College Daze: Recent Episodes
College Daze
I can’t recall a moment in my life where I wasn’t a night owl. Coming home from high school, I would go to sleep, and wake up in the evening to do my homework. Naturally, this habit was socially isolating. So I turned to podcasts, and late night television to keep me sane. My name is Samina Khaliq, I am now 21 years old, and I am starting this podcast to help myself and others navigate the “College Daze” – a metaphor for all that coming-of-age sh*t. Join me as I talk to young people about the uncertainties and joys experienced at THIS specific time in our lives. Produced by SheridanLife Radio
In 2018, I interviewed the first graduates of Sheridan College's Mobile Computing Degree. In this episode, hear Alex, Derek and Mitch recount their leap of faith and their takeaways as they became the program's first set of alumni. This year, many students will be pioneers in their own right, as they enter a semester of their program in a fully-virtual environment. Although the circumstances are different, there is a lot we can learn from one another. This episode is a perfect listen as you head back to school.
In this episode, Misha Sajjad joins me in a discussion to reflect on our respective experiences on the writing platform, Wattpad. For those unfamiliar with Wattpad, we break down how it works and delve further into this community. Misha and I talk about how we came to know about Wattpad, representation on the site, and we recount some popular tropes plaguing the 'What's Hot?' lists. Misha's book 'Maid in Royalty' has gained millions of reads on the platform, hear her share how she gets over writer's block and the writing tips and resources that have helped her. As we learn how to connect and build communities virtually, Wattpad might be a good platform to further explore to do just that!
I interview my friend, Teresa Feng, about what it was like to compose her first piece ever – which is now the theme song of College Daze! Hear how it turned out and learn about how I approached her with this absurd request! Teresa takes us through the process and answers my silly questions such as "You Garageband-ed it right?" I hope by listening to this episode, you pick up a new hobby and are inspired to do something you've been wanting to do for a while!
In the midst of the pandemic that is COVID-19, I talk to a friend in the service industry about her company's response to the virus — leading up to the forced closures by the provincial government — and the reality she faces while being a student and part-time worker.
This episode was recorded, edited and released from my home as I practice social distancing!
In this episode, I reconnect with a friend from middle school. You’ll hear us have our FIRST conversation in SEVEN years – and after SEVEN years, there’s a lot to delve into which is why this episode is jam packed! In these 90 minutes, you will get to know more about past and present Leslie Xin. From putting on the wildest talent show performances, co-authoring a children’s book called Wacky Mr. Quacky, accidentally beginning a journey in tech to landing an internship at Microsoft – Leslie synthesizes how her experiences over the past seven years have lead her to where she is. Whether it be middle school or university, Leslie’s ever-present curiosity and determination to wholeheartedly pursue her interests becomes clear from the get-go. In this episode, we emphasize the importance of trusting your instincts, building communities, and ensuring your goals stem from you and not others! Notably, Leslie offers insight into the co-op/job finding process and highlights a project she took part in last summer called ’16 Weeks of Internships’ (check this project out on Youtube and Instagram)! I have been referencing Leslie’s episode in conversations for quite a while now, so I’m glad to finally be sharing this with you, and for it to officially join the College Daze lineup. Special thanks to Daisy Kaur for making this interview possible!
Initially recorded as episode 4, this episode comes a week early because of an exciting opportunity I don't want you to pass up on! Hack The Nu is a hackathon happening on Oct. 5, 2019 – Oct. 6, 2019, it is a great way to start your hackathon journey so make sure to apply! If you have any reservations about attending a hackathon, this episode is for you. We have Disha and Zubash from Hackademics break down what hackathons are and why you need to attend one. They shatter the misconceptions on who hackathons are for, speak about projects they've worked on, and how these works have helped them in their professional lives. They also provide us behind-the-scene insight into planning for such an event, and talk about Sheridan Hackville – an internationally recognized hackathon by Major League Hacker (MLH) and the first college Hackathon here in Ontario!
Carina Suleiman is what I like to call an 'academia nut'. Graduating high school as an outstanding student, hear her talk about her transition process from high school kid to university kid. Currently twenty, and studying environmental management and political science, Carina talks about the research opportunity she was apart of this past summer – spoiler: we're talking urban tree regulations! She also delves into her involvement with Model United Nations (MUN), her work-ethic and being a young person navigating the political sphere. In this week's episode, you'll find Carina's tenacity to be contagious!
Claudia Kwiatkowski is a traveller, long distance walker, dog agility trainer, photographer, and proud Westfalia owner. Being one of the most proactive twenty year olds I know – hear Claudia talk about how she plans her 13 hour walks, her refusal to be a tourist in her own home, her Polish roots, travelling solo versus group trips, training her dogs Kimba and Carmel, and refurbishing her 1985 Volkswagen Westfalia! This and so much more in the the first episode of College Daze.
Here's me – Samina Khaliq, the host of College Daze – delivering you my mission statement in true indie coming-of-age style *insert dancer emoji here * !