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I wish I had heard that it’s okay to have no career goals more often in university.

I grew up in a small village (Chhangla) with population of 1500 in the state of Punjab in Hoshiarpur (India). I lived there for 18 years until I move to Canada to start post-secondary education.

One of the hardest things to learn is setting boundaries: How often do you say yes to a request, only to walk away, grumbling you should have said no?

Living in China for the last 13 years, my preferred means of transportation has always been the bicycle. Despite an efficient and ever-expanding metro system in Shanghai and an impressive high speed rail network that can take me to any major city in a couple of hours, I still prefer my bike. On my bicycle I can choose my own path.

During my first week as a St. Jerome’s resident, all the students were invited to participate in a talent show. It was my first time away from home. I was already missing my parents and feeling out of place in a new environment. That night I performed a spoken word poem called “Shout Out,” an anthem to all the things in my life that I was grateful for.

5 years ago, I made an impulsive decision. It was late December and I had just received an offer of admissions to study Geology at Waterloo.

The Schulich Leader Scholarship I received in 2013 allowed me to focus most of my time and effort on my academic studies during my time at UWaterloo. 

Fashion, runway shows and models surrounded me during my two years volunteering at the L’Oreal Fashion week in Toronto. I loved every minute of being backstage because I was in the middle of glamourous chaos.

Six months, six sections, and 212 pages later, my poetry book, When He Leaves You, debuted as the #1 New Release in Canadian Poetry on Amazon.com. It was a long journey that I truly believe I wouldn’t have had the energy or hustle for without having completed my undergrad at UWaterloo.

Written by Leah Govia (BA '16)

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