Hello! I’m back for my second post. This one is about why I chose the Universsity of Waterloo (UW). I’m planning on publishing a variety of posts, such as school tips and experiences, restaurant, book, and movie reviews, recipes, dance-related things, and highlights of events that are taking place in my life. I’ll also do some personal posts just about life and various topics that I am interested in like nutrition, health and self care. The story behind why I chose the University of Waterloo is a bit complicated, with lots of unexpected turns. This goes to show how unexpected life can be sometimes, and why it’s important to go with the flow.
Anyway, let’s begin!
So, you may be asking…
Why I chose Waterloo
It’s actually quite funny. Waterloo wasn’t a choice for me until literally the last minute. My friend had been talking about the school non-stop and I paid no attention for the longest time.
Where did I want to go, then?
I wanted to be a fashion designer for ten years; naturally, then, I would want to go to Ryerson, the only place in Canada to offer an undergraduate degree in fashion design. I was all set to go there; after a campus tour, owning all the brochures, looking at the program’s classes…it was the right place for me.
This was the dream until grade ten started. I hate to say it, but money became an issue for me. One important thing for me as I look into career paths I might follow is monetary security. It’s hard to live right now with all of the price inflations, and even worse for a student just coming out of post-secondary schooling. Fashion design is heavily freelancing. At least if you want to actually create your own styles. Otherwise you’ll likely be working for someone else, making what they want when they want it. That’s not something I wished to be doing, and really, unless you’re a super famous designer you’re not making a whole lot of money.
Changing Directions
This is where dreams started to change for me. Grade ten and eleven were the years I really started taking an interest in nutrition. I had to do an assignment in grade 10 Careers class where I interviewed a family member about their career. Coincidentally, my grandmother was a dietitian for years. Interviewing her inspired me to study in the field of nutrition; I already look up recipes in my free time and cook for hours, so it seemed like a perfect career for me. The University of Guelph was my top choice. To become a registered dietitian you have to complete an accredited bachelor’s degree; there are only four programs in Ontario.
Not too long after this, my passion for environmental protection started to bloom. Sure, I always cared about the environment, but as I become more aware of the issues going on in our world I became very passionate about environmental advocacy. I joined the environmental club at my school, signed up for several newsletters from environmental protection organizations, and I also started looking into university programs that fit my newfound passion.
My top choice was Trent University for a few months. I was still interested in studying nutrition at Guelph, but they also had a good environmental program there. Other schools that interested me were McMaster, Queens, Dalhousie and McGill. Univesity of Waterloo, who?
Grade 12: Decision time
Grade 12 began and I was conflicted about what to do: nutrition of environment? Guelph or Trent? I was leaning more towards Trent by the time the Ontario University Fair rolled into Toronto and I went for a school trip. I spoke to one of the professors there for a long time and was deeply inspired by his work. I remember clearly walking past the huge colourful Waterloo booth at the fair, not even giving it a second glance. It was October and applications for university started in November.
By the end of October, my friend that I mentioned earlier was obsessed with Waterloo’s Life Science program. He kept telling me to look into the school, that I would love it as much as him and we could be study buddies during our first year. Despite all of his pestering I didn’t budge. I was still focused on Trent, but something deep in my gut was telling me that this decision may not be right for me. This feeling made me very confused and worried for my future.
Finding my program…by accident
One day at lunch I was talking to another friend who was interested in Waterloo for business. She was telling me more about the school and actually had one of the brochures with her from the university fair. She showed it to me, and with a shrug I decided to skim through it. What I saw did in fact interest me. That night I decided to go on the university’s website to research more about it; it was there that I found my program: Environment, Resource and Sustainability.
Things happened really fast after that. I spent hours researching the school; within a week I was visiting the campus for the open house. Emails were being sent back and forth between staff at the school and myself. The school seemed perfect for me, how could I have overlooked it for so long? With only two weeks between when I had to apply and when I actually opened that brochure for the first time, the University of Waterloo became my dream school.
You may be asking what is it about Waterloo that I love so much. Honestly, before researching the school I didn’t know much about it. I thought it was just an Engineering/Computer Science/Mathematics kind of school. It’s not. It’s so much more than that.
The main attractions
Here is what attracted me to the school:
The amazing Co-op program.
It’s the largest co-op program at a university in the world! Co-op is a great way to earn job experience and give yourself a competitive edge upon graduating. Also, it allows you to try out different careers to find what you really enjoy. You can network and even be offered a job once your work terms are finished.
The freedom I have to personalize my program.
In ERS, I can really take the program wherever I want. There are of course compulsory credits that must be earned, but there really is a lot of freedom when choosing courses. Because of this, I am able to pursue a minor in nutrition!
The school’s campus-wide efforts for environmental sustainability.
There is a water bottle recycling program, on-campus composting, gardens on the grounds that provide food for the cafeterias and so much more. ENV3, the building where most of my classes will take place, is one of few LEED certified buildings in Canada. It has a green wall made of living plants, plenty of windows and skylights so little energy is wasted lighting the building, and the water in the toilets is recycled from collected groundwater just outside the building!
There are small communities within the larger campus to make you feel more at home in the school.
The residence building I will be staying at, St. Paul’s, has a “live-learning community” where you can build relationships with people of like-mindedness and be guided by a Peer Leader. I will be a part of the Environment Live Learning Community, so I will be surrounded by people that are just as passionate about the environment as I am.
The welcoming feel of the university.
You know when you go somewhere for the first time and you think “yeah, I can totally see myself living/being here”? That feeling hit me right away at the campus. Everyone is so welcoming and helpful. The faculty went out of their way numerous times to help me with various concerns I had. The University of Waterloo is a school that cares about the students, not just their money. They encourage students to try new things, to not be afraid of getting out their and making a change. The school even has several support systems for entrepreneurs looking to start a business or make a change on campus.
There are so many more reasons why I chose the University of Waterloo.
For the first time I am excited to go back to school this Fall (I’m one who dreads it usually, despite loving to learn). There are so many opportunities that await me at Waterloo, and I can’t wait to see how much I grow from all of the experiences I will have there!
How did your experience with choosing the right school go for you? If you have any questions or comments about the University of Waterloo or university selection processes, let me know in the comments below!
Until next time.
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