Every year, we ask girls from universities across the country to give us their best tips for living, studying, and partying on and off campus.

Journalism major Rhiannon has written for campus newspaper The Eyeopener, Feminist magazine McClung’s, and journalism website J-Source. She’ll be finishing up her degree working on the Ryerson Review of Journalism, a magazine produced twice yearly by graduating students. 

Best thing about your program:

 Students aren’t babied. On the first day of reporting class in first year, we had to interview and write a story about one of our classmates. In the next few weeks, we were turned loose on the streets to find a story and approach random people for interviews. Each year, we’ve been thrown into the deep end and have had to learn to swim.That’s sort of a lame cliché, but it describes Rye’s journalism program well. You learn by doing, not by sitting in a classroom and taking notes.

Biggest challenge in your program:

It’s really important to have a good work ethic, because you have to do lots of work outside of class time, from editing to researching to interviewing.

Favourite non-academic activity: 

Jogging around the city, discovering new neighbourhoods.

One really amazing memory from first year:

 Covering a showjumping event at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair for my reporting class. I got to sit in the press seats and afterwards, I interviewed the event’s winner, Olympic rider Mac Cone. I was starstruck.

What do you love about your school?: 

The fact that it’s downtown. There’s really no barrier between the city and campus.

What would you love to change about your school?: 

Ryerson’s campus is still developing, which is great. Our athletic centre at Maple Leaf Gardens just opened, and we have a new student centre and residence in the works. The only thing that bugs me about all the development is that I won’t be around to benefit from most of it. I graduate next year.

Favourite…

Class: Feature writing

Bar: Sneaky Dee’s is pretty standard for beer and nachos. If my friends and I feel like dancing, then we head to Dance Cave.

Place to study: The fourth floor of Ryerson’s library. It’s got big tables and comfy booths to sit at – perfect for group study sessions.

Place to eat: On cold nights when I don’t feel like leaving my apartment, I get delivery from Butter Chicken Factory on Parliament Street. It’s some of the best Indian food I’ve ever had.

Green space on campus: There’s not a whole lot of it. Most people usually enjoy the warm weather in the grassy quad.

Off-campus hideaway: The roof of my apartment building. You can see the whole city from up there.

Any other tips for newbies?

Don’t be too nervous. Living in residence (if you’re lucky enough to get in – Rye’s res rooms are not plentiful) is a lot of fun. Get involved with activities on your floor. And don’t skip class.