The Dream Tree: A Collective Experience on September 8 invited students to reflect on those aspirations and express them creatively before adding their contributions to the Francophonie monument outside Pérez Hall. From succeeding in their studies and building new friendships to gaining confidence and pursuing future careers, students shared what they hope this new chapter at uOttawa will bring.
Aude-Sabrina Grodji, a fourth-year general science student with a minor in biology, described the Dream Tree as a space for students to write down their dreams for the year ahead and hang them on the monument. Together, the individual contributions became a collective reflection of the hopes students are bringing into the new academic year.
For Michelle Beaulieu, a first-year student in the Faculty of Health Sciences, arriving at university was already fulfilling a dream.
“This was already a dream for me. I’m really proud to have made it here and to be experiencing this.”
That experience inspired the message she added to the tree: “Get out of your comfort zone.” As she begins her first year, Michelle wants to remind herself and other students to believe in what they can accomplish.
“Get out of your comfort zone. We can do whatever you set your mind to. You can succeed. I know I can and any other student can, too.”
Michelle Beaulieu
For Sophia Matmata, a first-year finance student at the Telfer School of Management, the beginning of the academic year also marks the beginning of life in a new country. An international student from Morocco, she arrived in Ottawa only four days before taking part in the Dream Tree.
Her message, “Whatever happens, you can do it,” reflects how she’s adapting to an unfamiliar environment. She hopes her time at uOttawa will allow her to find her place within both its Anglophone and Francophone communities. For her, building a community means learning from our differences and being there for one another.
“The first thing you learn at uOttawa is the importance of diversity, love and sharing.”
Sophia Matmata
— First-year finance student at the Telfer School of Management
First-year political science and communication student Ketsia Malimukono, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, shared a similar experience of navigating the uncertainty that can come with starting university.
“I was a little anxious at first, but then when I came here and met new people, it kind of opened my eyes about the fact that there’s literally nothing to be so nervous about or anxious about, even if you’re a first-year student,” she said.
Her contribution encouraged students to be patient with themselves as they work toward their goals, whether they want to make new connections, improve something or develop their academic skills.
“Just give yourself time. It’s going to get better. Relax and take it one step at a time.”
Ketsia Malimukono
— First-year political science and communication student
For exchange students, the Dream Tree also provided an opportunity to think about what they hope to take away from their time at uOttawa.
Nine Moiroud, who’s studying economics and geography on exchange from Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, came to Ottawa hoping to improve her English and meet new people. Having arrived in Canada on her own, she said activities like the Dream Tree can make it easier to connect with others.
“I wanted to meet new people and strengthen my English skills. That’s the main reason I came here from France on a university exchange.”
Nine Moiroud
— Economics and geography student
Chloé Dedieu, a Faculty of Social Sciences exchange student from France, was also drawn to the event as a way to meet people and celebrate the Francophonie. Being far from family and familiar surroundings, she chose to write about self-confidence.
“When you’re far away from your family and loved ones, I think you inevitably start to question things you wouldn’t in your home country. You need to learn to build self-confidence, try new things, and be bold.”
Chloé Dedieu
— Faculty of Social Sciences exchange student
While some students focused on their hopes for the coming year, others used the Dream Tree to look further into the future.
Irina Laslu, a first-year international management student at Telfer, dreams of eventually pursuing a career in photography or cinematography. Although she’s studying business, she sees her experience at Telfer as an opportunity to build a network and make connections that could open doors in the creative industry.
Her contribution to the Dream Tree was a reminder to herself: “Be yourself and be brave.”
Irina believes there’s value in taking a chance and being able to say, “At least I tried.”
She also appreciated being able to participate in an activity centred on French. On a bilingual campus, she said, French-language events create opportunities to share the language and culture while helping Francophone students to feel represented.
“Be yourself and be brave. Nothing’s so hard that it’s not worth trying.”
Irina Laslu
— First-year international management student
Across the Dream Tree, no two aspirations looked exactly the same. Some students were dreaming about future careers, while others were focused on succeeding academically, becoming more confident, improving language skills or simply finding their people.
Together, their messages offer a glimpse of what a new academic year can represent: an opportunity to try, connect, grow and turn today’s aspirations into tomorrow’s achievements.