Notre histoire

At the start of my first session in cegep, when the honours program was first presented, I was very hesitant to join it. Deep down, I knew I had the profile too, but I was dreading the stress that came with maintaining a certain standard in terms of academic results.

Two years later, I could not imagine an experience in cegep without the program. Honours is much more than making an effort to get good grades, it is a human experience that changes a life.

My journey through the program first provided me with the motivation to always give my 110%. By developing deep connections with my teachers, I was able to do much more than understand the material, but enjoy going to class and develop a sincere interest in what was being taught. There are then the golden opportunities to get involved in your community through volunteering, but also through academic experiences, which come once in a lifetime.

However, all of these experiences are impossible without the humans who are part of the program. The exceptional humans that I had the chance to meet are what I will remember most from my time in it. Finding myself in a group of students who share the same passions and the same motivations as me to surpass themselves was the most positive element of my entire journey. To be able to develop a unique bond with each person in my cohort without exception, to become a close group that jumps into every opportunity that presents itself was amazing.

Whether it's the laughter in the Sainte-Anne van heading to the Forum Étudiant, everyone sleeping in the same classroom at the Jeux des Sciences Humaines, or sorting onions while not being able to stop laughing in a food bank , the memories im leaving with are innumerable and impossible without the exceptional humans who made them happen.

In my opinion, what defined our cohort the most was that it was never marked by competition, but by , support and mutual pride in each other in our respective projects.

This respect, which has developed over time, was impossible without Emilie Chow. A caring and comforting presence at the head of the program. Always attentive, she was able to offer the necessary support in a gentle manner. Her constant encouragement are sometimes what pushed me to give 110% to certain projects instead of quitting. With her, I always felt comfortable to be honest in complete transparency, without the fear of being judged. I have never met a person like her before and she has become a real inspiration to me. If you are reading this, I hope you are aware of the difference you have made in my life and in the life of the entire cohort.

Overall, in the honours program, I learned so much about others and myself. First, I learned that the process and the human experience is much more important than the end result. I learned to be happy for the successes of others. I learned to communicate with those around me, and that caring people will be present and attentive when you do so. I learned that even when you make every effort, inexplicable failures can occur and that you have to accept them. I learned to develop a positivity and joy in going to school every day that I didn’t have before.

I will be forever grateful for everything the program has given me. As my experience in cegep comes to an end, it's with a very heavy heart that I leave, because I fear I will never find another such amazing team classmates and teachers. After all, it is so much more than academic results! I leave the Honours program with friends for life, a head full of memories and infinite gratitude for everything it brought me.