Here are my reflections, offered to you as we all head into classes and workplaces and figure out how to be together again.

You aren’t the only one feeling awkward

We all have to navigate those little social moments that many of us took for granted before the pandemic. 

Should I shake hands? Oh no — I coughed! If I sit here, will they judge me for sitting too close to them? Aargh — I showed up late for work because I don’t know how to judge commuting time anymore! I can’t remember that person’s name. I have no idea who this person is with their mask on — and they’re talking to me.

(An interior monologue)

Take a deep breath and practice self-compassion

Self-compassion is taking the kindness and understanding that you’d show to a good friend and offering that same support to yourself. Remember that time you realized you forgot to bring a mask before almost entering a store? Self-compassion is thinking about what you’d tell a friend in that same situation as you head back to the car. Usually, we’re kinder to our friends than we are to ourselves.

Next time I sneeze — or do any other awkward social thing — I’m going to try using Dr. Kristin Neff’s work on self-compassion, mixing together the following ingredients.

Moving forward with kindness

As I make this next transition, my New Year’s resolution is to do it with kindness. Kindness to others and kindness to myself. We will all have different ways of responding to this next transition. Let’s be awkward — graciously awkward — together.

Remember, the Student Wellness Centre (SWC) is here to support your mental health and well-being, so don’t hesitate to connect with them if you need support.

(Thanks to Dr. Kristen Neff’s work, Self-Compassion: What it is what it does, and how it relates to mindfulness.)

Resilience, to me, means staying true to your feelings and working with them accordingly. It’s about having a strategy to complete tasks that is unique to you and works to your best potential. It can take the form of approaching situations with your feelings in mind, as well as how you “bounce back” from stressful situations happening in your life.

Describe a time when you had to demonstrate resilience to deal with a difficult situation or overcome a challenge. What did you learn from that experience?

Resilience can be a tricky concept to fully understand — especially when you tend to doubt yourself. I can relate to that. I feel like, sometimes, I have been too harsh on myself and made situations much harder than they should have been due to feelings of low self-esteem and doubt.

Recently, I felt totally overwhelmed by my schoolwork load and personal responsibilities. This caused me to stress out and want to shut down from all the tasks that were still lingering on my to-do list. However, I demonstrated resilience through accepting the situation. I couldn’t change it at the moment, and the best thing I could do is work through the tasks causing me stress one by one while balancing work periods and breaks accordingly. Not only was I motivated to stay productive because I knew that I could do something that I enjoy on my break, but I was also keeping a positive attitude by keeping a healthy balance of things that are extremely important to me.

What would you tell other students experiencing similar situations?

Take a deep breath and try to relax for at least a small section of your day. This can be for five minutes, an hour or even more! You know what your body needs most! During this break, take some time to unplug from what is stressing you and instead do something that brings you joy and peace. This time is for you and only you. Other things can wait.

How does resilience play a role in your daily life? Are there certain habits or actions, big or small, that help you feel more resilient and optimistic?

The main thing that I do to stay resilient is writing my tasks down in an agenda but staying real with myself with how much mental and physical capacity I have to complete them. Through staying realistic, I can plan smaller tasks that I know I can accomplish. This contributes to resilience because I’m considering my mental health and doing things I know will make me feel empowered when they are completed in the end.

Also, I tell myself that, up until the present moment, things have always worked out one way or another. While it seems a bit cheesy, I think that everything really does happen for a reason. It’s a matter of perspective!

About Zuzanna

Zuzanna is a third-year Social Sciences student who volunteers with the Student Success Centre as a peer leader. Some of her likes include hiking, volunteering and running.

To me, resilience means never giving up. Not giving up when things get hard, when other people say you can’t do it or when you begin to doubt yourself. It’s about repeatedly getting up after falling and trying again and again until you succeed.

Describe a time when you had to demonstrate resilience to deal with a difficult situation or overcome a challenge. What did you learn from that experience?

Toward the end of the first semester of my first year, when most students begin to think about what they want to specialize in for second year, I realized that none of the pathways I previously imagined for myself seemed to fit with where I was at the time. Despite being in the Life Sciences program, I absolutely hated chemistry, couldn’t seem to figure out physics, didn’t feel any passion for biology and didn’t really like studying parts of the brain in psychology. This pretty much ruled out all the science programs that I could think of, and I was in a pickle.

