Antoine – BSc, Honours Biology
Dear Bio,
If you’re into bio, you’d better learn to love DNA. Breathe it. Dream about it. Because everything comes back to DNA. What’s the reason behind ‘phenomenon X?’ A gene. ‘Phenomenon Y?’ Another gene. Are you curious about the composition of a microbial community? Sequence another gene. You will not go a single day in biology without encountering DNA, so you might as well make peace with it.
And while we are here—a message to the department: Where are the plant courses? Apart from BIOL 205, the course selection for plant people is literally a desert. But plants are fun. Plants are essential. Plants are, quite frankly, carrying the entire biosphere on their backs—so why does McGill only offer half a plant course for a biology degree? Plant people, and plants themselves, of course, deserve better.
Tip to incoming bio students: Don’t procrastinate—or you may regret it after your midterm— and get involved in research early. You certainly won’t regret that.
Cheers, and I hope to never have to hear about DNA again,
Antoine
José – BEng, Chemical Engineering
To all engineering students, and to the incoming class of 2030,
Chemical engineering was quite the journey—and quite the learning curve. It’s a program that pushes you to your limits and teaches you temperance. It’s a career that forces you to problem-solve, then to solve your own problems. It’s a path that taught me concepts in math, physics, and a bit of chemistry, but it was also where I learned a lot about myself. More than anything, it’s a degree that puts you on the spot and forces you to ask yourself whether you are good enough. To anyone who finds themselves questioning this, I simply want to say: You are.
What advice can this cynical, outgoing undergrad offer? Take risks, maintain a healthy level of skepticism, allow yourself to make mistakes, open every door you can, regardless of perceived limitations, and surround yourself with people whom you love—and who love you.
Why is the last point so important? Many years ago, after telling my father I wanted to pursue this career, he looked at me, smiled, and then hugged me. From then on, I knew I was not facing this uphill battle alone. I hope you’ve had, or will find, your version of that too.
Keep your head up, and enjoy the experience. ¡Mucho éxito!
José
Michelle – BSc, Psychology
Dear incoming freshmen,
Like many students at McGill, I came in thinking I had my future mapped out. As a first-year student in the biomedical sciences freshman stream, I had always imagined myself following the traditional “pre-med” path. So, when the time came to declare a major at the end of my first year, Anatomy and Cell Biology seemed like the “logical” choice.
However, my expectations quickly shifted when, over the summer, I had the chance to work as a mental health worker. This experience changed the way I wanted to approach medicine entirely. My vision was not only to be knowledgeable in the sciences, but also in understanding people—how their behaviour, emotions, and lived experiences shape them. By the end of that summer, I had switched into Psychology.
After four years, I still hope to pursue medicine, but I now graduate with a perspective shaped by a degree that gave me passion, hope, and a more well-rounded view of the world. I’ll leave you with this: The right path is not always the one that looks best on paper, but the one that makes you excited to keep learning.
Here’s to finding the major you didn’t know you needed,
Michelle