There are moments and memories in life that you will never forget. Maybe that moment is the day you buy your first car, or maybe it’s the day you bring home your first puppy. For me, I’ll never forget the moment I entered my first MSc virtual classroom. Even as a 23-year-old Master’s level student, I felt like I was a child walking on the playground for the first time. On the first day you feel this unexplainable rush of emotion. For myself, it felt like it was a mix of excitement coupled with both uncertainty and ambition. Looking back, I believe many of my peers felt the same way. We were excited because finally we have made it to the start to our Ivey journey, a journey so highly praised and sought after. Although, all of us were curious to how the online environment would unfold. Would we get the same experience as other students before us? Would we experience and be impacted by “Zoom fatigue”? How would we make friends online? To put it simply, in the beginning the uncertainties are at an all-time high, but it does get better. To the future MSc students reading this, regardless of being online or offline, let me ease your nerves, you will have a phenomenal journey.
The Journey of a Thousand Miles
In the beginning, getting accustomed to all that is going on within the cohort seemed like a lot to wrap my head around. Between all the virtual socials, info sessions, and classes you find yourself bombarded with new information. But as the old adage goes; the journey of a thousand miles beings with the first step. To frame it in another way; do not be shy to jump right into it all.
My first priority was to get involved with extra-circulars activities. I found that exploring the club scene online was seamless and quite engaging. Chatting with club presidents over Zoom was not as intimidating as I initially sized it up to be. As you settle into the program, you slowly begin to find your feet. For myself, everything clicked when I decided to get involved in student governance.
I decided I wanted to become a “changemaker,” and to be instrumental in shaping the student experience. With some encouragement from friends, I ran for the Co-President of the Ivey MSc Association (MScA). I wanted to work on behalf of my peers because I want to create an environment that fosters collaboration and engagement—two principles that we need now more than ever. After an exciting and competitive campaign, I was entrusted by the MSc program and won the election. Transitioning into Co-President came with its own unique learning curve, but the support from my newfound friends and colleagues made the hard work and late nights all worthwhile. If you want to find yourself in a position where you are at the intersection of student advocacy and student engagement, then the MSc Association is the organization that brings it all together.
The MScA’s purpose is threefold; we promote the interests of all MSc students, we aggregate and manage the club system, and we host student events (I like to believe we host the best events on campus). On a personal note, our sense of purpose is centered around providing the utmost value for our constituents, oftentimes that is through the various support mechanism and engagement opportunities we provide. When students have a new club idea; they come to us for support. When students want answers from Program Services; they come to us for support. And, when the administration wants student feedback; they come to us for support. Working as a MScA Co-President has shown how we, as students, can have a positive impact on our student experience—with the only limitation being our imagination.
I can confidently say that one of the most rewarding experiences during my first semester of the MSc program has been working within the MScA. Being a part of such a dynamic organization allowed me to work with passionate, intelligent, and driven individuals who all come from different backgrounds. To put it into perspective, our CEMS Club Canada President is a native Neopolitan. Working in these collaborative environments has provided me with an experiential learning opportunity. It has, and continues to, allow me to extrapolate wisdom from my teammates in both a fun and professional manner.
I began this reflectional memoir with the understanding that this program is truly a journey of a thousand miles, and with each mile you surpass, the journey becomes all the more enjoyable. For those of you who are at the beginning of your journey, do not be scared to take steps out of your comfort zone. Have an open mindset and get involved! During your time at Ivey there will be plentiful opportunities for you to excel. On your journey, friends will be made, laughs will be had, and at times pain will be felt. It will not be an easy thousand miles, but nonetheless, it will be a rewarding thousand-mile journey.