Academic mentor appointments

Each year, Amara has become more involved in campus than she was in her previous year, creating wonderful memories. “Gaining new experiences working student jobs and getting involved with clubs here at U of T has been vital to improving my student experience and has allowed me to learn valuable skills I believe will help me in my professional life!” She is grateful for this opportunity as an Academic Success peer mentor that allows her to make students’ experience a little less stressful and be a valuable resource to help students improve their academic, social and professional skills!

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Criminology, Sociology & Women and Gender Studies

Year of Study: 4th

Interest(s):

• Reading
• Writing
• Photography

Edwin has found a great sense of community within U of T which helped him push thorough first-year. He joined the Academic Success team for this reason — to help out fellow U of T students who are in need of resources. He is excited to meet more U of T students and provide assistance as part of the team. In his free time, he enjoys reading books, watching movies and playing the guitar. He always welcomes music and movie recommendations from his peers!

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Criminology & Bioethics

Year of Study: 2nd

Interest(s):

• Movies and music
• Running
• Cooking

Kai is returning to U of T after taking several years off: he has found Academic Success’ resources very helpful with the transition back to his studies. He enjoys supporting his peers in their academic pursuits and learning from others diverse experiences. Kai is enthusiastic about getting more involved with campus life and working as a peer mentor with the Academic Success team. He has recently started taking fencing lessons on campus and it has quickly become one of his favourite pastimes.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Political Science

Year of Study: 2nd

Interest(s):

• Fencing
• Walking
• Playing DOTA2

Linda is a first year Master of Social Work student and completed her undergraduate degree in Mental Health Studies at U of T Scarborough. She joined the Academic Success team because she experienced how difficult it was transitioning to university and wants to help people be equipped with the necessary tools when tackling academic and mental health challenges. “Overcoming self-criticism is difficult when self-reflection is tied to academic achievement. As long as you try your best, you shouldn’t be upset with yourself, because you can’t do better than your best.”

Status: Graduate

Program of Study: Master of Social Work

Year of Study: 1st

Interest(s):

• Playing volleyball
• Going to the gym
• Trying new foods!

Marianne is the treasurer for the Psychology Students’ Association and the secretary for VicRecords. As an orientation leader, she met some incoming students at the Victoria College Orientation in September! In her first and second year, she had trouble finding her way through school. This year, she joined Academic Success to help all students find their way. As someone who has experienced the challenges of choosing POSTs and improving grades, she would like to use her experience to help guide other students.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Psychology & Nutritional Sciences

Year of Study: 3rd

Interest(s):

• Playing the saxophone
• Knitting
• Ice skating, and watching reality TV shows for the drama

Since starting, Megan has found U of T to be welcoming and inclusive. Previously she majored in Kinesiology with a minor in Psychology at McMaster University. Megan joined the Academic Success Peer Mentor team because she was previously involved with McMaster’s Student Success Centre where she helped students develop their academic skills and facilitated virtual study sessions. She hopes to continue to support students in meeting their academic and personal goals. Megan’s go-to resources from U of T are the Harnessing Habits tip sheet and productivity sessions.

Status: Graduate

Program of Study: Master of Science in Occupational Therapy

Year of Study: 1st

Interest(s):

• Going to fitness classes
• Crocheting, cross-stitching and sewing, specifically dino stuffed animals!

Sadi thinks the Math and Science Aid Centres were a great resource in his first year to help with the transition from high school to university learning. “Lots of supports are available for students in all courses, through TAs and office hour. Mentors for academic and career advice were essential for helping Sadi figure out his career path and how to navigate through university life. Applying to grad school was nerve-wracking for Sadi, since many schools wanted a perfect GPA—but he learned that participating in extracurriculars could help his application and recommends that others do the same.

Status: Graduate

Program of Study: Biomedical Engineering, focusing on medical imaging and heart disease

Year of Study: PhD

Interest(s):

• Baking desserts from different cultures and trying new recipes (One of the first things he learned how to make was an apple pie!)

