I will be 24 years old when I graduate. I transferred to the University of Alberta from Medicine Hat College after my first year, which caused me to be 2 classes behind in my degree. I could’ve done my full degree in 4 years, however trying to cram 22 courses into 2 years isn’t exactly ideal for my social life. I wanted to be involved in clubs and really enjoy the social aspect of university, so I made the decision to extend my degree by a year. I dropped down to 4 courses a semester, which really made things better for me, and I couldn’t have been happier with my decision
That brought me up to 5 years degree at the University of Alberta.
When I initially transferred to the U of A for a BsC in nutrition and food science I was given a faculty mentor. She had participated in an internship pertaining to her field in nutrition and food science and highly recommended that I sign up for the same internship program. She explained that whether I take the internship or not, it is a great opportunity that I had access too. One thing lead to another and I can proudly say that I am interning for WISEST this year!
This brings me to a total of 6 years in my degree!
While this may seem like a long time, I believe in the end, all my time and energy spent as an undergrad will only serve to help me in the long run.A friend of mine took 7 years to complete her undergraduate degree. She now has a job in her field and is killing adulting more than anyone I know. To this day, she has never had an employer ask her how long it took her to get her degree, they only care that she has one.
To me, Having experience is much more valuable than general knowledge. Everyone in your faculty is exiting university with the exact same credentials on paper as you. In order to stand out in the world, you have to have something that sets you apart from everyone else, and that is what an employer is looking for. Whether it’s extra curricular activities, clubs, a job, or travelling, employers look for things that set you apart.
I have never regretted any choices I have made in my degree so far, and I can honestly say I don’t see myself looking back and regretting something I did. I’m a big proponent of the idea that you learn something from everyone and everything that you come across. Plus, I’ve been having a hell of a good time doing everything I’ve done, so why wouldn’t I keep doing the things I love with the people I love ? Take however long you want with your degree, but just make sure you’ve accomplished all you wanted to, and that you won’t have any regrets when you’re done.