I set down my pencil after an arduous three-hour organic chemistry exam and forced out a sharp sigh of relief. With that, my second year of university was officially drawn to a close. Amidst the lively, celebratory chatter that echoed throughout the examination hall interjected by the loud shushing of TAs hurriedly tallying papers, it was so hard for me to believe that I was already halfway done my university degree. It felt like just yesterday that I was hauling an SUV-full of my belongings into my residence. As cliché as it sounds, time really does fly when you’re having fun!
All in all, second year was spectacular. All my experiential learning from first year taught me the art of balancing work and play, and this year I was much more accustomed to university life as a whole. I took on a rather heavy course load this semester; my courses included Physiology, Pharmacology, Organic Chemistry, Cell Biology, Genetics, and a Scholar’s Electives supervised individual research course in which I pursued genetics research under the mentorship of a faculty member. My classes kept me busy throughout the term, but were very relevant to my scientific interests and extremely rewarding overall.
I used to think that first year residence was where I would meet the most people; I could not have been more wrong. I became a member of Western’s Dragon boat team, with which I trained throughout the year and am paddling competitively with this summer. Through our countless rewarding practices, I met fantastic people and realized the value of determination, teamwork, and fitness. This year, I also continued my work with Western’s Red Cross club, of which I will be President next year. In the community, I volunteer extensively with the London Red Cross Youth Group as well as the London District Science and Technology Fair, through which we promote STEM to students of all ages. In addition, I assist younger students as a Leadership and Mentorship Program Peer Mentor, a Scholar’s Electives Connector, and a tutor. I am extremely passionate about my extracurricular endeavours, and look forward to continue pursuing them in the years to come.
I would like to thank Mr. Schulich, the Seymour Schulich Foundation, and the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto for making my university experience extraordinary. My time at Western so far has truly been incredible, and I am so excited for what’s to come.