Going out of your comfort zone can be the best decision of your academic career — it was for Ahad.

From not feeling smart enough, to joining Honors Psychology, the challenges have all been worth it.

This is five-part series profiling the Faculty of Arts Honors students who are presenting at the inaugural Arts Honors Mini-Conference on November 17, 2020.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Ahad and I am in my fourth year and I am a part of the psychology honors program here at the University of Alberta.

How did you come to be in the Honors program?

I did not in my wildest dreams think that I could be an honors student. As a first and second-year student, I was focused on taking all of the introductory classes that I needed for a general degree. I have always been interested in counselling psychology and my main goal is to become a counselling psychologist. A lot of master’s programs require (or prefer) an honors degree hence, I decided on pursuing honors.

What has your Honors experience been like?

This experience has truly been fulfilling. Being an honors student has allowed me to really apply everything that I learn in my classes. I have been able to lead research projects and this has really allowed me to become a better student (and researcher). With that said, it has definitely not been an easy ride. After getting accepted, I really felt outside of my comfort zone and it felt very overwhelming but I am very lucky to have a great supervisor (s/o Dr. Dyson) who has really guided me throughout my last two years. As the cohort of students in my program is comparatively smaller than other programs, I have been able to make real connections and friendships with my peers and this has really been great for my mental health. I would say that this was one of the best academic decisions I have made.

What will you be presenting on at the Honors mini-conference?

I will be presenting my research that focuses on the effects of emotional self-reflection on performance in competitive environments.

How did you find this topic or area of interest to focus on?

I have always been a huge advocate for mental health and I want to learn more about how our emotions affect us. My supervisor focuses on cognitive psychology and researches competitive environments and how human behaviour changes. After having many discussions with him, we were able to come to a decision on studying how reflecting on one’s emotions affects performance.

What would you tell someone that is considering applying to Honors?

The honors program is a hands-on experience that really allows you to learn more about a topic that you are truly passionate about. If you are really interested in learning about a specific topic or if you are planning on doing a thesis-based masters, I would highly recommend doing an honors degree. In my opinion, the honors program is a head start for a master’s degree and it allows you to learn and understand so much about the field. Don’t be afraid of the honors program just because you think you aren’t smart enough. I also wasn’t “smart enough” in my first year. In my personal opinion, first year is to make mistakes. It is totally okay to not get an amazing GPA, but if you are able to learn from your mistakes and grow from them, then I would highly recommend the honors program.

Anything else you want to tell us?

I have truly been able to learn so much more about psychology but this program has really challenged me. I have had nights where I have been super exhausted and overwhelmed with the course load, research and volunteering, but I would never give up this program. I have been volunteering at the Peer Support Centre (PSC) on campus and I have taken a leadership position this year. Being a part of the campus community at large has really helped me feel connected and has improved my mental health. The honors program allows students to really make their own decisions and your honors experience will be completely different from others. The most important thing to do is to take the first step and do some research. Reach out to professors via email and learn about their research. Professors are 9/10 times very excited to talk about their research and they really appreciate students who are also excited. One last thing, taking care of your mental health is really crucial. Having a good self-care routine will take you a long way. Regardless of what program you choose, putting your mind and body first is really important for a successful undergraduate experience.

Learn more about the Honors program and all the undergraduate degree programs that the Faculty of Arts has to offer by:

• Visiting the Degree programs page on the Arts website,
• Watching our Program Overview Videos on the Faculty of Arts YouTube channel, and
• Discussing your options with an undergraduate advisor — email arts.undergrad@ualberta.ca or book a one-on-one advising appointment by clicking here