00:05:33 Speaker 1

Out later on in program, especially when it's like a digital communications.

00:05:37 Speaker 1

3D or anything with animation design?

00:05:41

That you.

00:05:41 Speaker 1

Really need to have the right.

00:05:42 Speaker 1

Equipment. Yeah. And they're so expensive.

00:05:45 Speaker 1

Yeah, very expensive. So along the way, did you find that you were we have any stresses related to working in school and how did you try to relieve that stress, try to find a way to find an outlet for that.

00:05:59 Speaker 1

Because I know school is so challenging, it can just be so stressful and you just want some time to relax and just have.

00:06:07 Speaker 1

Well, I think definitely this year will be a lot better than last year. I was all in one last year. So like the lines between me having time for myself and working were very blurred.

00:06:18 Speaker 1

Especially because I did go into a field that's kind of my hobby, right? So I am. I do really enjoy what I'm doing, but I that's the exactly the problem because it's such a fine line between me constantly working and then me having downtime.

00:06:31 Speaker 1

So I think this year one thing that I did that's really benefiting me is I will not.

00:06:35 Speaker 1

Work on anything past 10:00 PM.

00:06:37 Speaker 1

Like very, very, very rarely will I.

00:06:39 Speaker 1

Do that.

00:06:41 Speaker 1

So everything's usually.

00:06:42 Speaker 1

Like shut off by 10:00 and from 10 to like whatever time I'm up that night, which is usually around 1:00.

00:06:48 Speaker 1

I'm just hanging out with my friends or I'm doing literally anything but work because I feel like if I don't do that, I go a little bit crazy so.

00:06:57 Speaker 1

That's one thing.

00:06:57 Speaker 1

I've been doing. I also have a cat.

00:07:00 Speaker 1

On residents, yeah. So, OK, yeah. I brought her on.

00:07:04 Speaker 1

As my like emotional support animal.

00:07:07 Speaker 1

Yeah. So that also really helped me because it's just such a nice little distraction to have, like, whenever I'm like, Oh my God, like, how am I going to do this?

00:07:16 Speaker 1

And I'm kind of freaking out. Just go my little pet her, and she'll just remind me that everything's fine. I'm kind of grounded.

00:07:22 Speaker 1

From that, what's her?

00:07:23 Speaker 1

Name's Niko. So can you read?

00:07:25 Speaker 1

She's a like a tuxedo.

00:07:27 Speaker 1

Cat, I'm a cat person so I.

00:07:29 Speaker 1

Love cat totally a cat person? Yeah, cat person.

00:07:32 Speaker 1

So what I think, what are the?

00:07:35 Speaker 1

Two of the best things you said were one you have a cut off time for yourself for your like you know what this is.

00:07:40 Speaker 1

I'm not doing this past 10:00 PM, so I'm going to.

00:07:42 Speaker 1

Make sure whatever I.

00:07:43 Speaker 1

Can get done. I'm going to do.

00:07:44 Speaker 1

It before you set yourself some some guidelines.

00:07:46 Speaker 1

And the other thing is you have like I.

00:07:48 Speaker 1

Know a lot.

00:07:49 Speaker 1

Of people, animals, that it's really important to.

00:07:51 Speaker 1

Be around animals and you have somebody there to support you so you don't feel alone.

00:07:55 Speaker 1

Yeah. So I think those.

00:07:56 Speaker 1

Are really good. I never.

00:07:57 Speaker 1

Knew that you could keep as.

00:07:58 Speaker 1

The animal, yeah.

00:08:00 Speaker 1

Do you have to register?

00:08:01 Speaker 1

With the cat.

00:08:01 Speaker 1

Yeah. So I'm able to register her through the school as, like a service animal slash like commercial support animal, and then they let me bring her on.

00:08:10 Speaker 1

But yeah, it was. I thought it'd be such a lengthy process too. Just a doctor's now. It was insanely easy. If you have a cat, yeah.

00:08:15 Speaker 1

Them on.

00:08:20 Speaker 1

As long as there's better here you can bring.

00:08:22 Speaker 1

More, but I know you mentioned that.

00:08:25 Speaker 1

You're talking about how you're first here.

00:08:26 Speaker 1

Your experience was so different because it was all online because of COVID.

00:08:30 Speaker 1

So how did you find that?

00:08:32 Speaker 1

It was awful. Like, I seriously think that was the lowest point for my mental health. Yeah, it was.