So, I decided to take a leap of faith, enrolling myself in two first-year anthropology courses as electives. I ended up falling in love with the subject, so I transferred into the program.

This change also led to a new dilemma. What does one do with an anthropology degree? So, I visited the Student Success Centre and chatted with one of the career counsellors, who told me a story about how one of their previous students studied philosophy but ended up working in a bank and now has a successful career. This inspired me and gave me the idea that my degree would not limit my options and that I shouldn’t give up searching for a career path that suits me.

I took the SOCSCI 2EL0 course, started applying for internships in anything that remotely interested me, had a few interviews and ended up with a 12-month internship in financial services. Despite knowing absolutely nothing about the financial services, I had supervisors and colleagues there to teach and help me along the way.

If I had given up in my first year or when I was confused about future careers, then I would not be where I am today.

What would you tell other students experiencing similar situations?

Sometimes, the program or career path you initially imagined for yourself just isn’t meant to be, but that doesn’t mean you should give up. It’s the same with clubs or extracurriculars you may want to get involved in. Even if you don’t get accepted the first time, if you really want to be involved, keep trying! But also keep your mind open for other opportunities. There is definitely something out there for you — you just haven’t found it yet!

It’s also perfectly okay to change your mind, have no clue what you are doing or stray from your initial plans. Despite being in my fourth and last year of university, I am still not 100% sure what the future has in store for me. But I’m excited to find out.

There have been many changes during the pandemic. The return to campus will be another one. What’s one way that you’ve managed change that you’ll use next term?

I manage change by being positive and thinking about the good instead of the bad. For instance, due to the pandemic, my entire internship was remote, and I wasn’t able to really get to know many of my coworkers. But it did save me a lot of commuting time and gas money, and it allowed me to continue taking courses on a part-time basis online. Without this situation, I wouldn’t be graduating in the upcoming spring and would likely have another year of school.

So, even though returning to campus will be another change, focus on connecting again with friends and meeting new people. Get excited about livelier lecture and tutorial discussions, in-person clubs, events and formals, and many other benefits!

I also got a kitten during the pandemic, so I guess I managed change by adding more changes. But I have to say it has been extremely nice to have a cuddle buddy to de-stress with.

About Ashley

Ashley is a fourth-year Anthropology student who volunteers with the Student Success Centre as a peer leader. Some of her likes include reading, travelling and food.

Let’s start the conversation

Take the Student Success Quiz to check in with yourself

How are you feeling? What areas of your life as a student do you want to improve or address? Take the Student Success Quiz to get started. Then, you’ll receive tips and resources based on your results. Keep reading on this page for ways to build more resilience in your daily life.

Check out the Bounce podcast for resilience stories

If resilience is an important topic to you, we recommend checking out the Okanagan Committee’s Bounce podcast for diverse, real stories told by McMaster faculty and alumni about their experiences as students, with a vision to build campus-wide resilience. You’re not alone.

It’s not too late to improve

Dealing with academic setbacks

Developing your academic skills can help you get back on track. Plus, it can help you think ahead so you can take on that test, essay or group project with more confidence. Keep reading to discover skill-specific resources and tips to help you succeed.

Dealing with career pressures and managing work

When it comes to your career and professional life, know that you don’t have to have everything figured out. It’s okay to change your mind, no matter where you are in your career journey. The fact is, being open to new and unexpected opportunities is an important part of the career planning process. This is a crucial component in the Planned Happenstance theory, as developed by John Krumboltz, Al Levin and Kathleen Mitchell.

Try the Career Planning Notebook to keep track of your options, progress and any changes that you might make in your developing career plan.

Let’s finish the sentence to create some motivating statements

It’s possible…

• To imagine and feel excited about my career options and plans
• To really understand my strengths, interests and priorities 
• To make a meaningful impact in my career
• To gain experiences and expand my skills and abilities

How would you finish the statement?

Think about it. Chances are, whatever comes to your mind first is particularly important or meaningful to you. Take a moment to write out your “it’s possible” statements and notice how they make you feel. A simple sentence can empower you to get excited about your career! Don’t let previous failures or setbacks prevent you from believing that it’s possible — because it is!

If you’re having trouble thinking of something, try these resources provided by the Canadian Career Development Foundation to help you get started.

Wondering how to turn possibilities into realities?

We’re here to help you explore your possibilities, develop plans and support you as you get excited about your career. Check out these recommendations from SSC career counsellors.

