What I would tell my first-year self

Celebrate the wins!

Hi, I’m Alex, and I’m a current 2A Accounting and Financial (AFM) student! A little background about myself, I love plants, reading, and am an avid coffee drinker. There are many lessons I wish I could have told my first-year self, but here’s my chance to share what I’d consider the most important one: Celebrate the wins!

First year is all about creating a new image of who you are. With every test, assignment, midterm, and exam, I grew my definition of what success looked like but often forgot to enjoy the milestones along the way. As a University of Waterloo student, your list of achievements will constantly grow, but remember to celebrate your progress before you set the bar higher for yourself!

The photo above was taken by my roommate the day after both of our final midterms. We decided to take a couple of hours out of our weekend to explore uptown, grab lunch and of course visit the llamas in Waterloo Park. Make a habit of creating fun memories attached to your successes and your future self will thank you!