Blog

Presenting research virtually, taking online classes, and staying connected to SAF faculty – a student’s account of the last few weeks in the PhD Accounting program.

"With a month left to go in the winter term of my first year in the PhD Accounting program, we were told to pack up our offices and prepare to not be back on campus for a while… little did I know that I was about to experience one of the most challenging yet reflective times of my life."

Bonjour! Si vous parlez français, pouvez-vous faire ma déclaration de revenus?

To be honest, I wouldn’t have been able to understand half that sentence either if it weren’t for my co-op experience at Deloitte as a tax analyst…yes, a tax analyst.

When I was debating between two co-op job offers, one as a forensic accountant at a public accounting firm, and the other as a financial analyst at a software company, I met an industry professional at a networking event and had a great conversation with him that helped me decide.

In our first year, SAF placed us into small groups (four to six students) referred to as Crews which acts as a support system, providing each other with support regarding academics and personal growth. What are the dynamics of our Crew you ask?

The bond we built allowed us to motivate and push each other to be better. We want you guys to know that even the smallest get togethers or moments with your Crew can make a big difference when it matters.

Working in Crews has taught us so much, ranging from learning how to cohesively work together as one, to finding all the best places for Shawarma in town. On a more serious note, teamwork is one of the best attributes of the Crew system in the School of Accounting and Finance.

Your Crew is essentially your team for first-year. There’s four to six of you, and you get to share plenty of classes and other team-building experiences with one another. Working in Crews has made us comfortable sharing our ideas and opinions more openly, and it has made us more responsible. When you know someone is counting on you, you’re much more likely to put your best foot forward. Our Crew also keep us accountable.

We know you must be very nervous coming into university. It’s a challenging transition — but don’t worry, because you’ll meet awesome classmates and friends from your Crew.

Dear high school students, you might be scared of the prospect of university, so here are five lessons we learned that we wish we knew back when we were in your shoes.