When choosing a university it was important for me to do something new. Having travelled a lot and I didn’t want to attend a school that my family members had been to. I was, and still kind of am, shy but I have tried to push myself to be more extroverted. Doing dance, choir, wearing whatever I want. I really wanted to be somewhere where I knew no one and no one knew me.
MY JOURNEY TO BISHOP’S
With these requirements I looked for schools in Canada. I was open to going anywhere, but I didn’t feel ready to study abroad. It would have been hard to be away from everybody. So, staying within Canada meant I could go back home to visit.
I was definitely judging books by their covers. I wanted to go to a school that felt like a university right out of a movie. A school with history filled with people having fun. I clicked through different schools and I found Bishop’s. It was a school I had never heard of, so my family had definitely never been there, and it was beautiful with “movie-ready” looks. These were not the only reasons I chose Bishop’s. I went onto the school website and read about their programs, the things to do around campus, the gym, the brand-new library. It all felt right.
EXCITEMENT OVER STATUS
I returned to Bishop’s this year after taking time off from school. I am happy I made the choice I did the first time around. My first tip is to not just choose a school based on superficial things or even the programs it has, but because you feel excited and hopeful at the thought of being there. I am someone who loves learning, but no amount of love for learning will help when you are struggling. I had a hard time my first year here and the thing that kept me engaged and going to class was how excited my professors made me feel to learn.
PASSIONATE TEACHERS
My second tip is to look into the professors. Bishop’s has had some of my favorite teachers throughout my entire schooling. The experience that I had in some of my classes was a big reason why I chose to return to Bishop’s. When I felt stressed, my teachers’ enthusiasm shone through and made me feel relaxed. They made me excited to attend class. The fact I can actually remember the material I learned years ago because I had fun and it had a genuine impact on my life and the way I think. I took a music class my first year and it was a point of happiness when I was having a really hard time. I am in the music program today because of that class.
Even before I chose to officially pursue music, the tour guide on my first day at Bishop’s spoke about how he was enrolled in the science program, attended a music class one day and now minored in music as well as another program. I once again had that feeling that it all felt right. I was in criminology, but I was passionate about music. Because of the school’s openness to allowing students to pursue multiple degrees, I would be able to take music without feeling like I was disappointing my mother.
DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY
My final tip is to do whatever you want to do. Caring about what my family thought and worrying about choosing something that could lead me to a conventional career almost destroyed me. The pressure of having to find an apartment, roommates, worrying about making friends and doing well at school made my first year really difficult. I have now chosen a program that makes me happy and excited and I am doing well mentally and in school.
Learning at a higher level doesn’t mean letting go of your passions. Learning is supposed to be fun, so take the time to think about what brings you joy and pursue that. Everyone’s dream is to be excited to go to work. I know that re-attending Bishop’s has put me on the path to making that dream my reality and you can do the same.