Backstage Pass University Edition
Backstage Pass University Edition
Ep.1 -- Where Do I Belong? : Identity and Academics
What do you think the typical university student looks like? A lot of the time we don’t imagine ourselves as the ideal student, whether it be because we may not see ourselves on the same academic level or that we don’t see ourselves represented in media covering university experience.
This episode, Sam and Bri talk to current university students about their perceptions of “the typical university student”, where these stereotypes come from, and what supports exist for students from equity deserving groups.
Backstage Pass is funded by an eCampus Ontario Virtual Learning Strategy Grant, and is a collaboration between students, staff, and community members based at Ryerson University (Renaming in process) and York University.
Timestamps
00:45 Intro! What is Backstage Pass?
02:09 What does the typical University Student Look Like? - Student Interviews
10:09 Stereotypes - Where do we get our ideas about university?
17:53 Defining Equity Deserving
21:12 Resources for students in Equity Deserving Groups
22:58 Closing Thoughts and Wrapping Up
Resources
Access the transcript and free eLearning modules HERE!
Episode Transcript
eLearning Module
Check out this resource list to find out what student supports are available at Ontario universities
Follow the Project
Follow the Backstage Pass Podcast through @RyersonSLLS on Instagram and Twitter!
Credits
Ryerson University (Renaming in process) Content Experts
Meera Govindasamy, Academic Engagement Specialist, Principal Investigator
Andrew Bisnauth, Manager, Student Life and Campus Engagement
York University Content Experts
Kayla Lascasas, New Student Transition Coordinator
Jair Kallidumbil, Manager, Student Life
Student Advisory Committee
Riya Bhatla
Micah Chu
Karanveer Khadra
Media Production Research Assistants
Samantha McNulty, co-host and technical producer
Brianna Roett, co-host and producer
Designers
Mariam Ahmed, Instructional Designer
Sally Goldberg Powell, Instructional Technologist
Erica Wu, Graphic Designer
Ali Aird, Project Manager
The included music and/or sound effects from Jamendo and Artlist are used with permission in this project, but the user is not free to remix the content containing music and/or sound effects, extract and use the music out of the context of the podcast or use the music or sound effects offline. All other material is licensed under an Ontario Commons License.1.0.
Please see this citation list for all sound effects and music used on the podcast.
Welcome to FROSH! Student orientations here!
New Student:Okay, first time on campus, where am I going to go? What am I going to do? Who am I going to meet?
Uni Student 1:Hey, why don't you join the jazz club? No experience needed and we meet three times a week. We'd love to see you there.
New Student:Umm...
Uni Student 2:Or you could join a queer student advocacy group. Everyone is welcome to help make a difference.
New Student:Ummmm...
Uni Student 3:How about sports? We have the best hockey team in the country. You interested?
New Student:UMMMM, this is so overwhelming where the heck do I belong?
Sam:This podcast has been funded by the eCampus, Ontario virtual learning strategy grant.
Brianna:Hello, I'm Brianna Roett and I will be your host throughout this mini series.
Sam:And I'm Sam your other co-host and welcome to the Backstage Pass podcast!
Brianna:Made in conjunction with two Toronto universities and funded by the eCampus Ontario Virtual Learning Strategy Grant, our goal for the Backstage Pass project is to shed light on the university experience so that prospective students from Ontario who belong to equity deserving groups feel prepared with the skills and resources that can make going to university feel like a possibility.
Sam:In this series, you'll be hearing from a variety of people in the education system from university students to academic experts, as well as some prospective students like you! We wanted to hear from students on their thoughts, feelings and fears about attending university.
Brianna:Backstage Pass also includes a range of resources to support you depending on how much you want to learn and how you like to learn. First, we have four audio podcast episodes like this one. We also have free elearning modules that get into some of the issues discussed on the podcast in more detail and will provide you with an overview of how things like money, networking and study skills work at the university level.
Sam:For our very first episode, we're going to be tackling identity and academics. We want to explore how student identities help to foster a diverse and inclusive community at university as well as address any misconceptions surrounding the freshmen experience.
Brianna:And in order to address those misconceptions, we started with the question, what do you think the ideal university student looks like?
Lavarnan:As far as the typical student for me, I would imagine a very recent high school graduate, I would imagine students who were, we were always traditionally told that people went to university where the quote unquote smart kids.
Abby:Definitely just like your average everyday person lives in the dorms, you know, like, just everything that you see in like a college movie is basically what I pictured, you know, just partying every other weekend, but then also keeping up with studies and things like that.