Shane joined the Academic Success Peer Mentor team because he believed it would be the best place for him to continue interacting with and helping other students, both of which he finds intrinsically rewarding. Resources and services used by Shane include Learning Strategist appointments, exam prep and notetaking workshops, Study Hubs, and the Learning Well in Second Year program. These supports helped him overcome issues with procrastination, motivation and time management.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: History, International Relations and Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations

Year of Study: 3rd

Interest(s):

• Going out with friends
• Watching shows on Netflix
• Reading books

Abha spent her first year in the VicOne program where she was able to connect with her peers and professors through the small class sizes, allowing her to make many great friends! In first year, she got support from her peers to get through classes, getting help by attending office hours and going to various writing centres on campus. She joined Academic Success to help ensure all students have access to resources and workshops that will help them succeed and allow them to feel more confident in their classes. She is excited to be able to connect with students and feel more involved at U of T.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Sociology, Philosophy & Literature and Critical Theory

Year of Study: 2nd

Interest(s):

• Hanging out with her friends
• Reading
• Spending absurdly long periods of time in coffee shops

David is an enthusiastic educator who is thrilled to be able to teach his peers through Academic Success workshops. Being a regular participant of Study Hubs helped David take control of his motivation and better utilize his time. David has been involved in the Skule Nite musical revue, and is passionate about the arts and music.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Electrical Engineering

Year of Study: 2nd

Interest(s):

• Acoustic music
• Gaming

Vivien is passionate about helping students ease their transition from high school to university. Going into first year was daunting for Vivien who, as a prospective law school student, put pressure on herself to do well in her courses. Now, she wishes to help others adjust to the new environment and find their place here. She currently writes for The Varsity and volunteers with Youth Challenge International to create community-based solutions to climate change.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Economics, Psychology & Music History and Culture

Year of Study: 2nd

Interest(s):

• Listening and playing music
• Binging Netflix

“I am excited to be a part of the Peer Team at Academic Success. I look forward to in-person and virtual interactions with students and sharing my experience and resources for a successful academic experience at U of T.” As an undergraduate student, Vyshali utilized various academic resources from Academic Success to effectively plan and manage her time as a commuter. She relies on her time-block planner to prioritize and complete tasks.

Status: Graduate

Program of Study: incoming Master of Education student in Adult Education and Community Development at OISE

Interest(s):

• Singing
• Baking, decorating cakes
• Painting, and taking strolls in nature

Having amassed a range of professional and extracurricular experience in digital marketing and communications, Izzy is excited to bring their energy and passion for community development to the role as a Peer Storyteller. They are also passionate about the arts, social justice and building strong communities, and enjoys content creation that combines these interests. She is thrilled to join the team of peer storytellers and to assist in helping U of T community members find academic and social success.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Critical Equity and Solidarity & Sociology

Year of Study: 3rd

Interest(s):

• Going to art galleries, dancing
• Reading bad shoujo manga
• Spending time with friends

Michelle is passionate in working with children and wishes to contribute to improving children’s lives in the future. She enjoys engaging in different perspectives when learning about global issues and hopes to develop skills that will help her in providing firsthand assistance for communities in need. As a student life peer storyteller, Michelle organizes promotional materials for the academic success team and works alongside with many peers to help students in navigating resources. She is very happy to have this opportunity that allows her to provide meaningful support for students.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Life Science

Year of Study: 2nd

Interest(s):

• Eating at different restaurants with her friends
• Exploring nature parks
• Watching Korean variety shows (her favourite is Running Man!)

Simply put, Vurjeet is obsessed with stories. Whether it be fictional ones in books and films, very real ones that deserve more attention, or ones about her own experiences, she is a firm believer that stories are what make us human. In keeping with this interest, she is currently working towards becoming a lawyer and a journalist, hoping to bring stories to justice through her work. Though the cumbersome student life keeps her quite busy, she spends her extra time writing articles and working with The Varsity and other journalistic publications.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Industrial Relations and Human Resources, Political Science & History

Year of Study: 4th

Interest(s):

• Film
• Frank Ocean
• Fashion