choosing my major | advice for students | Leo's Top 10 | about Leo | spirituality
Communications Student Perspective:
>In my first year of university, I struggled to find my key area of study. I took a scattering of introductory courses from every faculty.
I wanted to find the perfect area of study, one where I would love the coursework and the job opportunities. I desired to be defined for my expertise in my chosen field.
>I looked at areas I was interested in, I looked for something that was important to how the world works. I eventually discovered and chose to specialize in Communication. I found a goal I was happy with. I found a future in my field of expertise.
>Communication is fun. If you're considering it, you'd love it. You learn about why people think in certain ways.
You find who you are when no one else tells you, who you are when you don't listen to tv, movies, radio, parents, friends, traditions, patriotism, etc. You unravel 'common-sense' and find a fresher take on life goals.
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Advice for Students:
>In your first year of college or university, don't take educational goals too seriously. Try a bit of everything, because you may change your goals. The goal you had coming into university may change after you consider career paths and personal happiness/satisfaction with the field.
>Be sure to make friends because they'll be in the same courses with you for years to come.
>Top 10 things to do:
- Travel with friends (hike, row, bike).
- Join clubs.
- Join sports teams (intramural or against other schools).
- Write for a publication (school newspaper, faculty newsletter, website).
- Create a website.
- Get a co-op job or internship out of town.
- Volunteer somewhere you feel needed.
- Work where your skills are needed and appreciated (not fast food or retail).
- Run your career dreams by a graduate student.
- Become friends with a teacher/counsellor.
>Top 7 things NOT to do:
- Never follow the crowd. You'll never be noticed when you are the same as everyone else.
- Never fall to peer pressure. Years from now, you may be remembered for the one time you chose to be irresponsible.
- Never badmouth. You never know when someone will remember your badmouthing and bite you back.
- On the Internet, never write something you don't believe. Once it's on the internet, it's everywhere, and it's forever.
- On e-mail, never write when full of emotion. Again, you can't take it back, and it's forever.
- Never do something you have to rationalize. If you have to find an excuse, you know it isn't right.
- Never do something you wouldn't want your kids to emulate.
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About Leo:
>I could run a project for a year, and feel great about helping people in that year. At the end of the project, I can feel as if I had never even started.
I'm a person that was always looking for another goal, another set of future plans -- plans that would last longer than a year, or even five years. Oh no, these would plans would be much longer. I longed to carry out plans made specifically for me, plans that only I would be able to uniquely accomplish. These plans would be perfect.
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Leo talks about when plans are not enough...
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