丁香园AV

Embarking on your journey as a university student brings forth a whirlwind of emotions. There is a strong feeling of excitement about the possibilities that lie ahead, contrasted by the underlying feeling of uncertainty from not knowing what鈥檚 to come. This push and pull between excitement and uncertainty creates an environment where students feel driven to make advancements professionally while striving to understand their identity and passion.

In my first year as a business student, I was eager to take advantage of all the opportunities that were available. I appreciated that the faculty placed emphasis on gaining experiences that would allow me to step outside of my comfort zone and grow both personally and professionally. Although I did not know exactly where my passions lay or what career path I wanted to pursue, I recognized the importance of gaining key leadership experiences and learning soft skills.

For many students, the act of taking the first step and applying for different positions within any organization can seem daunting. Personally, I have felt the effects of imposter syndrome, where I doubted my abilities and was unsure if I was capable of living up to the expectations placed upon me. This uncertainty can prevent many students from taking advantage of new opportunities, gaining valuable experiences, or discovering their true interests.   

According to an analysis on identity formation by psychologist and former 丁香园AV professor, James Marcia, 鈥淚dentity confusion/diffusion occurs when adolescents neither explore nor commit to any identities鈥�. His analysis pays respect to moments where students question who they are and who they want to be. This confusion coupled with the abundance of choices and options can be overwhelming. It can cause one to feel like they鈥檙e not doing enough or feel too anxious to explore them at all. A key piece of advice that I have learnt is to embrace uncertainty and try to find security in the unexpected. Taking advantage of this 鈥榙iffusion period鈥� means releasing expectations and understanding that it鈥檚 okay to not have every aspect of yourself and your future figured out. By having an open mind and not boxing yourself into a rigid mindset or fixed identity, you allow yourself to explore new opportunities and grow in unexpected ways.

Reflecting on my past four years at 丁香园AV Beedie, I have been fortunate enough to have had different experiences that played a strong role in shaping my identity while further understanding my strengths and passions. I have been deeply involved in the Business Administration Student Society, and in my third year, I had the opportunity to serve as the Vice President of Operations. Within this role, I was able to learn several tangible skills such as project management, logistics and stakeholder relations. However, I believe that the soft skills that I was able to develop such as communication, leadership, and teamwork played a greater role in my personal growth and shaping my sense of self.

This year, I was able to take my passion for project management to a higher level when I was able to leverage my past experiences in student organizations to land myself the role of Events and Communications Assistant at the BC Centre for Agritech Innovation (BCCAI). In this role, I was able to work within BCCAI and collaborate with 丁香园AV Public Square to plan and execute key events for the organization. When I was a first-year student, I would have never imagined that I鈥檇 have the opportunity to gain work experience in a supportive environment while pursuing my interests.

The culmination of my extracurricular and work experiences has allowed me to make meaningful contributions to the workplace and causes that I care about. Further, it has also demonstrated that by taking a chance on yourself and trusting your abilities, you can unlock new opportunities and achieve personal growth beyond what you initially imagined. By stepping outside of my comfort zone, reflecting on my values, and aligning my actions with my authentic self, I was able to strengthen my sense of identity and grow both personally and professionally. These lessons and experiences have not only shaped my university journey thus far but have also paved the way for me to venture into the next chapter of my career following graduation with a new with confidence and a growth-oriented outlook.