00:08:37 Speaker 1

So bad. Yeah. And I think the biggest reason why I was so such a hard time for me is because I didn't have that boundary set in place because I was just constantly working.

00:08:46 Speaker 1

Like I didn't have anything else to do. I was stuck at home. I was locked down for like half the year.

00:08:51 Speaker 1

If I wasn't at home doing work, I was at a.

00:08:53 Speaker 1

Part time job that.

00:08:54 Speaker 1

I also hated at the time, so it's just a lot of me going OK.

00:08:58 Speaker 1

Work, school, school, work, work, sleep, repeat it.

00:09:03 Speaker 1

Was just constant and I think that's.

00:09:05 Speaker 1

What really bugs?

00:09:06 Speaker 1

Me and I just didn't know how to breed balance anything and put time towards my social life. And I think that that's definitely something that made a huge difference this year, is being on evidence.

00:09:16 Speaker 1

I mean, so many friends, and they all have like a very similar mentality like me, like where they do really prioritize school. But at the same time, like, they know that they have down time. So they're not like always.

00:09:28 Speaker 1

Like screw right here click. I'm not going to do it, but the same time they have.

00:09:31 Speaker 1

Their bounding clothes as well.

00:09:32 Speaker 1

And I think seeing that also really helped me set my.

00:09:36 Speaker 1

Being changing their environment sometimes can be so important, not just physically, but mentally.

00:09:41 Speaker 1

Oh, my God. Yeah, for sure know there are times where I'm happy. At least I could go for a walk and like see people because they're close.

00:09:47 Speaker 1

To me, when?

00:09:48 Speaker 1

We can one-on-one or just like go for further walk like.

00:09:51 Speaker 1

Keep the distance. The walk together. Yeah, which is.

00:09:53 Speaker 1

Like really weird.

00:09:53 Speaker 1

But it became the new normal. I really do.

00:09:56 Speaker 1

Yeah, but I guess for.

00:09:57 Speaker 1

You it was kind of hard because, like, you want to be surrounded by people your age, even people in your program, people going to college to build that connection.

00:10:04 Speaker 1

Yeah, definitely. Like it's made such a big difference. And it's so like isolating to be just online and especially there's no participates in online classes like you're just literally sitting there half the time. I was doing it either for my bed.

00:10:16 Speaker 1

Or like I was making myself food while I was in class or I didn't even like actually in class and like something happened.

00:10:24

Oh, oh oh.

00:10:25 Speaker 1

Oh, there's a test like oh, no, no. Like, what do I do? So it was a lot of just new multitasking and not really paying attention.

00:10:32 Speaker 1

Or like I have like the worst attention span when it comes to online like even now and have the class online.

00:10:37 Speaker 1

And I swear I sleep.

00:10:38 Speaker 1

Through it, almost every single time.

00:10:40 Speaker 1

Like it's I try so hard to stay with you too. But I just don't.

00:10:43 Speaker 1

Have the time to spend.

00:10:44 Speaker 1

Alright, so I'm just sitting there like, OK.

00:10:46 Speaker 1

Like please get to the point like I can't do this.

00:10:49 Speaker 1

Please. Yeah, I'm a mature student, but like some of the online classes I did in mine because I found that you.

00:10:56 Speaker 1

Know I can do it.

00:10:56 Speaker 1

On my own page for.

00:10:58 Speaker 1

Some of them I was like I need.

00:10:59 Speaker 1

To be there.

00:11:00 Speaker 1

In person, I need to ask some kind of question. I need to physically show my work.

00:11:06 Speaker 1

And sometimes so hard because you are with a whole bunch of your classmates online and you have to wait till the end or schedule to meet online.

00:11:15 Speaker 1

Yeah. Which is going to be challenging because.

00:11:17 Speaker 1

I know sometimes like.

00:11:18 Speaker 1

Like I'm gonna have to be on my laptop again.

00:11:20 Speaker 1

I just like I don't know, but I just didn't want to plug.

00:11:22 Speaker 1

In anymore. Yeah, I found that especially last year.

00:11:25 Speaker 1

Like I would I my source of like unplugging or like relaxing you'd have to be like.

00:11:31 Speaker 1

Reading because I.

00:11:32 Speaker 1

Was constantly on my computer because my program also very computer based.

