This is Kelsey
The right fit
I chose to go to the University of Calgary for multiple reasons. I love the City of Calgary in itself, and upon graduation from high school I wanted to go and experience living in a new city. Academically, the U of C was a great fit for me because I plan on attending Law school after my undergraduate degree and hope to complete my Law degree here at the U of C as well.
A great place to hang out
The University of Calgary has a lot of great places to hang out with friends. I would recommend the Den on a Friday night for some good dinner and it is cheap! Mac Hall is always a good place to meet for a quick bite to eat or to meet up for a group project.
A booming school with millions of activities
The University of Calgary is a booming school with millions of activities for you to get involved in—okay maybe not millions. I don’t think I could even do the school justice to go and try and list every opportunity that is out there. Campus itself offers a wide range of activities from Rock Climbing to Open Mic Night. The Students’ Union is our advocacy group who does a fabulous job taking care of students. I myself am involved in extracurricular activities which have been accessible to me through my Residence experience or from the university itself. I play basketball through the intramural program; I am involved in the Residence Students Association, as well as other committees in Residence. Recently I became a Big Sister in the Big Brothers and Sisters of Calgary program. Those are just a select few opportunities waiting for you upon your arrival at the University of Calgary.
Kelsey’s Advice
Join a club
My best advice for future students is to get involved in as many clubs and extracurricular activities as possible. It’s a great way to meet new people who have similar interests as you.
Live in Residence
Live in Residence, if you have the chance. It’s convenient to get to classes, you live with a lot of great people and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved, as well as take part in a lot of residence events.
Plan Ahead
Plan ahead, get a semester long calendar and mark out all the dates that you have things due or something going on. It will help keep you organized and on top of important due dates.
Cheer the Dinos on!
Some of the most memorable day’s I have, have been attending the Dinos game. Slap on some red face paint, put on your red U of C gear, make your best dinosaur face and head on out to a varsity game. Go Dinos Go!
Favourites
Place to study
As a resident student I spend most of my time studying in the Academic Lounge located in my building. When I do venture off to the rest of campus to study my favourite spot is above the swimming pool in Kinesiology. It’s quiet and there is something relaxing about being able to look out onto the pool.
Place to eat
Off campus my favourite place to eat in Calgary is a little Italian Restaurant located on Kensington Street called La Vienna. They have AMAZING pasta, and it’s very affordable for students. Don’t let its appearance turn you off! On campus my favourite place for breakfast or lunch is Brews and Blends. My favourite smoothie from them is their Strawberry Green Tea Smoothie.... soooo good! Also the Den on campus has great wings, and 2 for 1 entree night on Friday.
Professor
My favourite professor to date is Dr. Lorne Macdonald. Unfortunately Lorne recently passed away, but he was an outstanding professor who has inspired both my work and who I am as a person.
Books
This is a tricky one for me, being an English Major I read lots of books! When I was little my favourite book, which still holds a dear place to my heart, was The Sky is Falling by Kit Pearson. The Bleachers by John Grisham and a collection of Sonnets spanning from the 16th Century to present writers. It’s great because you don’t have to read the whole thing in one sitting, but when you just feel like reading something it is great to be able to sit down and read 14 lines and just think about what they mean to you.
Movies
Another hard question. I would have to say I have a few, all for multiple different reasons:Sleeping Beauty (childhood favourite)Walk the Line (I watch this one at least once a month)Wizard of Oz (who doesn’t love a classic!)Glory Road & Remember the Titans (because I am a huge sports fan, and they’re inspiring)
Music
My iTunes are a mix of everything, but I would have to say my favourite genre is Country. My top 25 most played song list is home to artists such as Toby Keith, Shinedown, Radiohead, ABBA, Elton John, Dierks Bentley and Guns and Roses.
Things about Calgary
What’s not to love about this City! The people are very inviting and welcoming. I was so surprised to go and ride the C-Train and have strangers smile at you and say hello. The weather although it may be cold in the winter, Calgary’s sunsets and skylines are spectacular, unlike anything I have seen anywhere else. The downtown area is fun, and more importantly I feel safe when I am walking around window shopping. Prince’s Island Park in between downtown and Kensington is definitely one of the hidden gems of the city. It’s a beautiful park to wander around or take a book to and sit outside and read when the weather is nice. I would encourage everyone to come out to the city and just spend a few days looking around and experiencing the different areas. I dare you not to fall in love with Calgary!