Getting to Know Our Students: Carla Correa

My name is Carla Correa and I am currently a third year student in the Concurrent Teacher Education Program pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Science double major in Exceptionality in Human Learning and Teaching and Learning French as a Second Language. Until my first year at UTM, I lived in Caledon, Ontario, for my entire life and I attended Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School.

I chose the University of Toronto Mississauga because not only does it have an incredible Concurrent Teacher Education Program (CTEP), but it is also a world-renowned University. UTM has a beautiful campus, an infectious positive vibe and a strong sense of community. All of that was just a short distance from home!

I have to admit, things have been busy from the start of the semester. There is no time to waste because there is so much to see and do on campus. This includes buying and reading books, studying for tests, completing assignments, and of course partaking in all the different on campus events, as well as joining clubs.

My personal goal is to try to participate in something new every year.  Last year, I was a Residence Don for first-years students, a member of the Japanese Society for Erindale students (JSES), and I became a Student Ambassador for the Admissions and Recruitment Team in the Office of Registrar. This year, I decided to join the Tri-campus Women’s Soccer team and become a volunteer with Community on Campus to assist individuals in the Mississauga community with an intellectual disability.

As a UTM student, sport teams are fantastic because you are given the option of joining Intramurals, Division 1, Tri-campus or Varsity teams. These options grant you the opportunity to pick the level of competition you are comfortable with and commitment you are willing to make. Furthermore, coaches are extremely flexible because they understand the busy life of a student and have the mentality that training comes second to academics.

As a Community on Campus volunteer, you can provide support to individuals with a disability for as little as an hour per week.  For those who have a passion for this field of work or those who are determined to contribute to our greater community in Mississauga, this is one of the many examples of the amazing opportunities to take advantage of on campus. Getting involved with UTM simultaneously assists in the development of the skills and experience you need for your resume and future career while building relationships that will last a lifetime.

Signing up for extracurricular activities has enriched my overall university experience. It is thanks to the distinguished and approachable faculty, the dedicated staff members, and my own peers that I feel a connection with my school that runs deep.  The community feeling I fell in love with has yet to fade away, and it is for that reason that I know that pursuing higher education here at UTM was by far the best decision I ever made.

Best of luck to all of you writing your second last set of high school exams :)
Keep working hard and don’t forget those profiles due Feb. 15th my CTEP friends!

Carla Correa

Carla Correa is from Caledon, Ontario and is a a third year student in the Concurrent Teacher Education Program. She's pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Science, double majoring in Exceptionality in Human Learning and French Language Teaching and Learning and a minor in Biology. She's part of the Residence Life Staff as a Residence Don. She loves zip-lining and playing volleyball, basketball and soccer.

Welcome to 2013!

Eleven days into the New Year and the winter semester has begun! At this point of the year, students have begun the collection of their syllabi. Yes, the syllabus, the dogma of the university student’s existence. Here lie the scores of dates, assignments, midterms, and final exam.

Welcome everyone to the year 2013 – a new year and a new semester!

My name is Maria and I’m a fourth year student here at the University of Toronto Mississauga. I’m studying an English Major, French and History Minor. The end of this semester will mark the end of my academic career. Yes, graduation! Oh the feeling of almost being done is nerve-wracking and exciting! After university, I’m planning on attending teacher’s college and eventually become an elementary school teacher.  When I’m not doing homework and essays, I’m volunteering at Big Brothers and Big Sisters, reading books other than my assigned readings, and attempting to sketch.  You will always find me at home, because I’m a “home body’ and proud of it! I love spending time with family and friends, partaking in random excursions from cross border shopping to anything, really!

It’s my last semester, but graduation is not on my mind –I’m making sure that I stay focused on my classes and finish them with a bang! This term I’m continuing my year course, ENG322: Fiction up to 1832, and starting fresh with HIS306: The Cold War, FRE382: Advanced Language Practice III: Written, and ENG352: Canadian Drama. As you can tell, these classes do not have anything to do with each other, but nevertheless, I’m excited and prepared to be in them! These classes are the last of my program requirements, and yet, I’m still uneasy. This semester you’ll find me with my laptop always checking my student account to make sure that I’m taking all the right classes for my final year. Fortunately, the Office of the Registrar gives students two weeks to decide their fates each semester. If we make a mistake in choosing a course or if we want to take it the next year, we can always drop a course and get a full refund.  It gives us the opportunity to make sure that we made the right decision in taking that class, and I’m glad that we always have that option at the beginning of a new semester!

While it may be my last semester, it only seems like yesterday that I was applying to university. I was nervous and just as my obsession with checking my student account for graduation, I continuously checked my OUAC to see if there were any responses. Don’t worry if no one has responded yet, it’s normal for schools to respond around March or May. Just double check that you applied to the schools that you want to attend, because the deadline to apply is January 16^th! Finalize your decisions and just work hard to maintain your marks.  You’re almost done!

In preparation for your upcoming exams, my best studying tip for you would be to pretend to be teaching the class, explaining every bit of detail that your brain can handle. Not only will this help you for your exams, the information will stay in your head. Understanding the concepts is a key part for those dreaded exams!  Also, just make sure you make room for study breaks, because they will help you to better absorb the information that you’re studying. Maybe go on a little walk, have a snack, watch an episode or two of your favorite television show, or meditate. Trust me— it always works like a charm!

Wishing you all good luck on your exams and final assignments! Just stay organized and focused, and you’ll get through this and soon be on to bigger and better things!

Maria is a fourth-year English Major, French and History Minor student here at UTM. She grew up in Oakville, Ontario and went to St. Ignatius of Loyola. In her spare time she enjoys reading, writing, painting, drawing and volunteering. Why UofT? I chose this school because education has always been an important aspect of my life, and why not go to a school that's world renowned for their research and their exceptional education, right?