Need one-on-one guidance? No problem

Book an appointment with a career counsellor or someone from the larger careers and experience-building team to ask questions, explore options, make a plan, build resilience and overcome any barriers in your career journey. Check OSCARplus > Student Success Centre > Appointments > Careers for appointment types and availability.

If you identify as a member of an equity-deserving group or you have barriers to employment, try our Career Access Professional Services (CAPS).

Additionally, your career development doesn’t come with a map to outline your career path and direct you from point A (career planning) to point B (an established career).

How can you navigate your career journey with more confidence?

The Planned Happenstance model can help. It’s a career development theory that focuses on your attitudes and actions during the process. The theory founders, John Krumboltz, Al Levin and Kathleen Mitchell, describe it as “the view that you can create opportunities by taking action on your curiosity and on chance events. It is not just luck or being in the right place at the right time. It is a conscious, purposeful, and on-going process that will help you to build a more satisfying and fulfilling career.”

Planned Happenstance outlines five key traits to navigate your career:

1. Curiosity

Explore new opportunities and follow your interests by talking with people and learning new things. Create opportunities for chance events to occur by going to a networking event, chatting with a professional in your field of interest or trying out a new activity. Be curious about the opportunities and consider all the possibilities.

2. Persistence

Expect that there will be obstacles in your path. Stay persistent and surround yourself with supportive people who can help you overcome challenges. Throughout this process, you’re building grit and awareness of your strengths.

3. Flexibility

Keep an open mind and be flexible with changing attitudes and circumstances. It’s okay to change or adapt plans and create new plans!

4. Optimism

View new opportunities as attainable and assume that good things will happen. Focus on thoughts like “How can I do this?” instead of “I can’t do this because…” There’s value in every experience, paid or unpaid. Be confident and know how to explain the benefits of each experience.

5. Risk-taking

Expand your comfort zone to learn as much as possible. When faced with uncertainty, pause to evaluate what you need to feel more certain, but also recognize that everything has uncertainty to it. Try not to let the uncertainty stop you from taking action. This will help you create new opportunities and possibilities. Not taking action will guarantee no opportunities.

Career development is an ongoing process — what’s next?

After reviewing these key traits, how confident do you feel in your approach to career development? Do you need to work on a few in order to fully embrace Planned Happenstance?

Check out this activity to put everything into perspective so you can effectively navigate your career path. For more activities to support your career development, check out the Career Planning Essentials online course. For information on the course, visit our Career Decision-Making page.

As I was planning for my fifth year, I had trouble finding the right courses to fulfill a full workload. I was panicking and couldn’t find anything I liked or found to be meaningful towards my degree. By this time, I had already reached out to a professor who was doing research I was interested in. Luckily, she replied right in August, asking to meet and discuss the opportunity for my involvement in her work as well as an opportunity for a thesis project.

I was definitely not expecting it nor did I anticipate having to prepare a thesis project for the coming year. In September, I took on the challenge and really enjoyed it. My thesis was based on a topic that I was passionate about and so having to work under pressure was worth it all in the end.

2. Have you ever experienced a time when you felt there was a barrier in your way? How did you manage it?

In second-year, I was working part-time while also planning to pursue pharmacy. This process involved taking a full course load, completing the pre-requisites and juggling everything else in between. I made the mistake of taking a full course load and specifically the heavy sciences all at once while working a job.

For someone like me, financial situations were not always easy, and I couldn’t find individuals that could relate to the challenges I was facing initially. It was very hard to cope. I saw the disadvantage I was at, while some of my peers experienced privileges that I did not have. I overcame this by realizing everyone works at their own pace. It was okay if I could not take full course loads and was busier with other things in contrast to others. It was hard at first because in high school I was the overachiever that was doing many things all at once. Instead of doing it all in the fall/winter terms, I decided to take summer classes and found balance. I accepted that if I had to take a fifth year then so be it.

Ultimately, I just want to give my 100% and do the best I can. And even now, this has changed me and allowed me to reflect on whether I am going at my own pace and doing things according to the time that’s best for me.

3. What are you curious about?

I am curious about what would happen if I completed a different degree. In Life Sci, I always found myself steering away from the heavy sciences and found more interest in Social Sciences. I sometimes wonder what would happen if I just took a different path and how that would change me.

Another thing I wonder about is how to give back to my home community in Toronto.

