New to McMaster? Student Union president has advice for you

Ehima Osazuwa is a fifth-year Chemical Engineering and Management student at McMaster. Born and raised in Nigeria, he moved to Canada six years ago. He currently serves as President of the McMaster Students Union.

Five years ago I decided to come to McMaster – and so far, that has been the best decision of my life.

McMaster is a very welcoming place, a place where you form lifelong relationships and make lasting memories. But it has not always been rosy here for me. There were times I felt that university was tough and I did not belong, but with the help of friends and the wonderful people at Mac, I was able to fully enjoy my university experience.

Things became so good that in my fifth year I decided to run to become the President of the McMaster Students Union. If you had told me that in first year, I probably would have laughed at you. But that is the beauty of McMaster – it gives you an opportunity to grow as a person, friend, and leader.

So here are a couple of suggestions that I hope will help you get through your time here at Mac.

Make Friends

Mac is made up of a lot of people, and gives you the chance to meet a diverse group of individuals. With that opportunity, make sure you make good friends. Friends will help you through the tough times, and they will be there with you to celebrate the happy moments. I remember my first year at McMaster – I made a few of close friends who I have been in contact with ever since.

Get involved

There are numerous extracurricular opportunities here at McMaster for you to be yourself, have fun, and positively impact the lives of others. Whether it’s through the McMaster Students Union, Residence Life, Faculty societies, or by playing intramural sports, get involved at Mac. You’ll get good value for your education when you combine in-class learning with activities you do outside of the classroom.

Explore McMaster

There’s lots to do:

Attend a Marauders football game – there’s no better feeling than joining in the chant as 5,000 Marauders sing to the tune of “Go Mac Go” and the football team drives down the field during a close game. We have an excellent football team, so there will be lots of games for you to attend during your time here at Mac.
Visit the McMaster Museum of Art.
Take a Selfie with the Senator – taking a selfie with the statue of Senator McMaster has become a staple for anyone who comes to Mac.
Explore Cootes Paradise – If you are someone who enjoys the outdoors and nature, hiking through Cootes Paradise is a must for you. Cootes Paradise offers some of the most spectacular walking areas in the whole of Hamilton.

Explore Hamilton

When you’ve finished exploring everything here at McMaster, why not discover the beautiful city of Hamilton? There are lots of things to do in the city. Here are a couple of recommendations:

Visit any of the waterfalls in the city: There are more than 100 waterfalls and cascades in Hamilton, all of which can be found here. I have had the chance to visit both Webster’s and Tiffany Falls, and all I can say is that they are both sights to behold.
Go to a Ticats game: The Ticats just moved into a new stadium this season, and it is one to admire. If that is not a good reason for you to attend, the team has become really good in the past couple of years and the atmosphere in the stadium is electric. You can purchase tickets to Ticats games from the Compass Information Centre in the student centre.
Check out the restaurants on Locke Street – if you are a foodie like me, you have to visit Locke Street. With places such as Chuck’s Burger Bar, NaRoma, Johnny’s Coffee, and West Town Bar & Grill, there is a restaurant for everyone on Locke Street.
Westdale Theatre – in the centre of Westdale there is a cute local theatre. Check it out!
Bay Front/Hamilton Harbour – when you are done visiting the bayfront be sure to visit the lovely Sarcoa restaurant. Good view, better food.

Remember that you are never alone at McMaster. Along with more than 20,000 other people, you are an essential part of the Marauder family.

With all that said, get ready for some great experiences at Mac. McMaster is lucky to have you. Welcome home.

GO Mac GO!

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<em>Ehima Osazuwa is a fifth-year Chemical Engineering and Management student at McMaster. Born and raised in Nigeria, he moved to Canada six years ago. He currently serves as President of the McMaster Students Union. </em>

Five years ago I decided to come to McMaster – and so far, that has been the best decision of my life.

McMaster is a very welcoming place, a place where you form lifelong relationships and make lasting memories. But it has not always been rosy here for me. There were times I felt that university was tough and I did not belong, but with the help of friends and the wonderful people at Mac, I was able to fully enjoy my university experience.

Things became so good that in my fifth year I decided to run to become the President of the McMaster Students Union. If you had told me that in first year, I probably would have laughed at you. But that is the beauty of McMaster – it gives you an opportunity to grow as a person, friend, and leader.

So here are a couple of suggestions that I hope will help you get through your time here at Mac.

<strong>Make Friends</strong>

Mac is made up of a lot of people, and gives you the chance to meet a diverse group of individuals. With that opportunity, make sure you make good friends. Friends will help you through the tough times, and they will be there with you to celebrate the happy moments. I remember my first year at McMaster – I made a few of close friends who I have been in contact with ever since.

<strong>Get involved </strong>

There are numerous extracurricular opportunities here at McMaster for you to be yourself, have fun, and positively impact the lives of others. Whether it’s through the McMaster Students Union, Residence Life, Faculty societies, or by playing intramural sports, get involved at Mac. You’ll get good value for your education when you combine in-class learning with activities you do outside of the classroom.

<strong>Explore McMaster </strong>

There’s lots to do:
<ul>
	<li>Attend a Marauders football game – there’s no better feeling than joining in the chant as 5,000 Marauders sing to the tune of “Go Mac Go” and the football team drives down the field during a close game. We have an excellent football team, so there will be lots of games for you to attend during your time here at Mac.</li>
	<li>Visit the McMaster Museum of Art.</li>
	<li>Take a Selfie with the Senator – taking a selfie with the statue of Senator McMaster has become a staple for anyone who comes to Mac.</li>
	<li>Explore Cootes Paradise – If you are someone who enjoys the outdoors and nature, hiking through Cootes Paradise is a must for you. Cootes Paradise offers some of the most spectacular walking areas in the whole of Hamilton.</li>
</ul>
<strong>Explore Hamilton</strong>

<strong> </strong>When you’ve finished exploring everything here at McMaster, why not discover the beautiful city of Hamilton? There are lots of things to do in the city. Here are a couple of recommendations:
<ul>
	<li>Visit any of the waterfalls in the city: There are more than 100 waterfalls and cascades in Hamilton, <a href="http://www.waterfalls.hamilton.ca/">all of which can be found here</a>. I have had the chance to visit both Webster’s and Tiffany Falls, and all I can say is that they are both sights to behold.</li>
	<li>Go to a Ticats game: The Ticats just moved into a new stadium this season, and it is one to admire. If that is not a good reason for you to attend, the team has become really good in the past couple of years and the atmosphere in the stadium is electric. You can purchase tickets to Ticats games from the Compass Information Centre in the student centre.</li>
	<li>Check out the restaurants on Locke Street – if you are a foodie like me, you have to visit Locke Street. With places such as Chuck’s Burger Bar, NaRoma, Johnny’s Coffee, and West Town Bar &amp; Grill, there is a restaurant for everyone on Locke Street.</li>
	<li>Westdale Theatre – in the centre of Westdale there is a cute local theatre. Check it out!</li>
	<li>Bay Front/Hamilton Harbour – when you are done visiting the bayfront be sure to visit the lovely Sarcoa restaurant. Good view, better food.</li>
</ul>
Remember that you are never alone at McMaster. Along with more than 20,000 other people, you are an essential part of the Marauder family.

With all that said, get ready for some great experiences at Mac. McMaster is lucky to have you. Welcome home.

GO Mac GO!

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