As a first-year economics and AEO student at Western, I wanted to share my perspective on choosing Ivey and going through the application process.
Choosing Ivey
For me, applying to university was an extremely exciting but also unbelievably nerve-wracking process. I was intimidated by making such a huge decision. I’ve always been passionate about business and knew I wanted to study something in this field, but I was unsure of where would be the right fit for me. What school would allow me to explore my passions and set me up for success in the future?
After attending the Ivey Summer Leadership Program and an Ivey High School Case Competition, I knew Western was the school for me. I knew from the case-based learning style to the classroom environment. I knew that Western and Ivey would be a place that fosters my innovative, entrepreneurial spirit. Ivey would give me the opportunity to explore my passions like creative writing in my first two years, then dive into business for the following two.
The Application
Knowing that Ivey was the place for me made writing the application all the more stressful. I had no idea what to focus on. One of my passions is social media. I also make crafts and DIY projects, and built a successful business around it, but was still unsure of whether or not to include such a huge aspect of my life. Even though I published a book and built my business from the ground up, I did not know if I would be taken seriously as a social media content creator. But, I did not listen to those who belittled my passion and embraced this in my application. I also included two other significant aspects of my life – being on the robotics team at my school (FIRST & MATE Robotics) and being a school prefect. I chose the activities I was most passionate about and made the largest commitment to, and I’m so glad I did.
Follow Your Passion
In the past, I’ve been asked when I was going to get serious and stop wasting my time. Making slime was not a waste of my time. Being creative and sharing my creativity brought and still brings me a lot of joy! Slime is fun and I’ve also learned so much from having my slime Instagram account. Surprisingly, things can be fun, serious, and not a waste of time. Sometimes people have this mindset that everything you do has to be this mindblowing thing that changes the world. Why can’t I create content that brings joy and relaxation? What’s wrong with a little creativity, in the form of slime? It’s not a traditional art form, but when I see the interesting sculptures people are mixing into slime, for example, it is clear that there’s creativity in slime. It’s experimenting with different formulations, it’s having fun! Talk about the things that you’re passionate about in your application, even if they’re a little unconventional; that is what makes you unique.
This was my personal story for choosing Ivey and how following my passions has led me to success. As a creative entrepreneur, I have found a school that would foster and appreciate this. Follow your passion. Embrace your creativity and what makes you happy. Most importantly, don’t let anyone stop you.