Written by: Nathania Rei, 4th Year Psychology Major
With over 14,000 students in the Faculty of Arts, it’s easy to feel invisible. It can feel like no one knows you, like you’re just one tiny puzzle piece in a massive picture.
I’ve felt that way too. But in The Compass: Arts Student Engagement Hub, I found something different: a space where people genuinely want to know you, talk to you, and help you navigate the vast ocean we call university.
My journey from unfamiliar to finding my way
As an international student, I originally felt a bit unsure about where I fit into the Faculty community. Everyone else seemed so confident in themselves, and in their place here, and I wasn’t sure where mine was yet. I joined clubs where I met people from my country, and got a sense of home away from home, but this meant I wasn’t really exploring the wider Arts community. I didn’t know what resources existed, and I hadn’t even heard of the Arts Compass until I saw it in a co-op job posting.
Put simply, the Compass is a hub for Arts students. It’s a space where staff, student leaders, and alumni are dedicated to helping you navigate your degree by connecting you to people, opportunities, and resources that support your journey.
The Compass launched in 2021 in response to what students at the time felt they needed more support with, especially around careers, wellbeing, and building community. That’s where the four themes come in: First Year Forward, Wellbeing & Community, Career Prep & Networking, and Entrepreneurship.
Looking back, I realize what would have helped me earlier in my degree: stepping out of my comfort zone, exploring the resources already here in Arts, and showing up with an open and curious mind. If I had done that, I would have discovered sooner that there’s a space designed to make this huge Faculty feel less overwhelming. So, if you’ve ever felt lost or unsure, know that the Arts Compass is here to help you find your way and remind you that you belong. Let me show you how.
“I realize what would have helped me earlier in my degree: stepping out of my comfort zone, exploring the resources already here in Arts, and showing up with an open and curious mind.”
Navigation
The word “Compass” naturally makes us think of navigation and direction, and that is exactly the point of its name (fun fact: students chose the name!). But unlike an actual compass or Google Maps, which point you to a single fixed destination, the Arts Compass works differently. It gives you space and tools to explore, reflect, and discover your own path.
One of the most memorable events I attended was the Arts Career Design Studio. I discovered job search resources I had never heard of, reflected honestly on my own path, and listened to alumni share how they shaped their journeys. It wasn’t about telling us “this is the right way to do your degree.” It was about opening doors, sparking ideas, and showing us new possibilities.
That’s what I hope you take away from the Compass too. It’s not just a navigator showing you the way, but also a mirror and a window: a mirror that helps you see yourself more clearly, and a window that shows you what’s possible beyond what you imagined.
Community and connections
Even with all the tools and resources in the world, university can feel overwhelming if we try to go through it alone. What makes the Arts Compass special is the people — the community that encourages us to connect and support one another. From my very first day on the team, everyone was welcoming and genuinely interested in getting to know me, not just as a co‑op student, but as a person. And that same warmth extends to every student who walks into a Compass space.
There’s a kind of magic in how connection works here — between staff and students, and between students too. When we show up with curiosity and openness, we find each other. At Cakes and Connections, for example, a group of transfer students stayed outside the Compass Hub talking for almost an hour after the event ended. That moment captures what the Compass is all about: students coming together, leaving not just with resources, but with friendships, encouragement, and a sense of belonging.
In a conversation with Cecilia, a staff member who supports Compass programming, she shared something that has stayed with me: “The Compass is a place where people know your name.” And that is the heart of it. In a Faculty of tens of thousands, the Compass reminds us that we’re not invisible. We’re part of a community that sees us, hears us, and wants us to succeed together.
“There’s a kind of magic in how connection works here... When we show up with curiosity and openness, we find each other.”
An invitation to show up
At this point, I hope the Compass feels a little more approachable, less like a mysterious program tucked away in the Faculty, and more like a space you can step into. You’re not expected to have it all figured out, and you don’t need to show up with a friend or a plan. Just come as you are, whether you planned it weeks ahead or just spotted a sandwich board in Brock Commons South.
When you give a Compass event a try, you’ll likely walk away with something more than you expected: a resource that makes things feel less overwhelming, a conversation that sparks an idea, a connection with someone who gets what you’re going through, or even the confidence to start shaping your path on your own terms.
At the end of the day, Compass isn’t a solution. It’s a welcoming hub where events and conversations help this huge Faculty feel a little smaller — a place designed to help you leave feeling a little more supported, a little more inspired, and a little more connected than when you arrived.
Nathania (she/her) is a 4th year Psychology major, and the Events and Communications Assistant Co-op student with the Compass. She is an active participant in student-led organizations, creating events that foster tight-knit communities among students.
