Life Before HBA: It's Not That Deep

Business school has a language of its own. Coffee chats, case competitions, recruiting timelines – some students seem to show up already speaking it fluently. For Karen Liang, an Ivey HBA ‘27 candidate studying Health Sciences, life before HBA was learning that language in real time, without letting it define her sense of self.

You’re Not Behind, You’re Just New

Coming to Western from Winnipeg, Karen was immediately struck by how different the environment felt. “I think that was super surprising,” she reflected. Many of her peers already seemed comfortable navigating business culture, from LinkedIn outreach to competitive case teams. “No one actually prepares you for that.”

Her advice is simple: not knowing the rules doesn’t mean you’re behind; it usually just means you haven’t been exposed to them yet. Most of what students learn about recruiting and business culture comes through observation, conversation, and experience. Karen’s advice is to get involved in the community. “There’s not going to be a moment where you feel ready unless you just do it.”

Learning Through People

Clubs such as Western Environmental Business gave Karen a low-pressure way to step into the business world. By putting herself in environments (pun intended!) where learning happened naturally, she picked up the language of recruiting and professional development.

In fact, much of Karen’s exposure to business came through other students. “A lot of the knowledge you get is literally just through talking to other people,” she said. “People are actually really nice when it comes to sharing resources.”

One Course Doesn’t Define You

Karen entered AEO with her focus firmly on Health Sciences. Success came from staying organized and consistent with the heavy workload and material. “The challenge is being able to memorize all of it.”

But that predictability was thrust into question as soon as Karen stepped foot into Somerville House. “[Business 2257] was a lot more fast-paced than I expected,” she said. The accounting-heavy content was unfamiliar, and the course demanded constant engagement through cases and class participation.

Reflecting on the course that took her out of her comfort zone, Karen’s advice is that early struggles don’t predict long-term outcomes. “Even if you don’t do that well in one course, it doesn’t really define who you are,” she reflected. By the time she entered HBA, accounting no longer felt like an obstacle. “Accounting was actually my highest class this year.”

It’s Really Not That Deep

Looking back, Karen shrugs off the noise. “I really don’t think it’s that deep,” she said, highlighting the pressure to optimize every decision, secure that perfect internship, or move faster than peers. “Growth isn’t linear. You’re only in your first year once,” she emphasized. “You have all this time to learn and grow.”
When Karen transitioned to HBA, she felt more grounded than expected. Her Health Sciences background became an advantage, especially in cases involving healthcare or social impact. “When the case even touches on health, I find it so easy to contribute.”

To Karen, life before HBA isn’t about mastering the system as early as possible. Navigating new experiences authentically and at your own pace without losing yourself along the way is key. Because, at the end of the day: It’s not that deep!