Witten
by
Laurel
Scheller
BA’
83
In
the
fall
of
1980,
I
sat
in
Sunny
Sundberg's
office
in
Health
Services
Counseling
Centre
at
the
University
of
Waterloo
-
a
confused
19
year
old
wondering
what
I
was
doing
in
university,
and
what
life
was
all
about
anyways.As
we
talked
she
said
something
I
have
never
forgotten: “Laurel,
you
may
not
know
right
now
exactly
what
you
want
to
do
with
your
life,
but
you
do
know
you
want
to
be
a
successful
professional
of
some
kind.”
Over
the
last
38
years,
I
have
often
remembered
those
words
and
wondered
to
myself
“Am
I
a
successful
professional? What
does
that
really
mean
–
and
have
I
arrived
yet?!” At
this
stage
in
my
life
I
would
like
to
offer
a
word
of
encouragement
to
my
fellow
alumni
who
are
asking
the
same
questions,
and
who
may
read
the
alumni
updates
and
feel
“less
than”
our
fellow
classmates
who
chose
more
traditional
paths.
Right
now
I'm
working
as
a
full-time
waiter
at
Sassafraz
restaurant
in
Yorkville,
Toronto.
I
would
define
myself
as
a
successful
professional,
just
not
in
a
typical
job.
Maybe
most
people
wouldn't
view
my
humble
job
as
the
definition
of
success,
but
to
me
it
is. You
see,
I
define
success
as
the
ability
to
genuinely
connect
with
people
every
day
and
leave
them
better
than
I
found
them.
Through
a
series
of
heartfelt
interactions:
smiling
at
my
customers,
meeting
their
eyes,
sincerely
welcoming
them
and
helping
create
a
wonderful
dining
experience;
my
job
becomes
very
meaningful
and
satisfying.
Just
being
kind
and
loving
to
people
can
make
such
a
huge
impact
on
them
–
what
a
gift
to
be
able
to
do
this
for
a
living! People
are
hungry
for
authentic
connection,
and
as
I
meet
that
need
through
the
gift
of
genuine
hospitality,
I
fill
my
cup
too!
I've
discovered
success
isn't
a
one-size-fits-all
destination
or
definition. I
believe
each
of
us
has
the
opportunity
and
responsibility
to
uniquely
define
what
success
means
to
us.
Although
I'm
not
using
my
Political
Science
degree
every
day
to
pay
the
bills,
I'm
grateful
for
the
path
that
led
me
to
Waterloo,
and
beyond.
As
we
navigate
the
process
of
figuring
out
what
true
success
means
know
that
I
am
cheering
you
on,
and
hoping
you
find
great
meaning
and
satisfaction
in
whatever
definition
you
choose.
I'd
love
to
know
what
success
means
to
you
... leave
me
your
thoughts
in
the
comments!
P.S.
I've
decided
to
write
a
book!
You
can
find
images
of
my
imperfect
but
happy
life
and
follow
my
writing
progress
on
Instagram.
