Going into York, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what was headed my way. As a commuter, I anticipated an insular, purely academic and individualistic university experience—attending York just for my classes, learning what I needed to learn, and moving on without making any real connections.
To my delight, I found the opposite to be true. Within my first few weeks at York, I came to the realization that attending university is not an individual pursuit. Rather, it is about being part of a network of people brought together by a common passion for learning about the world around them. I further recognized that the more I would be able to connect to the people around me—this network—the more rewarding my experience would be.
This past semester, I made an active effort to do just that. I had the privilege of serving as my chemistry class representative—liaising between the class and professor and leading study groups. I also joined a number of student clubs, including one in which York students visit the elderly and sick children in the community and brighten up their days with music. Furthermore, I have had the opportunity to connect with some of the current as well as future Schulich leaders at York, and we have discussed ways in which we can get more involved on campus in the coming years.
Working together with like-minded people and getting involved at York have provided me with the opportunity to meet some of the incredibly talented students at York, have shown me how much my university truly has to offer, and have profoundly enhanced my university experience as a whole. I look forward to developing even more connections with those around me, further strengthening existing ones and getting even more involved at York over the next three years.