To start with, what’s your preferred name, pronouns if using, year, and program
Adelina Fedulina (she/her). A 3rd-year honours student in psychology
Can you tell us about your research?
For my 3-rd year thesis, I am working with the Vigo Lab (Mental Health Services and Systems Laboratory). We are looking at how help-seeking relates to acculturation, the process of adjustment to a host country’s culture upon migration, in the population of university students with subclinical symptoms of common mental health disorders, i.e., depression, anxiety, and ADHD. I am very interested in how culture shapes our mental health, and was very lucky to be able to build a thesis up to my own interest!
What has been your favourite experience from the psychology honours program?
When entering the program, I was really looking forward to being surrounded by like-minded people, however, any expectations I had were exceeded. The honours community is full of very kind and supportive people. Any competitiveness you might be afraid of does not exist! Everyone genuinely cares about each others’ success and is ready to help whenever. We share classes required for the program together, and can always find each other in our other classes. The community really made me feel a sense of belongingness at the university.
Has your perspective on psychology changed since you’ve been in the program?
The honours program is definitely a good start if you are considering going into graduate school in psychology. It teaches you all the good and not-so-good parts of the field, which is very important if you want to spend a considerate amount of your time in psychology. I would say that my perspective became much more down-to-earth and holistic.
Do you have advice for anyone considering applying for the honours program?
Be genuine about where you are at, and do not strive for perfection! It is totally normal to not know what your interests in research are exactly, and even if you do, they might change. No one expects you to know everything about research, but be prepared to learn much about it in the program.