The opening scene for my second year at Western University seemed to pass mere moments before the credits. Eight months reeled on by to the soundtrack of pre-class chatter, laughter with friends, and the pitter-patter of students racing to their next class!

The classes that filled the scenes of my sophomore year included Biochemistry, Genetics, Cell Biology, Research Methods, Human Physiology, Organic Chemistry, Plant Biology, and Supervised Individual Research (via the Scholar’s Electives Program).  I really appreciated the increasing specificity of my classes, and especially enjoyed the opportunity to pursue hands-on bioanthropological research with my Scholar’s Electives mentor! My love for physiology translated into my decision to pursue an Honors Specialization in Physiology and Pharmacology, a plot twist that was unexpected but most definitely welcome!

Behind the scenes, I set up the screenplay for third year by increasing my extracurricular involvement. Come the clapboard for my junior year in university, I will take on the roles of a Founder and President of the Tri-Sci-Inspire Foundation (an initiative to encourage youth to pursue the Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, and Social Sciences), incoming Senior Editor-In-Chief of the Scholarly Scoop (a campus-wide magazine), Vice President of Events for Western’s Friends of MSF, Vice President of Marketing for Western Red Cross, and Vice President Internal for the Western Science Research Conference. I am super excited to further contribute to clubs that I am passionate about and organizations that molded campus into a setting I can consider home.

Post-production, I am back in my hometown volunteering and taking an online Statistics course. The contrast between the vivacious Technicolor of university life in the south versus the vibrant smooth silhouettes of the north always makes for an interesting montage!

Of course, none of the wonderful experiences I have had over the past two years could have been possible without the generous support of Mr. Schulich, the Seymour Schulich Foundation, and the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to cultivate my passions at such a supportive university!

Until the sequel!