Q&A with Brandon Michaud

Brandon is a student ambassador here to answer your questions. Click here to contact Brandon.

Do you remember when you decide you wanted to pursue engineering? What sparked your interest?

In high school, I always enjoyed doing math and science and found that they usually came easy to me. I was trying to decide what I wanted to study at university that involved these subjects and settled on engineering. I found that engineering takes the concepts and principals taught in these courses and has you apply them to real-life situations. They get you to help society and make a positive impact for good which is exactly what I want to do.

Why did you choose Western Engineering?

The sense of family you get from engineering here is different than anywhere else that I have been. Everybody here wants to see you succeed and be the best engineer you can be and are willing to help you out. All the engineers that I have met here are always willing to lend a hand since they understand what I am going through since they have been in my shoes at some point. Also, the entire campus of Western is beautiful with its new buildings such as the Amit Chakma Engineering Building and overall student experience.

Can you talk about your residence experience?

In my first year at Western, I stayed at Saugeen-Maitland Hall. I found that living in a residence in the first year was very beneficial because you get to meet a lot of people. It also helps since you live right by the campus and can easily get to all your classes. Finally, residence hosts many events throughout the year so there is something to do.

How do you manage school-related stress?

There are many ways that I manage my stress. Firstly, making sure you don’t make any cuts on your health. I always make sure that I am getting an appropriate amount of sleep and eating 3 meals a day. Next, making time in my schedule to do the other things that I like to do. This includes reading, playing music or playing video games. Finally, having a good friend group is vital. Being able to speak about how you feel is good and better than holding it in. Your friends can help you get through all the stress that you may be going through and make you feel better.

Favourite Place to Study on Campus?

I enjoy switching up the places that I go to study but generally I go to places that are quiet and with few people around, this helps me best when studying. Some of the places that I go to on-campus include the music building, north campus building and the new Amit Chakma Engineering Building.

Study tips for future students?

Doing any work/studying in advance is most advantageous. The year gets busy quick for engineering students and staying on top of it right from the start can really save you from headaches later in the year. Especially around midterm or exam time, you won’t have a lot of time to get everything you want to get done if you weren’t staying on top of it. Studying whenever possible means you're less stressed when tests come around since you will have a good grasp of the concepts already. Also, if you find that you are not being productive when you are studying, either try taking a 10-minute break with something unrelated to what your learning, or change the place where you are studying. Finally, never feel afraid to ask for help, whether that be the professor, a friend or one of your fellow engineers.