The trip to Asia I took between first and second year sparked my interest to see the world and experience different cultures first-hand. I certainly didn’t feel that way when I landed in Hong Kong in error and realized that my luggage was as lost as I was.
Transitioning into first year of AFM studies is similar in many ways:
1) you feel a bit lost,
2) you’re unsure of what the expectations for you are, and
3) you have to level-up your skills in a hurry.
Luckily, in first year we have upper-year students, professors, and SAF staff who proactively engage with us to support our transition to university studies. Our courses, along with the extra- and co-curricular opportunities, like student clubs and competitions, challenges us to analyze problems thoroughly to come up with solutions so that we can act with confidence to implement.
Ending up in the wrong country, losing my luggage and almost missing my transfer to Osaka required that I leverage all the adaptive skills I learned in Year 1 to remain calm and problem-solve my way to Tokyo to meet up with my classmates. The experience challenged my communication and problem-solving skills while building my resiliency and confidence.
Travelling to Japan, South Korea, and China were great learning experiences and a fun memory that I can laugh about now. I’m hoping that the global perspectives that I gain through my travels will eventually translate to working with foreign clients across the globe.
Come see how the AFM program can shape who you become.