00:11:36 Speaker 1

So I was just staring at the screen the whole day and I'd have the worst headaches of being the worst mood after and I'll just being miserable.

00:11:41 Speaker 1

And then I was like, OK, it's time to read now, like, read. And I'm like, OK, like, this is my normal part of my life right now because it's plugged out.

00:11:48 Speaker 1

Like I didn't even use social media.

00:11:49 Speaker 1

Last year, because I was like, I'm constantly just online and I hate him.

00:11:53 Speaker 1

So yeah, no, no fun time and not a fun time. So what resources and tools did?

00:12:00 Speaker 1

You find, I know.

00:12:01 Speaker 1

Probably first tool was kind of challenging because you're doing.

00:12:04 Speaker 1

It all online.

00:12:05 Speaker 1

But in your second year, if you couldn't give any suggestions, what kind of resources or tools to be utilized on campus that you found very beneficial?

00:12:12 Speaker 1

So for yourself, because I know for everyone.

00:12:14 Speaker 1

Is so different.

00:12:15 Speaker 1

There are so many tools online resources that some I found out like in my graduating.

00:12:20

Year and finding out right now.

00:12:21 Speaker 1

And I'm like, where were these?

00:12:23 Speaker 1

What did I know? So what could?

00:12:24 Speaker 1

You recommend. So I think the first thing.

00:12:27 Speaker 1

I would recommend.

00:12:27 Speaker 1

Is like going to school events because especially if you're new to the school, that's such a good.

00:12:32 Speaker 1

Opportunity to make friends.

00:12:33 Speaker 1

Yeah. Volunteering at the school, that's also great. She must need to plug it right out. FYE first experience.

00:12:42 Speaker 1

But that's one thing I think that really would help as with other resources like there's a lot of labs in the school, especially for my like there's labs are specific to my programs, like those I know of.

00:12:53 Speaker 1

But there's so nice to work in a different environment to change your mind that you're looking in. So like coming to the library or like going to the lab or even just like sitting like in the.

00:13:03 Speaker 1

Attitude Hall and little chairs or the Starbucks. So changing your environment I think is a really good resource to have.

00:13:09 Speaker 1

The gym, the gym's free, go.

00:13:12 Speaker 1

Get on it.

00:13:13 Speaker 1

It's yeah, it is so nice to not have to pay for that. It is busy, but like honestly going with like, friends and stuff is super fun.

00:13:21 Speaker 1

It's a group. Yeah, it is. And I think that's honestly one of my favorite resources at Humber. Yeah. And just having access to the gym whenever I want to go and not having to pay for a membership, their fitness classes are great. Also, the massage clinic. I don't know if, like, a lot of.

00:13:38 Speaker 1

People have tried that yet.

00:13:39 Speaker 1

Need to.

00:13:40 Speaker 1

Get on that because it's $5, it is $5.

00:13:44 Speaker 1

Massage like $5. Oh, by the way.

00:13:49 Speaker 1

It also covers yes with your health and dental.

00:13:52 Speaker 1

Yeah. So like you would basically pay like $1.50 for massage and it's like 2 hours. And the nice thing is like, because they're students doing it, like, let's say, like a part of your shoulder hurts.

00:14:03 Speaker 1

Like you'll go in with like, oh, because when you want us to work on you like, oh, like my shoulder hurts and you're like, OK, they'll tell you what muscle it is. They'll do the treatment and then they tell you stretches and exercises that could help you.

00:14:15 Speaker 1

Stop that from hurting.

00:14:16 Speaker 1

Oh my God. I'm gonna go.

00:14:18

To the massage, you get a massage now.

00:14:19 Speaker 1

You need to on.

00:14:19 Speaker 1

That it is so good aren't that's my favorite thing about, like, having the time to go because it's pretty long.

00:14:25 Speaker 1

It's an hour and a half that you have to commit to cause you have to do the assessment and then like check with the professor and then they have to actually do the.

00:14:31 Speaker 1

Treatment, but it's like it's so nice. You really need to do it.

00:14:35 Speaker 1

That is amazing. Yeah, whoever is in that program. Good for you because you are really building your portfolio and your skills.

00:14:43 Speaker 1

But that is something I have not.

00:14:45 Speaker 1

Heard of at?

00:14:46 Speaker 1

All. Yeah, I used.

00:14:47

To work here at Ignite.

