Nickie Senthil Kumar, a second-year Honours Environment, Resources and Sustainability (ERS) student with a minor in Legal Studies at the University of Waterloo, shares a glimpse of her first work term.
My first co-op term:
Over the past eight months, I had the opportunity to work as the Social Media Campaign Coordinator for Cooperative and Experiential Education (CEE) at the University of Waterloo. During my time at CEE, I had the chance to launch a brand-new campaign called #MyCoopExperience (actually, the blog you are reading right now is part of that).
This campaign gave me the chance to conduct student interviews from different faculties, write stories about student's experiences and schedule Instagram Takeovers.
Over the past eight months, I had the opportunity to work as the Social Media Campaign Coordinator for Cooperative and Experiential Education (CEE) at the University of Waterloo. During my time at CEE, I had the chance to launch a brand-new campaign called #MyCoopExperience (actually, the blog you are reading right now is part of that). This campaign gave me the chance to conduct student interviews from different faculties, write stories about student's experiences and schedule Instagram Takeovers.
My Responsibilities:
When starting the interview process at the beginning of the term, I was extremely nervous because it was my first time conducting interviews.
After a couple of interviews, I realized I could relate to many of their experiences and feelings as I am a co-op student just like them! This allowed further conversation and was a rewarding learning experience for me.
I also had the opportunity to talk to several faculty relations managers who would connect me to students in different programs within their faculty.
I would ask students about their job search process, any co-op highlights, their experience working from home and any tips or advice for incoming first-year students.
Keeping your well-being in check:
During your work term, you may be burnt out and drained. Which is okay. Don’t be hard on yourself. Instead, try to accept the fact that you are growing and be proud of your growth. Co-op can be a stressful and challenging journey at times, but I think it is equally as important to keep your mental health and well-being in check.
Something I like to do during my free time is dance. I’ve been dancing since I was five and my passion and love for dance continues to grow. Try to find a hobby or do something that makes you happy, whether it’s going for a walk, cooking, reading/writing or playing a sport. Not only are you doing something healthy for your mind and soul, but it will also help you have a balanced life!
A piece of advice for co-op students:
What's Next?
I loved working for an educational institution, and it has always been my dream to work for a schooling system. I now want to apply the knowledge I have gained and work for organizations and the government. My goal is to contribute to an education system and work somewhere where I am constantly inspired and inspiring others!
