A Waterloo Engineering teaching stream professor delivered this year’s ...And One More Thing lecture to an audience of graduating students, imparting wisdom on how to tackle the real-world with humour, self-awareness and intelligent effort.
Andrea Atkins, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is the recipient of the Faculty of Engineering’s 2024 Boyce Family Teaching Award. Her advice to students? Fake it until you make it.
Fake it
Atkins clarified that for her; to fake it is not to act unethically or disingenuously, it’s about moving forward bravely when life's challenges get especially hard.
"Faking it is what I do when imposter syndrome rears its ugly head," Atkins said. "Faking it is telling those feelings of self-doubt that you are capable. It's about honouring your instincts for self-preservation and balancing that with confidence in yourself and your skills."
Until
Our lives are full of challenges that can derail our missions to make it. Atkins was clear that making it is not a given, it requires continuous effort — something fourth-year students are very familiar with.
Addressing the students in the room, Atkins said, “you’ve put in great effort to get here. Making it to 4B is a big achievement but this is just an ending to what is yet another beginning and that's why I would really like to encourage you to embrace the “until” periods of your life. Because, if you only live for the day that you make it, then all the days leading up to it are swallowed rather than celebrated. Do not lose sight of the small moments of joy on the path to making it.”
Make it
"What does making it mean to you?” Atkins asked.
Everyone has a different idea of how they plan to make it in life. It could be owning one’s own company or owning one’s own home, making lots of money or having a family, job security or the freedom to travel. These are all valid ways of making it in life. But as Atkins pointed out, our goals shift with time.
“Making it is not a singular destination,” Atkins said. “Once you leave this room, this school, this city and go out into the world, what you want out of life right now will change. And once you’ve made it at one thing, the next thing will show up beckoning you forward.”
With many of the students preparing to receive their Iron Rings as professional engineers, Atkins offered some final words of advice.
“Professional engineers have an ethical obligation to act with integrity and always put the public interest above all else. You don't have to be licensed or even plan to get licensed to behave ethically, to model integrity in your personal and professional life and maintain a personal commitment to the betterment of society in general. And herein lies the golden nugget of faking it — always hold yourself to the highest standard of ethical conduct. Choose integrity, even when it's hard. As Waterloo Engineers, we are here to improve the lives of others. And if you act accordingly, wherever you go, whatever you do, you will make it.”
The ...And One More Thing lecture is an annual event delivered to graduating students by the recipient of the Boyce Family Teaching Award.
Watch the full And One More Thing 2025 lecture by Andrea Atkins.
Waterloo Engineering assistant professor Andrea Atkins (left) with Alan Boyce at the And One More Thing 2025 lecture.