How did you decide to pursue a degree in SA? What interested you most about it?
I decided to pursue a degree in Sociology because Social Justice 12 piqued my interest in understanding the complex intersection of society. Sociology is engaging because understanding a phenomenon involves recognizing it from different perspectives, and using various sociological theories to interpret it is fascinating, though sometimes hard to comprehend because of the abstractness. 

What was your favourite SA course? Why?
I feel like I couldn't accurately remember all the SA courses I've taken, but SA 331: Politics of the Family with Dr. Amanda Watson was definitely one of my favourites. I loved learning different elements of family dynamics, which I hadn't thought about often before the course, and I enjoyed how relevant it is so everyone had something to contribute to the class discussions. 

What’s something you’re proud of accomplishing during your time at SFU?
University has a big learning curve. Compared to high school, you have to take on a lot more responsibilities for your own learning, and it's stressful, but it also gets easier as time goes on. I don’t think there is something I’m particularly proud of accomplishing during my time at SFU except just being able to graduate with a Sociology degree and an English minor. If someone had told me in my first year that I would take eight English courses voluntarily, I would have laughed.

What are your plans post graduation?
I just completed a podcasting training program, The Empathy Squad, recommended by a friend who is also an SFU Sociology alum. I loved the overall process, especially interviewing others to listen to their stories, a skill I learned in SA 356. I want to pursue further education to do something similar that would allow me to be creative and merge my interests in Sociology and English. 

I had a preconception that universities are terrifying. The freedom you get means you get to choose your courses, but you also have to make sure you meet the deadlines, make efforts to make friends because everyone has different schedules, and so on. Make use of the office hours. They are dedicated to students, and I think most professors are very supportive and are glad to chat. It might be nerve-wracking, but connecting with professors would help people feel more comfortable participating in class.