00:14:48 Speaker 1

Yeah. Ohh, another thing that's really cool is like kids, students and some kids, geology students and the personal training students.

00:14:55 Speaker 1

Like they'll open up forms.

00:14:57 Speaker 1

And you can sign up to get a.

00:14:58 Speaker 1

Personal trainer. Well done.

00:14:58

That I heard of.

00:15:02 Speaker 1

It is. I have a personal trainer right now.

00:15:04 Speaker 1

Great. Like I love it and it's free. Like the technology programs here. I think the person training you need.

00:15:10 Speaker 1

To pay a bit.

00:15:10 Speaker 1

Of a fee, but like still like it's a fraction of the price and you get.

00:15:14 Speaker 1

A personal trainer for the whole semester and they teach you how to do everything and then.

00:15:17 Speaker 1

You can go.

00:15:18 Speaker 1

Yourself and you'll be set. I now just discovered that you can really get cheap massages and you can really get.

00:15:24 Speaker 1

With personal training and health number.

00:15:26 Speaker 1

So those are really good benefits, yeah.

00:15:29 Speaker 1

And I find exercise.

00:15:30 Speaker 1

Very important for me, whether it's like actually doing a workout or even just going for a walk, getting some fresh air really just makes me.

00:15:39 Speaker 1

Yeah, I also love the herb.

00:15:41 Speaker 1

Albert, all this all the time in.

00:15:42 Speaker 1

The summer.

00:15:43 Speaker 1

Yeah. So a little bit nature does really help. Again, right. So now comparing this to your last year, how do you feel with the state of your mental health?

00:15:54 Speaker 1

Like, where are you at, right.

00:15:55 Speaker 1

Now it is like completely different in such a good way, like such a positive way it's changed so much.

00:16:02 Speaker 1

Much like so much, it's crazy because I have very bad anxiety. I've always had very bad anxiety and I didn't realize how much that would change based on.

00:16:13 Speaker 1

The environment that I'm in.

00:16:15 Speaker 1

But being at home like it just, I think it just contributed to that because I just didn't have much to do at home.

00:16:21 Speaker 1

Except for just work.

00:16:23 Speaker 1

And like all my friends were like commuting students. Or they're like they're Health Science. Like all my friends at home are Health Science students. Like, they don't have the time to have a social life. They're just constantly working.

00:16:34 Speaker 1

So I was always just like isolated and then like online classes, so isolated and so. So just being very depressing.

00:16:43 Speaker 1

But here like I have a good group of friends and I have the PR. I could go walk in. I have so many resources that I can take advantage of, which is also why like.

00:16:54 Speaker 1

Honestly, if someone's going to go to Hamburg and they live a little far away and they can afford residents, go to residents like it. The food, like the food, is God awful.

00:17:04 Speaker 1

Like no one prepared me for how foul the food there is, like, it's barely edible. But like that, this money will plan.

00:17:11 Speaker 1

Better room maker, footers, kitchens, meal prep. Get to live.

00:17:15 Speaker 1

On your own.

00:17:16 Speaker 1

I guess have a little.

00:17:17 Speaker 1

Bit of freedom.

00:17:17 Speaker 1

Yeah, I think everyone should experience that at one point in their life, like when they're younger, especially because it makes such a huge difference.

00:17:25 Speaker 1

But yeah, I know very, very different from like headspace wise from last year but.

00:17:30 Speaker 1

I'm very grateful that it's.

00:17:32 Speaker 1

So did you feel you had to step out of your comfort zone a little bit this year compared to last year?

00:17:36 Speaker 1

Definitely. Well for me COVID serving.

00:17:40 Speaker 1

Was in grade 11.

00:17:42 Speaker 1

And then I was all one grade 11, all in one point, 12. I did not have a graduation did.

00:17:47 Speaker 1

Not have a.

00:17:47 Speaker 1

Prom. And then I was all on mine first year.

00:17:50 Speaker 1

So I have like three to four years of just purely being online, not having any social connection over like my very close friends that I was allowed to see doing like the whole lock downs and like secretly see each other.

00:18:02 Speaker 1

Or UM.

00:18:03 Speaker 1

Just like very limited social socialization, now was always. Yeah. And I was a very, very social person in high school.

00:18:11 Speaker 1

Like to the point where I was older, one that go up and approach people like no problem. Like I'll go up, introduce myself and like get talking like I had no problem. But after COVID that went away so fast. Like I definitely feel like I'm going more like.

