Written by Jocelyn (she/her), student
Hi! My name is Jocelyn and I'm entering my final year at Waterloo as a Materials and Nanosciences (MNS) student and as co-captain of the varsity swim team. Here’s a bit about me!
Why I chose Waterloo
Like many students, I was initially drawn to Waterloo because of the co-op program.
Co-op was a priority for me because I knew that I would have to fully support myself after my first year. Since then, I’ve had five different co-op terms; each and every one was an excellent learning experience. I'm currently in Germany completing my last work term as a research assistant, where I'm working on improving the light efficiency of organic LEDs.
Why I chose Materials and Nanosciences
So why did I choose to study MNS? In high school I really enjoyed my chemistry and physics classes and MNS involves both with a focus on materials science! I thought that it would be cool to study since materials science is at the forefront of some cutting-edge research.
There's also so many cool labs! No matter what major you decide to study, whether it’s Biochemistry, Earth Sciences, or any other of the 17 Science programs offered by Waterloo, you’ll definitely get to do an unforgettable experiment. What’s better than putting into practice what you just learned in class? You might get to: synthesize acetaminophen, calculate the experimental acceleration of gravity, go on a field course to collect samples for analysis, or my favourite, make quantum dots!
Something I've also learned while being here is how awesome the Faculty of Science is. Science students have a love and passion for discovery. Because of this, they’re always giving their all, something that I’ve always found very inspiring.
My life as a Waterloo student
One of the things I love doing is getting involved on campus because it’s a great way to meet new people.
When I entered university, I competed for the synchronized swimming team, a sport that I've been doing since I was 11. In second year, I tried out for the varsity swim team, made it, and haven’t looked back since!
I’ve been an orientation leader (where we welcome new students to campus) and I’ve volunteered with Let's Talk Science, where you take hands-on science workshops to young students in elementary schools. I’ve also been a Science Ambassador, where I chat with students, like you, who might be interested in studying science at Waterloo.
Another cool opportunity is conducting research on campus. It’s a great way to get hands-on work experience. To work in a lab on campus you can get funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) or participate in the work-study program.
Outside of my campus life, I enjoy trying new recipes, hanging out with friends, and travelling.
I look forward to sharing my last year with you and reflecting on everything that has helped me to reach my final year of undergrad.
