I recently had the opportunity to return to DECA, however this time I wasn’t the nervous young girl scanning over performance indicators and stressing about Porter’s five forces – this time, I was on other side.
As a leader and volunteer at the DECA LDA Conference, I was able to see just how far I’d come since I last stood in that building as a DECA high school delegate. Some of this change had come from the natural wisdom we get from growing up – with every additional year I became smarter (or at least I like to think I did). I would say I owe most of my growth to the School of Accounting and Finance. In my time at the School, I have learned so much more than just technical content – I have learned how to push myself. Coming in, I had heard the rumours about “toxic, competitive culture” and how everyone was a snake but I soon learned that those rumours were so untrue. Everyone at the School is there to support each other while supporting themselves. First year students, upper year students, profs and admin are all there to make our university years more than just about balance sheets and income statements – they make it about genuine improvement and growth within everything we do.
You don’t really realize how much you have grown until you look back at the person you used to be. When I was at DECA LDA, talking about my experiences with SAF, I saw dozens of wide-eyed kids who reminded me of my 16-year-old self. From the energy in the room during DECA LDA, I just know some of those kids will be reaching for the stars alongside me next year.