Savannah:When I first decided to actually go for it, I was in my mid 20s. So I pictured the typical university student to be a little bit younger than myself, not by a lot necessarily, but definitely expected there to be a difference in terms of life experience.
Jitin:What I imagined was someone who would be spending or dedicating his whole time to school, so sort of like someone who, who's actually learning who's not just going to school, and just getting by.
Kelsae:Um, I think my answer has changed over the years. I think when I was right out of high school, joining just a general business program, there was a lot of people who were like me, and that they were my age, they were coming straight from high school. And now, as somebody who's been out of school for a little bit, and has gone back, I think I've kind of realized how there's a lot more than just 18 year olds right out of high school coming into university, like now when I do group projects, and I meet people, there's so many different people with different experiences. Some people have kids, some people don't, some people are working full time, and you know, there's some people who are doing this program from all over the country, because it's sort of a program that can be done remotely.
Sam:Where do you think these ideas of the typical university student come from?
Savannah:I think that my ideas of the typical university student came from seeing a lot of my peers go to university, sort of straight out of high school. And a lot of people that I would meet would expect that I'd already been because of my age. So I guess kind of just looking at other people and the more traditional path that most people take.
Lavarnan:I happen to be a first generation student, so my parents didn't actually go to university. And so for me, a lot of those kinds of influences were definitely with peers, was with the media, with movies, television and things of that sort.
Sam:How have these differences between your imagined typical student and yourself as a student affected your decision to go to university.
Savannah:Um, I definitely felt disconnected when I first began my classes, seeing a lot of the people were coming directly out of high school. And I remember feeling very different and a little bit lost and gravitating towards a few other mature students that I met along the way.
Suzy:I think definitely, like in my age group, there were, you know, a lot of people wouldn't want to go back to school, if they've done it before. Or even if they haven't, like gone to university, or maybe just college or just high school, I think it's definitely a big leap because, you know, you will be in classes with like, 17-18 year olds, but especially online, it hasn't bothered me too much at all, really because, you know, we're just faces on a screen or not so I'm really just mostly focused on myself and the work that I'm doing.
Abby:I think it definitely affected which university I wanted to go to. I think being downtown, especially like, Ryerson is very diverse in comparison to some of the other schools that I was looking at. And it just, I don't think a lot of people really think about how that will affect them, like, being able to meet with other people who have the same, like social issues, like, you know, like micro aggressions, and things like that, like you can have someone to relate to, and not feel so alone, I guess. I think for students who aren't like super strong academically, it kind of drives them away from the university or college route. You know, they might think like, Oh, if it's like high school, and like high schools already tearing me apart, then, you know, maybe University isn't for me.
Sam:Can you tell us a little bit about what were and are your biggest fears about attending university?
Lavarnan:Oh, wow, so many to choose from?
Kelsae:I think I was concerned that I wasn't good enough.
Savannah:Just really not knowing what to expect and kind of feeling alone in that process.
Arianna:I feel like high school, they say that they do prepare us for university. I mean, I can't say that they don't, because I haven't been in university yet. Like, I don't really know, the teachers that have said anything about university, they, like threaten us with it in a way that they say, like, know what you have to get done, and then hand it in, because in university nobody's gonna chase you and, you know, email you and say, Oh, you haven't handed this in?
Lavarnan:I think my biggest fear of all is that, knowing that I would have to make this decision with half the amount of finances invested into it. Because really, university tuition fees are very high. And so it this is a decision you can't make lightly. And I think that definitely stressed me out a bit. As well as just trying to know like what I want to be when I grow up, because I know a university degree doesn't necessarily depict what you want to do, but it definitely will be a big factor for it.
Savannah:When I first applied, I didn't even know how to apply so it took a lot of like personal research on my part. I didn't have anyone helped me to fill out an application or anyone to explain how to apply for OSAP or anything like that everything was all myself doing it. So it was really nerve racking, like, not exactly knowing what I was doing, but kind of trying to stumble my way through it.
Jitin:So I think my biggest fear while attending university was not being capable enough to handle it. Like academically, because I was like a really average student back in the days and would I be able to meet people who would understand, you know, being a mature student.
Abby:There's like almost like an imposter syndrome. I found like, when I was accepted into the program, like was I being accepted because of like, my resume or my like portfolio? Or was it because I was a minority? You know, like, was I just an additional colored face in the, in the crowd, but you kind of have to really believe in yourself and I think, definitely for the equity deserving groups, they have to work like twice as hard to kind of get the same recognition as their like white counterparts.