00:18:24 Speaker 1

Reserve an attempt where like I would like or like prefer if someone gave it to me to talk to me then that the way around so.

00:18:31 Speaker 1

Just prefer somebody else to.

00:18:33 Speaker 1

Be extrovert and you want.

00:18:35 Speaker 1

Yeah. So that really changed. So that was a huge shift, but I was also very lucky because when I came to residence, first of all went to a suite with a friend of mine that I knew.

00:18:45 Speaker 1

Through mutual connections. And she's also my program.

00:18:47 Speaker 1

So I had.

00:18:47 Speaker 1

A roommate? Yeah, she.

00:18:48 Speaker 1

Already had a group of friends from last year.

00:18:50 Speaker 1

And I just kind of like merged like.

00:18:53 Speaker 1

I like.

00:18:56 Speaker 1

You know like.

00:18:57 Speaker 1

Not fun to do so like that was also like a really huge blessing is that I didn't have to go out and like necessarily make a whole new group of friends.

00:19:05 Speaker 1

They kind of had someone to go to, so I didn't have to do that for socializing, but like at the same time, compared to before way more socializing. Huge like.

00:19:14 Speaker 1

I think it was 3/4.

00:19:16 Speaker 1

Years constant for each of the online.

00:19:20 Speaker 1

You know when I've met them the first like day.

00:19:22 Speaker 1

I was quite literally.

00:19:24 Speaker 1

Like, yeah, I was like oh.

00:19:26 Speaker 1

My God, take me as your friend.

00:19:33 Speaker 1

I'm so nervous it.

00:19:34 Speaker 1

Was insane because I think along the way you kind.

00:19:38 Speaker 1

Of learned what?

00:19:40 Speaker 1

Works for you. What doesn't work for you because you will have dating school.

00:19:44 Speaker 1

Personal life work. Life, you.

00:19:45 Speaker 1

Really want to keep them.

00:19:46 Speaker 1

In balance, yes.

00:19:48 Speaker 1

So if you could give one take away one recommendation to the audience, what would it?

00:19:53 Speaker 1

I definitely think setting boundaries. I think you should set up. I think that's one thing that everyone learns how to do.

00:20:00 Speaker 1

At some point in their college career or in their high school career like you, it depends on the person, honestly.

00:20:07 Speaker 1

But yeah, I would say like said that boundary like your work life boundary and like your social boundary because.

00:20:13 Speaker 1

We're social people like humans or social people. We need that social interaction. So like, allow yourself to have that because I know it's very competitive and like something to feel guilty for, like wanting to do that, but don't feel guilty about it.

00:20:26 Speaker 1

Like go for it. It's part of life and you should enjoy that while you have the time and you can. And there's.

00:20:31 Speaker 1

No better time than.

00:20:32 Speaker 1

Well, because why not? First of all and second of all, there's so many resources here that could help with that.

00:20:39 Speaker 1

Like if you're worried about many people, go to school events, go to ignite events that also.

00:20:44 Speaker 1

Take friend friends meeting so.

00:20:47 Speaker 1

They do. They are. That's so cute. I love that. Like, that's so cute. And I think that's a great way, especially for First year's international student.

00:20:55 Speaker 1

Yeah. And people who are living on residence to meet new people find out what you like, explore new areas in your life and and meet people who need different backgrounds and just.

00:21:07 Speaker 1

Opens up your perspective in.

00:21:09 Speaker 1

Definitely like meet new people. Don't be afraid to meet new people. Go for it.

00:21:13 Speaker 1

Like, I think the biggest thing that I learned with that is like not everyone has to like you.

00:21:17 Speaker 1

Because that's fine. Just move on. Just move on and.

00:21:19 Speaker 1

Whoever likes you like you for.

00:21:21 Speaker 1

Exactly. That's like a big one and use the resources here. You're paying for it like it's part of your tuition.

00:21:27 Speaker 1

If you think about it like you're already.

00:21:29 Speaker 1

Paying for it.

00:21:30 Speaker 1

That it's included. Yeah, you might as well take advantage.

00:21:33 Speaker 1

And use.

00:21:34 Speaker 1

Yeah. So thank you so much, Tina, for participating. And you know what, good luck on this well.

00:21:40 Speaker 1

The next year was even better.

00:21:42 Speaker 1

Thank you, everyone. Bye bye.