Hi everybody! My name is David Sprague and I am one of the editors for the AEO to Ivey Blog this year. I am incredibly excited for what should be another fantastic year. We have lots planned for the blog so stay tuned! In the meantime, I wanted to introduce myself and share some of the important things I’ve learned during my time at Western.
My Background
I am a second year Mechatronics Engineering student pursuing a dual degree at Ivey. After graduating, my hope is to become involved in the development and management of artificial intelligence or autonomous vehicles. Outside of the tech world, you can find me engaging in lots of different activities. Whether it’s going to the gym, watching football or strumming a guitar, I always like to keep moving.
First Year
Regardless of when your first year was, or if it has yet to come, one thing that remains unanimous is how intimidating it can be. Coming into engineering, I was concerned if I could manage the work or if I would even like it. I am fortunate that engineering ultimately became a passion of mine. Yet, students applying for post-secondary education often feel lost because they’ve never actually experienced their prospective programs. If you’re one of these students, don’t feel intimidated, because I was one of them too. My best piece of advice is to trust in your experiences. Trust in the things you have chosen to pursue, and trust in the things you have eliminated. Your first instinct is often the one that is right.
The Big Picture
For me, first year validated the importance of planning and organization. Initially, I was caught off guard by the pace of a university schedule. However, what I learned was that any schedule could be balanced if you see the big picture and plan ahead. You’ll often hear parents, professors and mentors throw around the words “time management”. These two words are the pinnacle of what university teaches students. So another piece of advice that will aid your entire academic career is to plan early, manage your time, and divide large tasks over several days. The quicker you can implement these ideas, the better your university experience will be.
All for Now
Thank you for taking the time to read this post! I hope everyone has a great start to the fall. If you are in the process of applying for university and are interested in Ivey, keep in touch with the AEO to Ivey Blog this year to receive great insight and advice.