Please give us a brief introduction of yourself, the school you currently go to, and your major (area of study) in college.
I’m Timmy Chang, a graduate from the DIS class of 2017 and a freshman at the University of British Columbia, majoring in international relations and minoring in law and society.
How does college life compare with your initial expectations of it?
College life is a lot different [from] my initial expectations. It […] definitely [makes you more] independent […] as you have to maintain your own schedule across all subjects. However [among all the different changes], what was for sure beyond my expectation is the social life. I originally thought that making new friends [would] be a lot more difficult, [but it] turns out that people are a very friendly [and] I ended up making numerous friends since orientation.
What is the best or worst part of college life?
The best part of college is the social life and the amazing campus. The [UBC] campus is huge with amazing seasonal scenery (maple leaves!) You are also given the opportunity to [make] friends across the world and make your own decisions when it comes to lifestyle. On the other hand, the worst part will be the academic pressure. Exams take more than half of your average, and some professors have very high standards [when it comes to grading]. I guess [having to walk] over 10 km per day [around campus] is another bad part of college too!
How has your high school education affect your life in college?
High school definitely gave me a good basis for my academic life in college and helped me in writing research report and references (yes, senior project is just the tip of the iceberg of any college papers), since I found it easier to [write these papers] compared to my fellow classmates. AP subjects have also given me an introduction of what college classes will be like. AP’s also [allowed] me to waive off some mandatory subjects, [giving] me extra time to take courses that I am interested in such as criminology!
What advice or word of encouragement would you like to give our current Dominican students regarding their preparation for college?
Enjoy high school life [while] you can, because college is definitely more [stressful] than you’d expected! Make sure to also keep in touch with your high school friends [in college] because no matter how annoying you [may] think they are now, you will no doubt miss them a lot in college! Finally, college is not [just] about [your] academic life, but finding the area you are passionate in, so don’t be afraid [of] joining any [new] club or [taking] classes that you haven’t taken before.
What’s a random fact about your school (eg. the best restaurants, school activity, myth, etc)?
UBC has [a] rivalry against another college in Vancouver called Simon Fraser and [has been] in a Facebook meme war against them since [last] September! Our campus and the city also have the best Asian (and Taiwanese) food across Canada, and probably the States as well, so you will never be homesick from food! In addition, UBC is a famous place for filming [various shows] such as ‘Man in the High Castle’, so there is a huge possibility that you’ll meet celebrities on the streets!
How does college life compare with your initial expectations of it?