College is in the Past.

I recently graduated from Ahuntsic College, and I am grateful for the experience. However, I am now faced with an important decision that will greatly impact my future. I am torn between continuing my studies at university, taking a gap year to stand out from the crowd, or immediately entering the workforce.

Choice 1 : Take a Gap Year.

Choice 2 : Workforce.

Choice 3 : Attend University.

Take a Gap Year.

I believe that taking a gap year is the most effective way to truly learn about oneself. It is maddening that students are often overwhelmed by their academic responsibilities and miss out on the opportunity to discover their true identity. A gap year provides a much-needed break from the rigors of school and allows individuals to find themselves before it becomes too late. Personally, I am considering either volunteering abroad or embarking on a backpacking journey.

Choice 1 : Backpacking Journey.

Choice 2 : Volunteering Abroad.

Volunteering Abroad.

During my gap year, I decided to volunteer abroad. Volunteering abroad is an invaluable way to travel at a low cost, as agencies cover accommodations, food, and transportation fees. My main purpose was to visit new places and fully immerse myself in-depth in the local culture. I had two options in front of me: volunteering in childcare or volunteering in wildlife conservation.

Choice 1 : Childcare.

Choice 2 : Wildlife.

Attend University.

I believe that the past three years have been the most challenging academically in my entire life. Effective time management, perseverance and thoughtful work have been crucial to my success. It helped me pulled of straight A’s in most of my classes. This hard diligent work is now worthwhile because I have been accepted into three different universities. My mother has always emphasized the importance of having a degree, and I am grateful for the opportunity to attend either Montreal University for law or Sherbrooke University for psychology.

Choice 1 : University of Montreal.

Choice 2 : University of Sherbrooke.

Trip to Africa.

Congo did not go as well as I had planned. While the country itself was beautiful, my experience was marred by safety concerns. Despite enjoying a safari and learning new words and cooking techniques, the lack of safety made me feel insecure throughout the entire trip. Every night, I found myself praying alone in my room, wishing to return home as soon as possible. While the people were generally nice, as a solo female backpacker, I faced significant risks of kidnapping. I was also a victim of unwanted flirtation from strangers on the street multiple times. Every time I walked outside, I dreaded encountering a perpetrator and experiencing sexual harassment. Ultimately, this trip was the worst of my life and I ended up cutting it short, returning home after only three weeks.

Write a choice here.

Trip to Asia.

Asia is a whole other world, with its beautiful views, amazing culture, and variety of languages. However, my experience in Japan was not entirely pleasant as I unfortunately got food poisoning. It happened at the annual food festival, where everything looked so tasty and there were so many dishes I had never tried before. I got lost in the excitement and ended up trying 11 different dishes. The next day, I was bedridden all day, diagnosed with food poisoning from something I had eaten the day before. I'm not sure if it was the raw octopus, the grilled chicken seasoned with exotic spices, or the pig's paws that made me sick. All I know is that this otherwise promising trip turned into a dead-end journey.

Write a choice here.

Trip to Europe.

Europe is a fantastic destination, with a rich history and diverse cultures. However, my personal experiences in Italy was disappointing. During my visit, I encountered instances of racism from some of the locals. I received many cold and unwelcoming stares, as well as some racist misconducts directed towards me. This left a negative impression on me, and I have no desire to return to Italy in the future.

Write a choice here.

Childcare.

I have decided to volunteer in Bali, specifically in children's care. I have always had a love for children and have learned so much from their smiles. This experience was amazing, until it turned into a nightmare. Initially, I was a bit hesitant and stressed about volunteering abroad, as there are some disadvantages. For instance, I was worried about the weather. In these countries, natural disasters are not uncommon. Unfortunately, during my time in Bali, the weather took a turn for the worse. In my last week of the trip, a tornado struck the region where I was staying.

Write a choice here.

Wildlife.

My initial preference was to volunteer for Wildlife. This experience allowed me to gain insight into the proper methods of feeding, washing, and caring for animals. I acquired a wealth of knowledge about various animal species, including giraffes, elephants, and turtles. I was thoroughly enjoying my time there until an elephant accidentally injured my head with its trunk. As a result, I was hospitalized for a concussion two hours later.

Write a choice here.

University of Montreal.

I decided to attend the University of Montreal to study Law. Ever since I was young, I have had a strong desire to fight for justice and what is right. I have always stood up for myself in situations where I was in the right, even if it were not well-received by others. It has now been one year since I began my university studies, and I am currently considering whether I want to specialize in criminal law, family law within the public system, or open my own law firm.

Choice 1 : Let's open my own Firm.

Choice 2 : Pursuing a Career in Family Law.

Choice 3 : Pursuing a Career in Criminal Law.

University of Sherbrooke.

