Hi everyone! My name is Chenille, and I am a third year Integrated Sciences student from Coquitlam, BC, integrating Physiopharmacology and Public Health.
This past term I peer tutored BIOL 200, a second-year cell biology course, for the first time.
Outside of peer tutoring, I can be found conducting genetics experiments with Drosophila to investigate the causes of infertility at the Life Sciences Research Centre, grabbing craft supplies from near Walter Gage for an event I’m hosting as a Residence Advisor, or playing piano in an available music room!
What do you most enjoy about being a peer tutor?
I love interacting with students during office hours, whether in-person or online, and helping them understand questions they find challenging. When helping students with problem sets especially, it is very rewarding to see the moment when they realize what they have been getting wrong the entire time and how the question now falls into place because of their new understanding. As a peer tutor, it is gratifying to know that I helped with that process. Moreover, one of the most fulfilling things about the job is forming personal connections with the students and not just assisting them with the course material, but also checking in with them and getting to know who they are and how they are finding their courses in general.
How has your unique background influenced your peer tutoring experience?
Last year, I took BIOL 200 with Dr. Pante online, was very active on piazza and attended my peer tutor’s office hours regularly. As a result, I was familiar with the virtual course format and had a good idea of what I wanted to achieve as a peer tutor, which made the transition to tutoring much easier. In addition, this past summer I spent two months at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute working on a project focussing on the development of stem cell-derived beta cells. In this role, I applied many of the concepts I learned from BIOL 200, such as gel electrophoresis, microscopy and FACS sorting. My research experience influenced how I was able to explain concepts to students and gave me the opportunity to share tips on how to get involved with research!
What do you like to do in your free time?
Currently, my favourite thing to do in my free time is play the piano! I’ve played for over 16 years and love learning difficult songs from animes, such as the openings from Tokyo Ghoul, Jujutsu Kaisen and Demonslayer. I also enjoy playing badminton, swimming and hanging out with friends over food!
What is a fun fact about you that people may not know?
I used to play a lot of different sports competitively, including ice hockey, basketball and badminton for over 4 years each! I also competed on the UBC Artistic Swimming Team in my first year and we achieved 2nd place at Westerns and 7th at Nationals as first-time artistic swimmers!
What are your plans following graduation?
My plans following graduation include pursuing a career in healthcare. I think it would be very rewarding to use my knowledge of human physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and general teamwork skills to help others stay healthy and active!