Caroline Mekhaeil

I am currently a third-year Ph.D. student studying French and Linguistics at the University of Toronto. 

What were your favourite classes and why?

My favourite classes in the Languages Studies Department were the bi/multilingualism classes and in the Psychology Department were the Psycholinguistics courses. I love learning about people speaking more than one language because that's the majority of the population now. I am also passionate about how the brain and the different languages are connected. 

How did you de-stress as a student? 

In order to de-stress, I used to go out with my friends or participate in the library de-stress events. My favourite de-stress event was the therapy dogs, and I still have pictures of some puppies. I also liked the events organized by UTMSU like the Pumpkin Carving and the Free Breakfast Wednesdays. The Department of Language Studies had some cool events, too, such as the ÉFUTM Café-Rencontre that I used to coordinate and the Soirée des Talents. 

If you could start university again, what would you do differently? 

If I could start university again, I would definitely choose UTM again. I loved the campus and the memories I made there. And I also liked how the professors were so helpful and always there for you. If I could change one thing that would be not choosing any night classes. 

What projects or tasks do you perform on a typical week in your current role? 

I currently work on my thesis, teach French, and work in two Linguistics labs. 

What would you look for if you were in the position to hire new graduates from the University of Toronto? 

I would hire new graduates who have different skills and are involved in a lot of different things. Good grades are important but not the only thing I would look for.