“I like that Waterloo has an open campus. And I certainly like co-op. It feels different than just taking courses over four years and getting a degree. It can be difficult, but fun,” says Haolong. For his co-op terms, Haolong has worked in the asset management department of Hydro One as a junior analyst. Ever since his first co-op term with Hydro One, they have invited him to come back and work for every consecutive term, which is what Haolong has done.
Apart from co-op, one of Haolong’s strongest accomplishments is being an international student. Getting acquainted with Canada while studying and working here is quite an achievement. He has also worked as an assistant for the international English Language for Academic Studies (ELAS) program. There, he helped with program co-ordination. In addition to helping students learn English, Haolong has also participated in the Fall Open House days to talk to high school students who are interested in the math programs here at the University of Waterloo.
Haolong’s favourite professor at Waterloo is Diana Skrzydlo. “She is very close in age to the students, so she is easier to relate to. She also has a good teaching style and makes the material clear. And she has good writing. It’s important because a lot of professors do not have nice writing!” says Haolong. Haolong’s favourite place to study on campus is the Mathematics & Computing Building (MC) because there are lots of computer labs.
“The most valuable thing I learned at Waterloo is to manage my studies and courses,” says Haolong, “Gaining interpersonal skills with co-op has also been very valuable, and it gives you better references for jobs after you graduate.”