Kelsae:I was also concerned about my mental health just in terms of balancing work and school because now that I'm older and I'm paying for my education myself, I have to work in order to be able to afford my classes and so like was a lot more, how do I balance earning money with I can't work everyday because then I won't have time to study.
Brianna:After listening to these answers, I think it's important to discuss where do we get these ideas from? And what really shapes our ideas of the ideal student. So here's what I will say, it is very easy to get trapped in the stereotypes of what a perfect university student can look like. Especially if you don't have other people in your family who go to university. For example, myself. I am a first generation university student, and while my family was very supportive, and tried to be as helpful as possible, there were just things that I didn't get to see and representation that was lacked because I didn't have that. So for a lot of students, I feel like it might be hard for them to, to see themselves represented in the post secondary space at times.
Sam:For sure, and even what you see on social media or in television, and movies can also have an impact on your kind of idea of what the ideal university student looks like, as the students mentioned, in that vox pop. I guess you can think of like shows like Degrassi, or if you think of even just really silly movies, like Bad Neighbors and Goodwill Hunting, you think of all these like ideas of what does a university student look like, and a lot of the times they're white, or they're well off enough, they live in fraternities and sororities and that's not always true for every university student.
Brianna:I mean, I definitely remember watching Degrassi, and seeing like all of these students, and some who took their work so seriously, and like university was such a big deal for them. And I think watching shows like that, I was like, I want to be that student, I want to be like the high school student that gets really good grades and works my butt off and goes to university and I think what I failed to realize at that time is like, there are privileges that allow you to do better. It can be easier to hit that benchmark when you have, you know, certain privileges, whether it's financial or other types of support. And I think what I would, I would hope for other students is that they don't get too caught up in those representations. They're good, they give you a glimpse into what maybe the academic space is like, but at the end of the day, it's not reality. That's not what every student goes through, and it's not always that easy. So you don't need to put that kind of pressure on yourself to be that student, because a lot of the times that student doesn't always exist anyways.
Sam:Yeah, I think the lesson is that you are the ideal university student, there's no template to fill, you can just be you.
Brianna:Yeah, and it can, it can honestly, like be overwhelming. I remember going to the open houses of, I applied to four universities, I believe, and I went to every single one of the open houses because I just I wanted to know, I was so excited. And yeah, and I remember going and seeing all these students who, who are like, well, I am a freelance photographer, I have my own small business and while that's great, it can also, you know, be a little bit intimidating and it can it can make you feel nervous, or, you know, have questions like well do I actually belong here? Am I a right fit for this school? Or am I right fit for this program? And like you said, like, there is no ideal university student, it's totally normal to ask yourself, those yourself those questions. But at the end of the day, it's just about you and what you want to learn and what you want to pursue and if you feel like University is a good fit for you, then there's no stopping you in that sense.
Sam:Yeah and more to that point, when we were kind of developing this podcast, we asked students to do a survey where they responded with their own fears and misconceptions that they've kind of come across. And one of the answers that I found really interesting was that one student compared the university experience to social media. So the other people in your class often only allow you to see what they want you to see. So even though it seems like everybody's hustling, and has those small businesses and those side photography businesses, it's not always as great as it seems. Not everybody has like an amazing social life or is, you know, doing really well in their classes. It's everybody struggles, and everybody has a very diverse experience at university. So yeah.
Brianna:Especially for high school students and this is just something I've noticed from talking to the high school students that we have from this project is that sometimes, you know, university city can be made to feel scary. It can be made to feel like it's a lot of work, and it's a lot of stress, and yes, there is a lot of work associated with school in general. But I mean, it shouldn't be anything to kind of scare you off. I think maybe sometimes teachers have the right intention, they want to prepare you. But there is the fine line between preparing the student for what's to come and scaring them into, into what will be and I know, like, as a university, not as a university student, as a high school student, I was so nervous, you know, they try their best to prepare you for university but I mean, sometimes it's not something that you can prepare for until you're in it. And you shouldn't let anybody psych you out, not even teachers, cuz sometimes they can do that.
Sam:Yeah, I know, sometimes what they say to students can be really discouraging, like, oh, well, you need to be able to take notes, or you need to be able to type this fast, or you need to have this amount of money. And they never really talk about all of the supports that are available to students to make that experience, not easier, but a little bit more equitable and accessible for different types of students. So it all kind of comes back to this point that it doesn't matter who you are, there's ways that you can access this university education if you want to, and if you choose to. So you have to kind of get past the point of comparing yourself to others and what others are doing and just focus on what can you do and what can you do to achieve your goals.
