Frosh Favourite Things

We asked first-year Commerce students to send us photos of themselves with the one thing they couldn’t leave home without. Here, in their own words, are their favourite things — mementos that brighten their residence rooms and provide some comfort when homesickness strikes.

Erin Tomie (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) This poster was purchased at the 1978 poster sale at none other than Queen’s University. My aunt bought it her first year, and hung it in her Victoria Hall residence room. Having this poster in my room makes me feel like I have a bit of old-school Queen’s with me — that I was meant to come here, if only to bring the poster back to its original home.

Jan Maxime Friedli (Zürich, Switzerland) Before I left my home to study abroad in a new culture and environment, my closest friends signed my Swiss flag. Being in a foreign country, and in a challenging program at Queen’s, is exciting, but it can also be a scary endeavour. Everything is so much different here, and in the beginning, I was thrown off. The flag was a source of stability for me through this difficult transition. Now, it’s a pleasant reminder of my home in Switzerland that I look forward to returning to. The flag represents my heritage and roots, and how proud I am to call Switzerland home. It’s the most important item in my room and it makes me feel at home in residence.

Wendy Hu (Vancouver, B.C.) I brought this graffiti-style painting from Vancouver to Kingston, because I don’t want to let go of my artistic side during my time here in Queen’s Commerce. Art holds a significant influence on my life — I’ve won a national coin design contest held by the Royal Canadian Mint, and have had my paintings displayed in my city’s art gallery. For me, visual art is an outlet for self-expression without fear of the judgment of others. This painting represents my colourful, vibrant and bubbly personality. A quick glance at my painting every morning revitalizes my Commerce soul!