4. What are some of the changes or risks you have taken that you are glad you took? Why?

Switching my career path was a risk I am glad I took. For the first four years of undergrad, I wanted to do pharmacy – even in my courses and extra-curriculars, everything had to do with pharmacy.

At the end of my fourth year, I realized I did not want to do this anymore. My original goal was to be stable financially, which is why I worked in pharmacy; however, when I took the experience, I realized this was a field that I would not be happy in. I realized that if I am going to do something, I might as well do something I love and will be happy doing for the rest of my life. Although I do not have it all figured out right now, I am willing to take all the opportunities I can get to grow, learn and explore my options.

5. What do you find most exciting when you think of your future?

I am excited about the thought that my life career could steer into any direction at this point and even though I do not have a solid idea right now, the unknown excites me. For once in my life, I do not have a detailed plan. I have time to think, reflect and decide on what I want to indulge in for the future while spontaneously living life one day at a time.

6. We all have uncertainties about our future. What is your tip or trick for handling the unknown?

You have to be really honest with yourself! A lot of people do not like to think about “what if?” Be honest about your interests and capabilities. It does not have to be one path. Take advantage of all you have and really open up the conversation about not having it all figured out.

Many people do not want to think about the possibility of not getting the acceptance they want or having their goals achieved, but it’s better to come to terms with it now than later. I can’t stress enough how it’s okay to not know what you want to do for the rest of your life. Exploring your options is very important.

About Barkhaa

Barkhaa is a fourth-year Faculty of Science student in Life Sciences.

Learn more about the Planned Happenstance Project.

Photo Credit: Grant Holt. Interviewed by: Fatima Kijera.

Coming from the Middle East, there was a huge cultural difference when I came to Canada. I went from not ever walking alone on the streets to living in residence alone.

I never thought about studying Science; in fact, I’ve wanted to become an astronaut ever since I was a child. I even applied and got accepted to the astrophysics program at the University of Waterloo, but I also applied to Life Sciences here at Mac because the program was diverse in its approach and it was something my parents wanted for me.

Getting accepted to Life Sci was a huge surprise for me, but even more so falling in love with the program. It is more than I had imagined. What makes it even more special is that I have never seen my mother as happy as she was when she found out I got accepted.

2. Have you ever experienced a time when you felt there was a barrier in your way? How did you manage it?

I came to Mac during the Winter semester and therefore missed Welcome Week. I felt like it was hard to get to know people on my own and because I did not have a balance between my academics and social life, my grades started getting really bad.

The language was never a barrier, but transitioning was difficult. The unfamiliar weather also played a role in making me uncomfortable. It became really hard to even communicate with my parents. In the end, I realized that cultural differences exist, but what we have to do is explore, meet people and find things that match our expectations. All I had to do was find people who were similar to me in a different environment. I was scared to interact with new people but came to find out the people around me were actually not as different as I thought. We were similar in many aspects, and things were not always as I perceived them to be.

3. What are you curious about?

I am curious about how I will survive when my loved ones are not around in this world. I’m also curious about what will happen when humans do not exist. I wonder what will be on the planet when we no longer are here.

4. What are some of the changes or risks you have taken that you are glad you took? Why?

In my second year, I took an English course. Once the class started, I realized the course was different from what I had previously learned in my classes in Saudi.

The class had cultural studies mixed with poetry. I wanted to challenge myself and see how I could grow from the experience. At first, it was hard to study for the course, but then when I started going to go to the professor’s office hours, I developed a new love for the course content. I learned about terms and critical thinking in the field. Honestly, it came to a point where I started learning and loving it even more than some of my Science courses.

5. What do you find most exciting when you think of your future?

The idea of having a big family one day makes me very excited. I can’t wait to be at a place in my life when I am successful in achieving my dreams and have all my loved ones around me.

Other than that, I don’t think a lot about what I will become in the future because the thought can be scary and intimidating. As of right now, I do not have a specific dream job, but I am excited about where my studies will take me.

I also still want to go to space at some point in my life, whether that’s in the far or near future.

6. We all have uncertainties about our future. What is your tip or trick for handling the unknown?

I try to focus on the present. Uncertainty scares me just like anyone else, but I try to do my best in living in the moment and doing things that matter the most, such as helping people, being kind and leaving a positive impact on other peoples’ lives.

I think if you want to accomplish something, keeping positive energy inside you is important. When you help people, it comes back to you, so being mindful of other people along the journey of life makes me comfortable and gives me hope about a good future. When things are hard, I believe karma will come around just when it’s needed, and in the end, it will work out. For this reason, I’m prepared for the future and whatever happens in between.

