This week I had the pleasure of interviewing a good friend of mine, Sophie Mckenzie. A Vancouver native, Sophie is in her fourth year at McGill completing a joint Honours in International Development Studies and Anthropology, while minoring in Indigenous Studies. As a floor fellow at Evo and an extremely involved student, Sophie reflects her experiences here at McGill and shares how she works to create an atmosphere of respect, where students are accepted for who they are and can grow as individuals.
Claire Butler for Her Campus (HC): Hi Sophie! What first drew you to McGill? How did you decide to come here?
Sophie Mckenzie: To be honest, the main reason I came to McGill was for its reputation, and to be far enough away from my family to be independent. Having also done French Immersion my whole life, I wanted to keep up my French.
HC: With four years at McGill under your belt, what is one thing you wish you had known as a first year?
Sophie: I wish that I had known that it is alright to branch out and be who I wanted to be. I was extremely intimidated during my first year, and tended to hold back from expressing myself the way I wanted to, and doing activities that I wanted to do. I ended up conforming to what I thought was expected of me, and as a result felt quite constrained. I wish that I had known how much happier I would be if I went with my gut, even if that meant standing out in the crowd.
HC: You work as a floor fellow at Evo, what exactly is the role of a floor fellow? What kind of work does it entail?
Sophie: The floor fellow role is multi-faceted, but there are two main aspects: acting as a first-line of peer support for first year students, and providing resource-referral as needed. We live in residence and are responsible for ensuring the wellbeing of a group of first-year students living on our floor. We work to build a community both on our floors and in Rez through facilitating fun and inclusive events. Most importantly, we work to facilitate an atmosphere of respect, diversity, and inclusivity within McGill Residences. We are also “on-duty” every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night, which involves responding to calls, and doing rounds to make sure that all residents are safe.
HC: What made you decide to become a floor fellow?
Sophie: In my first year at McGill, the floor fellows in my building were some of my biggest role models. In a time where I was closeted, intimidated, and self-conscious, it was extremely valuable to have individuals who were accepting of every part of my identity, even if I didn’t accept it myself yet. For the first time in my life, I had unapologetic queer role models, and I knew that I would be able to come out at some point in time. Before this, I thought that I would never come out, and just play up the male side of my bisexuality. The role of floor fellows in my first year was transformative, and I wanted to be able to have that same positive impact for first year students, many of whom may be in the same situation that I was in 3 years ago. It was also through this role that my desire to become a social worker was solidified.
HC: What is the most rewarding part of being a floor fellow? Are there any particular challenges?
Sophie: The most rewarding part of being a floor fellow is witnessing each student’s individual growth. For many, moving away from home is their first opportunity to explore their identities as individuals separate from their families. This is a scary process, but it fills my heart with pride to see students gathering the courage to truly be themselves.
The biggest challenge I have faced is separating my work as a floor fellow, and my life. I often find myself getting emotionally entwined in students’ issues. However, setting boundaries has also been an important skill that I have gained from this job. The many challenges that come with the role are things that I have improved upon, and ways through which I have become a better supporter.
HC: Do you have any advice for students looking to become more involved at McGill?
Sophie: My best advice would be to choose activities that you are passionate about, and that get you excited. McGill culture often involves getting caught up in the rush of worrying about what looks good on a CV, or what your parents want you to do. Although I do understand that often we are in a position where we must indulge in extracurriculars that bolster our ability to get a job after graduation, I also strongly believe that it’s important to make time for things that we love! For example, I spend a lot of time dancing. Although I have future aspirations of becoming a social worker and a filmmaker, I make time for dance because it fills my heart with passion and purpose.