Mount Saint Vincent University: student tips for surviving life on campus

University Insider: Katelyn O’Brien, 21, English

Unofficial school motto: ‘What even is a mystic?’Best place for a nap: Bottom floor of the library or a society roomBest cheap lunch: A slice from Pizza Pizza on campusBest hangover breakfast: Cora on Lacewood Dr.Favourite campus food: Veggie burger from Seton Café (with fries of course!)Favourite watering hole: NichePerks of living in this town: Awesome concerts, local art and the ocean airWhere to live: On campus? The Birches. But across the bridge, Dartmouth has affordable accommodations.Best place to study: Bottom floor of the library, or the library quiet zone (if you like silence!)Worst place to study: Seton Café—it’s always noisyCoolest electives: Politics in Graphic Novels and Video Games; History of Rock & Roll; and Rap, Resistance and ReligionBest campus event: The Last Class BashBest giveaway: Free feminine hygiene products in the women’s washroomBest live music venue: Scotiabank Centre, Olympic Community Hall or Rebecca Cohn AuditoriumWeirdest tradition: Petting or feeding the campus deerBest spectator sport: Basketball

PROFILE: Mount Saint Vincent University | Halifax, N.S. | Founded 1873

On the Bedford Highway, across from the shipyard, there is a university that rightfully calls itself a “small wonder.” Initially, I was drawn to the Mount because of its close-knit community and small class sizes. During high school recruitment, while other universities were promoting themselves by stating how large their numbers were, the Mount was taking a different approach: they promoted their smallness.

The reasonable class sizes are a huge benefit of attending the Mount: 48 per cent of first-year classes have 30 to 60 students and the rest have fewer than 30 students, with the number of students per class only getting smaller as you get into upper-year courses. I once had a fourth-year theory course with only four students. This allows ample opportunity for debate and discussion.

Now just because the Mount is little, it does not mean that you feel limited in any way. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. For example, because our English program is smaller, we are one of the few universities that offer the option to pursue an undergraduate English research-based thesis. The small numbers also mean that you become close to fellow students in your program and in the Mount community; attending the Mount allows you to develop deep and meaningful friendships.

ExtrasThere are a ton of student societies on campus. MSVU also has its own student publication, Speakman Press, to which students, alumni and faculty submit both creative and academic work. There is always something going on at Vinnie’s Pub, the on-campus pub and student lounge, whether it’s a trivia night or a poetry reading. There are many free academic and personal support services on campus, such as the Writing Centre (an academic support) and Counselling Services (a personal support).

Local VibeAs someone who was born and raised in Halifax, my love for the city has only grown. The city features the Halifax Central Library, which is listed as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world by Wired.com. Furthermore, this beautiful landscape is heightened during October’s Nocturne: Art at Night festival, which features the work of local artists under dark skies.

The SkinnyThecoast.ca for concert listings, Mountstudents.ca
(the student union’s site) for on-campus events and student services.