I was born a Warrior. For math alumni, it means in a sample size of 36 family members, 42% of my extended family and 100% of my immediate family are Waterloo alumni. For AHS alumni, it means I am unstoppable.
As a teenage rebel, I fought tooth and nail to go anywhere but UWaterloo. I was under the impression that you were defined by where you got your degree, not what you did with it. But alas, UWaterloo kinesiology boasted a first year cadaver lab and I was sold.
Like many Bachelor of Science graduates, I quickly realized life would be tough without a few more letters attached to my name. MD? PhD? MBA? Mrs.?? I decided to go to bed. B.Ed that is. Starting my string of controversial life choices, I chose to go to teacher’s college. Not because I loved children, not even because I wanted to be a teacher. But because I knew the skills I learned there would be transferrable and indispensable to whatever career I chose in the future.
Turns out having a teaching degree and a Canadian passport does wonders for the lost soul. I traveled the world to fulfil my duty as a living cliché: to find myself. I used my teaching skills to fund these adventures, along with the kindness of strangers and pure luck. A 500 word restriction limits my storytelling, but trust me, they’re good.
Which brings me to the present; after several years of traveling to war torn, poverty stricken and disaster affected countries, the social justice warrior in me decided to go back to school. I was inspired by my degrees in kinesiology and education and I applied to an online Masters of Public Health program, which gave me the freedom to continue traveling.
I was asked to give advice for future grads: When faced with a tough decision, ask yourself “Why not?” If the answer isn’t death or jail, go for it.