With my second-ever round of university final exams just around the corner, I thought it would make for the perfect opportunity to share some of my insights into the inaugural stage of my latest academic milestone: pursuing a double degree in commerce and law at the University of Ottawa.
You won’t get it right on your first try
It wasn’t until the pandemic started clearing out a couple of years ago that I realized the true value of staying connected with peers and mentors in a world inching towards technological domination. I distinctly remember applying for an Equity Officer role on my high school’s student council back in the eleventh grade. As per the typical professional recruitment process, the application involved a set of written essay responses, as well as an oral interview. As someone whose forte lies in writing, everything went swimmingly until it came time for me to put my improvisation skills to the test by answering questions verbally, in real time.
I remember coming home from that interview feeling defeated as ever, ashamed of myself and everything I’ve ever stood for — feeling so sure that I had made a fool of myself in front of the entire council of student and staff representatives in the room. That said, it occurred to me shortly after that what I had just done was incredibly brave, and the mere fact that I had shown up and given it my all in spite of my timidity could never have been fathomed by a younger version of me. It was from that moment on when I vowed that I would never pass up any future opportunity to better myself, whether that be in the academic, professional, or personal sphere.
I could easily have allowed that single event to dictate the rest of my scholarly career, but instead, I decided to turn it into a learning experience, and look where it has led me today. After a highly intensive application process, I was recently offered a position on the board of directors (yay!) of my faculty’s Student Association. Although this achievement may not seem like a big deal to another candidate, it served as a much needed reminder to yours truly that failure is an inevitable prerequisite to success.
Who you surround yourself with is who you become
This was the year I came to terms with the saying, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” From my roommate’s polite mannerisms to my Spanish lecture buddy’s go-to Subway bread choice, I’ve found myself implementing the habits and behaviours of the people whom I’m closest with into my regular lifestyle. I spent much of my high school career exploring my identity and determining what I want to get out of life, which was a step in the right direction towards achieving inner peace.
However, I have found that the independent pondering makes up but a fraction of the bigger picture. The true magic happens in sharing these breakthroughs with the people you surround yourself with. Be it family, friends, coworkers, or random passers-by at networking events, you may begin to notice the energy and self-image of these individuals bouncing off of your own inherent qualities and daily practices — as I did.
As a former introvert with a history of venturing to great lengths outside of their comfort zone, I can say with confidence that my identity has been shaped by the most important people in my life, and knowing them has brought me closer to the character I envision as being my ideal self. In other words, I am a byproduct of my best friend’s sense of humour, my twelfth grade teacher’s empathy and open-mindedness, my mock trial teammate’s unwavering call to stand up for what’s right, my Her Campus at uOttawa colleague’s creative worldview, and my upperclassman’s drive to achieve excellence.
Needless to say, you owe it to yourself to ensure that your social circle is in direct alignment with not only what may seem like good company in the moment, but moreover, your future aspirations.
You can do anything you set your mind to
If you believe in something to the point that it becomes inevitable in your mind, you will find that destiny is always on your side. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I have never considered myself to be an exceptional student. Growing up Asian Canadian, I was raised in a community where self-worth was determined by grades, and so it was wired into my brain that I would not amount to anything until a number on a piece of paper decided otherwise.
To this day, I like to think the best part of my upbringing was that I seldom allowed myself to fall victim to ideologies dictated by other people. Instead, I gave myself the freedom to experiment with my own ambitions… and that is precisely how I wound up where I am today; pursuing an ever-competitive double degree at my local university.
On a more serious note, I found myself trapped in a period of self-doubt last semester after receiving my first math midterm grade. Since my acceptance into the law portion of my program is completely dependent on my CGPA, I found myself spiralling. I thought to myself then that there was nothing I wanted more, but thinking back, it wasn’t the diploma itself I was chasing. I craved connection. I craved understanding. And so, in the span of a couple of months, I bridged the gap between what I sought beyond the end goal.
I joined clubs, spoke up during discussions, showed up to office hours, and carved out time for myself to fully digest course material. Following this, the tangible results were not apparent until I took a step back to reflect on my progress. All of this came to be as a consequence of my deciding one day that I’d had enough, and that I would no longer let one single piece of data throw me out of balance. I chose to believe, in that moment, that a bright future awaited me even despite the odds.
Upon joining uOttawa’s chapter of Her Campus as the First Year Intern, I have gained much more perspective on campus life at my university, as well as the inner workings of not-for-profit organizations. Not only this, but I also cultivated lifelong friendships that would not have been possible had I not taken the initial leap to apply for this role.
Of course, I still have so much to learn, but I already know that with every new setback I face, I will always be reminded of the time I evaded what could have ended in an eternal slump. That said, it is critical to realize that you have the power to achieve anything you want. Oftentimes, the only thing standing between you and your dreams is — you guessed it — yourself.
TO incoming first years:
You are about to enter a phenomenal new era of your life. This is bound to be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced up until now, so, as cliché as it may sound, embrace that anticipation and uncertainty. It’s okay to be afraid. It’s okay to not have all the answers. It’s okay to feel, and it’s also okay to just be. After all, you are at the threshold of a whole new world of possibilities.
You will learn that there is so much more to life than the next evaluation, and you will learn that the world — or your campus, if you will — is truly your oyster. Whatever great things you choose to immerse yourself in during this time, at the core of all your endeavours is knowing yourself, and reflecting on what you want to get out of your post-secondary experience.
With that, I wish you nothing but the best in your first year of studies. And to my friends and peers at uOttawa: I look forward to seeing your beautiful faces again very soon! This next school year is going to be a great one, I just know it.