This semester, I have found myself in a unique position of social and academic omnipresence. Transferring from a B.Tech to a B.Sci, I was privileged last semester and this one to sit in lecture halls and classrooms among business students, nurses, fashion students, engineers, and GCMer’s. Consequently, I have observed certain particular traits that, for those of you who are socially ambitious, may help you navigate Ryerson’s diverse social scene.
Our campus is composed of many more ethnic, cultural, and academic groups, and, I must say, that these observations are limited to a First Year perspective. Third and Fourth Year classes, I can imagine, must have a much more evolved dynamic. But, for you First Years who are interested in broadening your social horizons and your university experience, I give you these small morsels of information. It is up to you to decide how you use them.
If you’d like to contribute the qualities you feel are central to the people in your program or cultural group on campus, by all means, slaughter this post with comments.
Fashion students
Never in my life have I seen such a high concentration of well-dressed individuals. Who also smell pretty nice. I can give a bit of additional insight here, as I happen to live on the floor in ILLC designated for these kids. I always have shoes to wear. I always have someone willing to tell me if these pants make me look fat. These people are always striving to look better, and feel better about themselves. You have no choice but to look your best.
Engineers
Personally, this is MY favourite group. There’s something about Engineers, and their quirky, Reddit-fueled sense of humour, that I just love. Plus, I get a huge kick out of walking into my Calculus class, and seeing that everyone is either terrified or asleep. Six classes, four years = the chronically stressed engineer. I have a deep admiration and empathy for you all. Stay gold. Stay quirky.
Nurses
I’m in an Ethics class with mostly Third Year nurses, so this observation is biased toward the upper years. You’ll definitely find you’ve developed close ties with certain people in your program by the time you hit Third Year. But, the Force is strong, with these ones. I’m not sure if it’s due to the nature of the occupation they’re about to enter, but this kids are hella fun. They all know each other. They’re all eager to know everyone else. When conversation gets started, everything they say makes everybody else laugh; and at 8AM on a Monday, they are great people to be around.
RT-Eyyyyyy (Radio Television Arts)
I couldn’t neglect to mention these guys. They are a highly influential campus group, and you’ll know it if you’re ever at the Ram for karaoke night. Plus, several of my fellow nerds at RU Student Life call this program their own. I couldn’t make an assessment of my own, so I asked my fellow blogger, Eve Sharabi, and Media Specialist Char Loco (also president of CURTAS), “What does it mean to be in RTA? Who ARE you people?” And the response is definitely most hilarious in point form. RTA kids are:
- Peculiar Beings
- Outgoing
- Outlandish
- Quiet
- Creatively Brilliant
- Competitive
- Loud
- Love Karaoke
What I was told to emphasize, in particular, is how RTA’s are storytellers; they express opinions and ideas through sound, video, film, digital media. In the word’s of Char Loro herself, “the sky’s the limit!” If you know anyone in RTA, you’ll know that they’re all very close knit, and the group as a whole doesn’t take themselves too seriously. In my personal opinion, they’re great candidates for friendship recruitment.
Business
Oh, business, business, business. Here I am, Macroeconomics, quietly judging everybody. There are some incredibly beautiful people in this room. Noted. A lot of guys who look like they play for the Rams. Also noted. There’s that eager kid in the front row with the sweater vest, volunteering answers at every half-question the prof poses. One row behind me, there’s two girls who have been on Facebook since the lecture started; I know that they’re going shopping at the Eaton centre this weekend, and one of them really needs to get her nails done. Why is it so loud in here? This is the loudest lecture I’ve ever been to. Everybody is whisper screaming. Why do people keep leaving? Why, by the end of the lecture, is the front of the hall so densely packed with people, while the rear is a virtual ghost town? Because, people. Because Business kids either care too much, or don’t give a flying fish.
GCM (Graphic Communications Management)
I have a soft spot for this group. For a fleeting semester, I was one of you. Because I do have a genuine affection for you, I’m gonna do you all a solid, here. This site is publicly accessible. So, I’m going to explain to the world what it is you do in GCM. Hopefully, this results in fewer people staring blankly at you when you tell them what you’re taking in university.
GCMer’s print sh*t. That’s their favoured cheer during Orientation Week. But that only covers an infinitesimal portion of what really goes on in the building on Bond. GCMer’s, over the course of their four year program, are schooled in everything from the Adobe Creative Suite to accounting. When they graduate, they have the knowledge and experience to find innovative and creative solutions for clients who contract work in the printing Industry.To most of you, that sounds like a dead end career. but look around you. Think hard, think of all of the things you use every day that require ink, and a surface, to communicate a message.
BAM.
These guys, also happen to be able to throw a fantastic party. I’ve been to pub nights and parties held by several of the course unions, and the GCM course union is a superstar, in this area. There you have it. The people that have made up my experience at Ryerson thus far. I definitely encourage to comments, and would love to hear what you think best describes your peer group.
Peace, love, kittens, Ryerson.