Brianna:And assessing yourself, assessing your needs, and what you need to be successful in school is so important because not everybody starts at the same place. And not everybody has the same privileges. So, and that's something I don't think was really talked about when I was in high school is like they prepare you for university, but they don't always prepare you for what university looks like, depending on the type of student you are. There wasn't always the most conversations on what the university experience can be like for you if you're a low income student, or what the university experience could be like, if you're an Indigenous student, or a queer student, and it can be very generalized at times, and I think if there's anything that we kind of want to, to highlight and discuss in this podcast is it's not all the same. It's not a general experience. It's not a blanket statement, everybody's situation looks different. So, for us, at least for students belonging to these equity deserving groups, it may be harder to see themselves represented in the post secondary academic space. And many of you yourself may be asking what in the world is an equity deserving group, and I think that's what we're gonna get into, we're gonna talk about today a little bit more.
Sam:So generally speaking, equity is fairness. Equity involves addressing and working to overcome challenges that make things like education and some jobs hard for certain groups of people to access. Many of these groups are considered equity deserving, or equity seeking.
Brianna:Equity deserving group can be a broad term, and it's defined differently in different situations. So here are a few common examples of equity deserving groups. So first racialized people or other terms can include Black, Indigenous people of color, or BIPOC. Indigenous people, Indigenous students in the Indigenous community, 2SLGBTQ plus, women, people living with disabilities, whether that is a physical disability or a learning disability, and people living in low income situations. And if you're listening to this podcast, and you had no idea what this term meant, do not worry, you're probably not alone. I know, for me, I first really learned about the term equity deserving groups in one of my social justice media classes. I mean, I always knew that there were terms for you know, racialized communities, minority or marginalized communities, but to actually hear equity deserving or equity seeking, not puts a positive spin on it, but kind of strays away from that term of like, marginalized or discriminated against communities, because those are sometimes the terms we hear when we talk about said communities. So I think the term equity seeking when I first heard it and learned about what it meant, was like, oh yeah, I like this term because it's exactly what we're looking for is that equity, that fairness in everything that we do, whether it's, you know, work or school or even just like interpersonal relationships, that idea of equity is so important.
Sam:Yeah, and I think it also denotes this idea that the systems and the institutions that we all work and live in, were designed for a very specific type of person and that person happens to be a white heterosexual cis male, and that's not the case for everybody. The world doesn't only include that group. So when we think of equity deserving groups, we're talking about ways in which groups have been excluded from these institutions and ways that we can provide opportunities and increase the accessibility of these institutions to these groups.
Brianna:Being in an equity deserving group or part of an equity seeking community does not mean that you still don't have privileges. For example, I am a woman, but I am an able bodied woman, and that is a privilege that I have. So it's not ever competition, but it's always important to assess, you know, what are the areas of support that I need as a person and how I identify, and what are the privileges that I already have? And I think that is a good starting place for yourself if you are thinking about how you identify or you know how you identify and you kind of want to put that into perspective, especially when you're going into school is important to kind of take a look at yourself and, and understanding what is equity seeking and what are these privileges.
Sam:Yeah, and being able to identify what equity deserving groups you may belong to can also help you identify student groups that you may want to become a part of, or services you might want to access or scholarships that you can access. So while equity deserving students may face different sets of challenges, equity efforts at universities kind of acknowledge that members of marginalized or equity deserving groups face barriers to access and advancement in higher education. So, universities offer resources and services to help students who face barriers and disadvantages.
Brianna:And common resources for members of equity deserving groups at university can include a wide range of things, and we will be getting into some more of these in a little bit more detail in future episodes. But some of these can look like scholarships and bursaries for equity deserving students, academic accommodation and support for students living with disabilities. There's clubs and programs and a bunch of services for racialized students, Indigenous students, queer students, academic supports, such as English language, writing support, mentoring services, mental health services, even career centers to help you maybe get your foot in the door with networking, advocacy services, child care, emergency funding, and as well as food support. So there are options it can be very easy to feel like there's nowhere to go and there's nowhere to turn to. But especially with universities, there are efforts being made to make these services and programs more accessible and available to equity deserving students. Well, as we wrap up, I just wanted to mention that if you are looking for more information or you want to dive deeper into any of these topics, then make sure you keep listening to more episodes. And we're also going to be talking about everything from finances to academic support, and network and community building in the school.
Sam:And you can always access Backstage Pass elearning modules for additional information and interactive learning.
Brianna:And if you want to check out either Sam or myself, follow the project on social media, or you can access the transcription of this episode, and you can find all the links in our show notes.
Sam:Thanks for listening. This has been Backstage Pass with myself Sam McNulty and Brianna Roett.
