Students finding their place and people on campus

By Jasmine Makar

Incoming first-year students can find community and friends through a multitude of social activities hosted on campus. Between student groups and course unions, there are plenty of opportunities for students to socialize and make the most of the university experience.

Currently, 100 student groups are registered with the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU), not including individual course unions and student societies. Course unions represent a specific program’s student population, typically hosting fun events to engage students.

President of the Society of the Creative School and fourth-year professional communication student Ava Ruscillo emphasized the importance and value of extracurriculars based on her own experience.

“A lot of people, since they’re commuters, just go to school and go home. But to really immerse yourself in the ecosystem of our school, I think it’s important that you do things that you’re a little afraid of,” she said.

Ruscillo also told The Eyeopener in a phone interview that after the pandemic, during her second year at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), she wanted to branch out to find extracurriculars outside of her school work.

“Something compelled me to want to join something on campus, whether it be a club or another type of student group, just something that I could build a community with,” said Ruscillo.

With the significant transition from high school to university, TMU students are finding that it can be difficult to make friends and other connections on campus. 

“It’s important that you do things that you’re a little afraid of“

Third-year business technology management student Luis Alitagtag highlights how student groups and social activities can foster lasting friendships and valuable personal and professional connections. 

“I’ve met some of my closest friends through extracurriculars and I have been exposed to great opportunities. I would highly recommend it,” said Alitagtag, the at-large director of the Ted Rogers Student Society (TRSS) and the vice-president of marketing for the Toronto Metropolitan Consulting Association. 

He shared his experience as a commuter student from Markham, Ont., noting how transportation schedules can make it challenging to participate in social activities. 

“In a ‘dorm school,’ you’re really close with your friends and after class, you could just hang out with them very willingly,” said Alitagtag. “But as a commuter, you have to worry about things like, ‘Oh, I have to make my train’ or ‘Oh, I can’t be out too late.’ So you definitely have to put some effort into establishing and fostering those social relationships.”

According to a 2019 study by StudentMoveTO, 77 per cent of TMU students commute to school. This large commuter population creates a distinct cultural dynamic at TMU compared to other universities, mainly because of its unique location in the core of Toronto. 

Aside from the large commuter population at TMU, there are over 4,000 international students, according to TMU’s admissions web page, who face unique challenges in socializing and finding their place on campus. 

“It has been daunting for me—especially being an international student—but you have to join a couple of student groups so that you can have the opportunity to meet new people,” said Ananya Malhotra, a third-year international student in the business technology management program. 

“It has been daunting for me —especially being an international students”

Malhotra has participated in a number of student groups and clubs throughout her three years at TMU, including the Global Management Student Association, TRSS and more while also balancing a part-time job. 

“It definitely is more intimidating because we [international students] do not have family here, so we are just trying to find the right people who can help us stay happy, even when we’re missing our family,” she said. 

Every student here—regardless of their programs or interests—can find a university community or extracurricular on campus to become a part of by referring to the university’s resources for getting involved—such as the TMSU’s Student Group Directory and TMU’s Recreation page.