About Fabiha

Fabiha is a second year Faculty of Science student, studying Life Sciences.

Learn more about The Planned Happenstance Project.

Photo Credit: Grant Holt. Interviewed by: Fatima Kijera.

As a member of the first graduating class in the Human Behaviour program, I was disappointed to find out that my program does not offer independent research or thesis courses. As a newer program, things were not fully solidified in the program at the time that I enrolled; I was extremely disappointed to find out this was the case.

At first, I was a bit angry, but I realized one mishap should not define the experience I get for my undergraduate career. I realized that I can take the initiative to guide my education. So I sought research positions outside of McMaster and gained the knowledge and skills I think will be of great value to me in my future career.

2. Have you ever experienced a time when you felt there was a barrier in your way? How did you manage it?

When I first came to McMaster, my GPA took a blow and I was shut down. It was discouraging to see the decline in grades in contrast to the high 80s and 90s I was getting in high school.

After reflecting on my study methods and how I was grasping the information presented to me throughout my courses, I realized that the university curriculum is very different from that of high school and to succeed I must change a few of the habits I had coming in. I came back in second semester being my own competition and motivated more than ever to get myself back up from the slump I was in.

I felt like the testing methods were a barrier and that multiple-choice was not for me. I had to find new ways to understand information. I also noticed that typing was not the best way for me to grasp the information so I found a better way. I started taking handwritten notes, which worked in my advantage.

3. What are you curious about?

I’m curious about the significance of dreams. I find it interesting that we can be completely unconscious during dreams, but our brain is active. Also, I think sleep paralysis is pretty cool and I would love to explore and investigate the mechanisms behind it.

4. What are some of the changes or risks you have taken that you are glad you took? Why?

I auditioned for an acting role. I’m glad I took this risk because it reaffirmed what I was looking for to be right for me – acting sure wasn’t it! I did this because as an extroverted individual, I thought I should put my energy into something that was different from what I was used to.

5. What do you find most exciting when you think of your future?

I think my future is bright. I’m optimistic about the change and impact I could have. Ultimately, I would like to work for WHO one day; but truthfully, any chance I get to help people, I would be honoured to take. I just want a better future for not only myself but for the world.

6. We all have uncertainties about our future. What is your tip or trick for handling the unknown?

The fact that I can think about something and come to the conclusion myself means that I am capable of doing it. In a sense, I believe that anything you are brave enough to consider doing, you are in fact able to do. This is what keeps me going and motivated even in times when staying focused is hard.

About Olamide:

Olamide is a third-year Faculty of Social Sciences student, studying Psychology.

Learn more about The Planned Happenstance Project.

Photo Credit: Grant Holt. Interviewed by: Fatima Kijera.

I am managing a barrier right now because I am currently applying to grad schools for clinical psychology. A lot of schools want that honours psychology background, but I have a biochemistry background, so when I’m applying to grad schools, they are a little hesitant about taking a chance. It’s not something that I can address or fix because I can’t change my degree.

To work around this barrier, I am doing a second degree so that by the end of April I will have a BSc in Biochemistry and a BA in Psychology. It won’t be an honours degree, but it’s the most I can do for now. If I don’t get into a grad school and I’m still really interested in pursuing clinical psychology, then I’ll do more psychology courses.

2. What are you curious about?

I am curious about what is going to happen once I leave McMaster. Where will I end up? What will I study? Am I going to end up on the path that I want to? How many times is it still going to change? In my first year, I was interested in pursuing medical school, which is different than what I want to do now.

I also want to know how I can make an impact on the community and in the lives of kids. For example, through my volunteering position at the Children’s Aid Society, I have realized that I enjoy working with children. I am curious about how they process things and how they develop.

3. What was the process of switching from the medical school path to the one you’re on right now?

In my first year, I wanted to go to med school because my parents are doctors, so that was the profession that I knew. Growing up, I used to sit in my dad’s clinic while he checked patients and I was curious about what he was doing.

Later, I had to ask myself, “Do I want to be a doctor because I want to fit in or do I want to be a doctor because I want to treat people? To what capacity do I want to be involved in the diagnosis and the treatment?” When I was thinking about it, I wasn’t sure.

