And I thought it was worth writing about.

Getting my two undergrad degrees have taken 5 and 2/3 years to achieve – I entered Laurier in September 2010; fresh, naïve, with my eyes half-closed to the world. I didn’t cultivate many interests in my high school years, and as such I hadn’t given much thought as to what I was going to do with my life. Business was my first choice simply because it seemed like a practical and lucrative option.

It’s a little ridiculous how we’re forced to decide on our lives in high school. I don’t think anyone really knows what they’re in for until they get here. Some kids are set on being accountants, but after their first co-op, they realize they hate it. I’m sure the opposite case exists for accounting, but personally I’ve never heard of it happening.

Some people discover a real passion for a totally new subject while they’re in university. I would have loved to hear that “it’s okay” to transfer programs and fields of study. It’s something I wish were encouraged for all people, because it’s a shame when someone refuses to dive deep into something they might love solely due to external pressures. I took the easy way out: instead of making a leap and switching programs, I just added a second degree that I was interested in. It was one of the best decisions of my life.

Education aside, university is a really unique opportunity to gain totally novel experiences. I was so lucky to be involved with the debating team early on, with which I got to travel literally around the world. We stuffed six people in a taxi and swerved through Manila traffic on New Years Eve, and road-tripped from Berlin to Prague. But I partied like a dumb student too. On one St. Paddy’s Day, I put Bailey’s in my morning coffee, did an in-class presentation, and partied on Ezra amongst the sea of green: the intoxicated youth donning shamrocks. Most of my days, the most eventful part was heading to campus with a black coffee in hand (in first year my Starbucks addiction began with vanilla lattes before econ). Or riding the GRT uptown to study at Princess Cafe.

In my time at university I’ve had the pleasure of learning about many subjects – some enthralling, some less so – which have challenged me and taught me to think differently. I’ve been fortunate to meet many people, whom I travelled the world with and had some of my best times with, and I hope to sustain many relationships for my lifetime. Outside of the classroom, I was exposed to new ways of thinking and new ideas from my peers, who are smart, kind, and made me a better person.

It was six years of school that saw my transformation from a fresh, naïve kid who didn’t understand much about the world into the person I am now. I’m not sure exactly who that is – but hopefully at least I’ve grown a little since then. I feel pretty good about the path I’m on and the life I’m living. I owe many thanks to all the people throughout university who’ve helped me get here.