Real Estate and Housing (BComm) at University of Guelph
Mike (Year 2)
What did you wish you knew before going to your university? What made you choose this institution over all others? What are advantages and disadvantages of your institution or campus? List any advice for incoming first-year students about your university.
I chose this school because it was recommended to me by a graduate, and it turns out this school is the only one that offers the specific program I wanted. I do wish I was more prepared for the windy/cold winters that come around November, especially because the Guelph area is quite flat making it extremely windy. Having to walk around campus freezing can really weigh on your mood and likelihood of succeeding during those months. The hospitality sectors of the school are amazing, you won’t have to worry about running out of options for places to eat, and everything tastes amazing.
What did you wish you knew before choosing your specific program? What are the advantages and disadvantages of your program? List any advice for incoming first-year students about your program of study.
I wish I dove further into the program than what I actually did before choosing. By this I mean looking into career pathways with advisors and speaking to them regarding the later year mandatory classes. Look into this to make sure you have made your desired choice.
What was your favourite university experience?
Meeting new people was quite hard especially since I didn’t know anyone who was going there, and I was assigned random roommates on residence, but this was the most fun part of it all. My roommates were fantastic and we had no issues as a house. Make friends with the people you are living with because they are your closest resource around campus.
What was your least favourite university experience?
The first thing that comes to mind are the harsh winters. Walking in the cold when you live in the furthest residence is a real pain so make sure you prepare yourself here. Other than this I really didn’t feel like I had any bad experiences with anyone or anything on campus. My days were quite enjoyable once the school routine set in.
What is the hardest part about your program and what were the steps that you took to overcome any difficulties?
Some of the BCOMM classes can be quite difficult, especially the economics classes in first year. These classes tend to lean more on science/math content than they do business, so make sure you spend extra time on this content. They are notorious for being difficult. I found the library extremely helpful when studying especially when you’re in a small group of people that go together. Try to meet new people in your own program as well as other programs because they might interest you more than you more than the one you chose, which is okay! Never feel like you’re stuck in your program, you can always chat with an advisor to help you in these areas.
If you were able to take electives, what was your favourite elective? If you were not able to take electives, what was your favourite course and why?
I loved the first year CIS classes. I’ve so far taken 2 (CIS1000, CIS1050). For anyone who isn’t familiar with the technology we live with today these classes are a great way to learn. 1050 is slightly more advanced so beware of that. There are a ton of different electives you can choose from, you are not limited to anything.