Hi there, my name is Dani, and I am a second-year student in the Accounting and Finance Management (AFM) program. As an international student, the University of Waterloo was an unexpected choice for me but it has ended up being a wonderful decision. From being unfamiliar with the co-op program to diving right into this dynamic environment, my university journey has had its fair share of ups and downs.
I am naturally an introvert, so being exposed to many new things all at once was not a piece of cake. Fortunately, I received lots of help from my professors and especially from my academic advisor. Truth be told he probably got sick of me because of how often I visited his office but that’s a story for another time (I’m joking, of course).
Now a question you might have for me is “Dani, was leaving your home and family worth it?” And to that, my answer is yes, it has been about 95 per cent worth it (I would say 100 per cent but I still miss my family). Waterloo has exposed me to numerous opportunities, not only academic but also extracurricular. In first year, I got my first job ever as an ambassador and content creator for the Campus Housing team. If you told 17-year-old me that I would be creating content for my first job and having fun while doing so, I would have burst out laughing!
My final note is that as scary as change is (believe me, I know what I am talking about), it is sometimes necessary for you to grow as an individual and discover your true self.