Hannah Pelletier

“Concordia is fun. I like the adventures of trying new classes and meeting professors.”

Hannah Pelletier combines a love of literature and history in a joint specialization in the Arts.

How has your time been at Concordia so far?

At first, going to university was nerve-racking because I grew up going to smaller schools. Adjusting to a larger class setting made me nervous, but the Otsenhákta Student Centre (OSC) helped me adjust to university life. At the OSC, I made friends and new connections which helped my anxiety in general. Now I'm not as nervous to walk into a classroom, or to mingle with other students in my classes.

What did you do at the Otsenhákta Student Centre?

I went to the OSC lounge to do my homework and got to know other Indigenous students there. I’m from Kahnawà:ke, so I only learned about my own people growing up. At the OSC, I got to learn other Indigenous peoples’ cultures, backgrounds and history. I also got help with academics from the OSC staff. I know if I have a question, they’re always willing to help with anything I need.

What’s it like meeting people at Concordia?

One of my greatest memories is from last semester when I had a course called British Literature from 1660 to 1900. The students in the class made a Discord chat to mingle with each other, which turned into an in-person hang out. Every Thursday, we’d go to a bar or pub to hang out. That was amazing, and I still talk to those students now.

What do you like about your two specializations?

I like writing a lot, especially the formality and structure of essay writing. Overall, I enjoy being in English class and having the ability to come up with your own ideas about a story. I find History fascinating to discover how people used to live and how it’s changed today.

Do you have any specific goals throughout your time at Concordia?

I want to break out of my comfort zone more, meaning being bold and doing things that I wouldn't normally do, like going up to a random person and starting a conversation. Something bigger would be to host an event or do public speaking. When I was at Champlain College Saint-Lambert, I became an Indigenous student ambassador, working with my peers to indigenize the campus. We created events where we brought in speakers or would speak ourselves. Last semester, I was invited back to Champlain classrooms to do sensitization workshops regarding Orange Shirt Day. I was public speaking in classes all day, so I’d like to do more things like that.