Andriana Jewel Ozymtchak
I am currently a Prospective Law Student. This year I have been applying to law schools in Ontario and Quebec for the 2021 school year. I have been preparing my personal statements for each school, my letters of reference from UTM professors, updating my CV, and studying for the LSAT which I took both in November 2020 and January 2021.
What were your favourite classes and why?
One of my favourite classes during my time at UTM was FRE393 (French Cinema), where we learned about the different genres of cinema from France and their historical significance. I was exposed to films I had never seen before and enjoyed viewing and dissecting every single one of them. In particular, the 1995 film La Haine has now become one of my favourite films of all time. It is historically significant to this day as it discusses police brutality, poverty, and racial inequality. The small group dynamic worked so well for this course, as students felt very comfortable participating and discussing the films in class in the French language.
How has your program in French Literature from UTM set you apart from your colleagues and peers?
My French Literature program at UTM has set me apart from my colleagues and peers because it has opened so many doors for me in terms of continuing my education. I am not only pursuing a legal education in the English language, but I am also pursuing my future legal studies in a bilingual environment. This year I have applied to several law schools where the language of instruction is both French and English. My French communication, reading, and writing skills had to be very strong in order to apply to these programs, and my French Literature program at UTM prepared me to feel comfortable and excited for these new endeavours.
What motivated you as a student in your program?
The professors and my fellow students definitely motivated me to do well in my French program. I had many of the same professors throughout all four years of my undergrad degree for my French courses, and this truly made a difference. The professors knew all of their students by name and truly cared about our success in the courses. The French programs are quite small, which makes the community very strong and supportive. Even in terms of the students, we had many of the same classes together, which meant that we developed strong friendships and helped one another with assignments and studying for tests/exams. Without this community, I do not think I would have been as engaged or motivated to succeed in my French program. Having a tight-knit group of people who truly want you to do your best is an amazing thing to have during your undergrad. Larger classes can often make students feel very anonymous, and this can translate into less motivation and less passion for the subjects these students care about deep down.