The thing about the last year of high school is that it felt like it didn’t actually happen. At the ripe age of 17, we’re expected to make life-altering decisions while simultaneously worrying about having the perfect senior year. Truth be told, I was an indecisive person living through a year of decisions. I recall thinking, “It's October of senior year, I should have at least decided what my major will be by now. Right?” Yet, the sun continued to rise and set. The clock kept ticking and I was losing the privilege of figuring myself out. Unlike other children, the ocean didn't make me a marine biologist and dentist visits were just a reminder to brush my teeth. These experiences sparked interest but never enough to build my entire future around them.
When I began to approach others about my dilemma, I was always met with the basic response to follow my passions. However, it never sat right with me to follow just one, leaving all my other interests behind; until I came across the phrase, “A jack of all trades is a master of none.” Finding a lifelong career that was a perfect match became the goal, with countless hours of contemplation and research being carried out. Yet, I slowly began to realize that fulfilment could come from unconventional journeys and diverse experiences. As a result, I expanded my scope of possibilities by applying to a wide range of programs including math, computer science, and business.
Applying to Ivey? Well, that was a spontaneous decision. I simply wanted to understand the infatuation my peers had surrounding the Ivey Business School in which acceptance felt like an insurmountable task, A task so unachievable that many around me had accepted defeat before even trying. But to me, rejection was an answer while regret would be an eternal question I’d never have the answer to. I had to submit an application.
On the first morning of spring break, the pestering sounds of notifications echoing through my ear is what I awoke too. Among the messages read an email subject line: “Congratulations! Ivey AEO Offer.” The sheer shock took the breath from my lungs. I did it. I can’t believe I actually got in.
Over the next 24 hours, I pondered my decision. I came to realize that the words I once overlooked due to my own ignorance actually held significance. “A jack of all trades is a master of none, though oftentimes better than a master of one.” The idea of studying business suddenly became the obvious choice. Unlike other programs, business was a broad pathway that allowed for the exploration of other avenues during my years of study. There was not a singular route, but rather an opportunity to become a well-rounded, educated, and knowledgeable person in a variety of fields. To accomplish this and to truly epitomise myself as a jack of all trades, the choice was clear -- I had to choose Ivey.
Months have now passed, seasons have changed, a semester has been completed and a new year has begun. I’ve cheered and wept through the all-nighters and four hour exams. And yet the most jarring moment was when I walked into an enormous lecture hall and felt so insignificant. There was much I didn’t know and I was already so behind. How is that possible? It was the FIRST week! Yet, in the midst of my negativity, I had an epiphany. Instead of succumbing to the endless thoughts of self-doubt, I can approach these obstacles . Because, in reality, university felt a lot less challenging once I accepted that it was a privilege to learn and not a burden.
To the incoming students who’ll walk in my very shoes next year, it will be far too easy to be intimidated by the grandeur of it all. Transitioning from classrooms of 20 to lecture halls of hundreds and from an easygoing atmosphere to a competitively cutthroat environment, there is no doubt that university brings about immense change. Your acceptance was not sheer luck or coincidence, but rather a testament to your hard work and accomplishments. YOU. BELONG. HERE. So, do not fear the unknown. Welcome the change and discomfort in growing at your own pace. To excel at your specialty, master it all or none at all. After all, in my short time here, I’ve already mastered the art of embracing uncertainty and so can you.