First and second year, I wrote the MCAT, but I didn’t really study for it. In third year, my parents told me to apply to med schools. I didn’t want to, so I chose to wait for another year. In fourth year, I got very indecisive about what I wanted to do. So I told my parents I wasn’t going to apply to med school and I ended up applying to nursing and public health instead. I felt that these programs would give me time to think about what I wanted to do.

I didn’t get in and I got waitlisted at a couple of schools.

I’ve always been the friend who listens when others need me. I find people can confide in me and I feel proud that I can be that person for others. I also enjoy it. So when I got the opportunity to talk to a psychotherapist, I was really interested in the work she was doing and I asked her about her career path. Then I did some research on my own and talked to more people.

After that experience, I told my parents that I was really interested in this profession. They’ve been very supportive.

4. Reflecting back on your career journey, are there any patterns in your interests that have led you to where you are right now?

I think I’ve always been interested in psychology, but I never took a chance on it because in first year, I had only taken one psychology course. At the time I had to decide my program, I talked to my parents and told them that I want to apply to PNB as my first choice. They asked, “Why? How many psychology courses have you taken?” After talking, my parents suggested that since I had only taken one course, it wouldn’t give me a full sense of the field of practice to decide whether I wanted to go into it.

I decided to place biochemistry as my first choice, PNB as my second, and molecular biology as my third. I got into the biochem program, so I never found out if I could have ever gotten into PNB. After that, I never really took any psych courses until my third year. After I graduated from my biochem degree and went through the process of researching a career path in clinical psychology, I took a few psych courses and realized how much I still enjoyed it. All the courses I’m taking this year are psych courses. I love it. Even though there are deadlines to worry about, I enjoy what I am studying.

5. Knowing what you know now, what would you tell your first year self?

Go with your gut. In first year, my gut told me to do psychology, but at the time I questioned myself. I learned that it’s important to make your own decisions, because at the end of the day, if it is a decision you made, you can blame yourself if it doesn’t work out. If someone else influenced your decision, you’ll always wonder, “What if they never said anything? Would I have made a different decision then?”

Also, if you don’t like something, change it. You don’t have to stick to what you started with. There are a lot of options. Now that I am applying to grad schools, I am not only emphasizing that I’m doing a degree in psychology, I am also trying to incorporate what I learned in biochemistry and do some research that involves both the topics, so I can use all the skills I have.

6. What are some of the changes/risks you have taken that you are glad you took? Why?

Changing programs and career paths was a risk. I think another risk I’ve taken is talking to profs. I’ve honestly emailed over a hundred profs from different schools and received tons of rejections saying that they don’t have enough space, I’m not qualified, or that they’re not interested in working with me. One time a prof actually told me I didn’t have the background or qualifications. That was the bluntest email I’ve received and I remember crying after reading it. But that’s the thing: if you don’t try, you’ll never know.

At the end of the day, you have to try. I know it’s so much easier to say than do because you get into that thought process… What if I don’t get in? What if I fail? What if no one accepts me? What if I never find anything? It’s just a loop. The thing is, these are all just “what ifs.” There’s a whole other side to them. What if you do get in? What if you get into the program you wanted to? You have to consider the other side, too.

The time I got that negative email from a prof, two hours after, I got an email from another prof about setting up a meeting to chat. What going through that experience has reminded me is that in that one moment, you might feel like it’s the end of the world, but if you wait, there might be someone else who wants to collaborate with you.

7. What do you find most exciting when you think about your future?

I am excited to really establish myself. I didn’t really enjoy high school. I felt isolated because I had just moved to Canada. When I got to university, I told myself that I would be the confident person I was back in India and I went out of my comfort zone. Over the years, I found my friends who have become family. Then things happened and the confidence I had in my opinions and decisions shrank; I became less confident in what I did.

I want this grad school experience to be my fresh start to establish myself as that confident person that I know I am. I don’t know where to find her right now, but I think in the short term, a change of space and environment is what I’m looking forward to the most.

In the long term, I am excited to work with kids, teens and adults. I’ve met people who have been through a lot. I’ve realized that all they want is somebody to talk to – I want to be that person. I know I can’t be that person for every single person on this planet, but if I can be that support for at least some, I would be happy.

About Ananya:

Ananya graduated from McMaster with a Bachelor of Science degree in Honours Biochemistry in June 2018. She is currently doing a second degree, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is expected to graduate in June 2019.

Learn more about The Planned Happenstance Project.

Photo Credit: Grant Holt. Interviewed by: Manveetha Muddaluru.