I made the difficult decision to attend Sherbrooke University for Psychology, despite it being far from my hometown. I have a passion for analyzing people's emotions, reactions, and thought processes, and my ultimate goal is to become a psychologist. My principal concern, at the moment, is whether to stay at my aunt's house near the university or in the on-campus residences.

Choice 1 : Live at my Aunt's House.

Choice 2 : Live in Residencies.

Let's open my own Firm.

I believe that the past three years have been the most challenging academically in my entire life. Effective time management, perseverance and thoughtful work have been crucial to my success. It helped me pulled of straight A’s in most of my classes. This hard diligent work is now worthwhile because I have been accepted into three different universities. My mother has always emphasized the importance of having a degree, and I am grateful for the opportunity to attend either Montreal University for law or Sherbrooke University for psychology.

Write a choice here.

Pursuing a Career in Family Law.

Pursuing a career in family law was a mistake. While the subject matter is intriguing, the majority of my time was spent dealing with difficult cases such as divorces, custody battles, and emotionally charged situations involving children and their parents. One particular incident stands out in my memory ; a father came to my office in tears because his child's birthday was being celebrated at the mother's house instead of his own. This experience made me realize that I am not equipped to handle the emotional toll that comes with this line of work. I am a lawyer, not a psychologist, and I do not want to spend the rest of my career dealing with constant drama.

Write a choice here.

Pursuing a Career in Criminal Law.

Pursuing a career in family law was a mistake. While the subject matter is intriguing, the majority of my time was spent dealing with difficult cases such as divorces, custody battles, and emotionally charged situations involving children and their crazy parents. One particular incident stands out in my memory ; a father came to my office in tears because his child's birthday was being celebrated at the mother's house instead of his own. This experience made me realize that I am not equipped to handle the emotional toll that comes with this line of work. I am a lawyer, not a psychologist, and I do not want to spend the rest of my career dealing with constant drama.

Choice 1 : Become a Court Lawyer.

Choice 2 : Become a Wonderful Judge.

Become a Court Lawyer.

Being a court lawyer can be an amazing profession, despite its reputation for being tedious. I often find myself working overtime and through the night. The courthouse itself is an inspiring place, and I am constantly receiving new contracts. It brings me great joy to see my clients happy when I win their cases. However, after all these years, I can't help feeling like something is missing, making this job feel like dead-end.

Write a choice here.

Become a Wonderful Judge.

Before becoming a judge, I spent ten years working as a court lawyer. Becoming a judge has given me a sense of fulfillment, and I can confidently say that this is the job I was meant to do. My ten years of experience as a lawyer have made me an expert in the field of law. I am now thrilled to have a larger role and the final says in court, as well as the opportunity to contribute to the common good.

Write a choice here.

Live at my Aunt's House.

I decided to stay at my aunt’s place. She has a big house and is more than happy to host me. I regret this decision. My aunt is lovely, but with time I learned the drawbacks coming with living with her. I feel uncomfortable opening the fridge, and serving myself, I hate wakening her up in the morning and, I feel bad when I take long showers at night.

Write a choice here.

Live in Residencies.

I chose the complete university experience by living in residencies.

Choice 1 : Home Alone!

Choice 2 : Live with Roommates.

Home Alone!

Living with roommates can either be a great experience or a terrible one. Unfortunately, in my case, it turned out to be the latter. I shared a room with two girls: Leila and Olivia. While Olivia was my favorite, Leila was a nightmare. She only did her dishes twice a week, would come home at unreasonable hours due to her constant partying, and would more often than not bring her boyfriend into our room. One night, her boyfriend's came home drunk the day before our midterm exams. Exhausted and stressed, a fight broke out at 3 a.m. Since then, our relationship with Leila has been strained and our friendship nonexistent.

Write a choice here.

Live with Roommates.

Living with roommates can either be a great experience or a terrible one. Unfortunately, in my case, it turned out to be the latter. I shared a room with two girls: Leila and Olivia. While Olivia was my favorite, Leila was a nightmare. She only did her dishes twice a week, would come home at unreasonable hours due to her constant partying, and would more often than not bring her boyfriend into our room. One night, her boyfriend's came home drunk the day before our midterm exams. Exhausted and stressed, a fight broke out at 3 a.m. Since then, our relationship with Leila has been strained and our friendship nonexistent.

Write a choice here.

Workforce.

After college, I am eager to enter the workforce. After years of schooling, I am tired of studying and do not see myself pursuing a university education. The only thing I desire is to explore new opportunities and earn a wage. I am considering options such as working as a waitress or completing an internship.

Choice 1 : Become a Waitress.

Choice 2 : Become a Figures Skating Coach.

Become a Waitress.

I applied to become a full-time waitress at a steakhouse in Montreal's Old Port. This experience was one of the best in my entire life. Throughout the days, I learned the ins and outs of my job. At first, I was an anxious trainee because it was my first time working at a restaurant, but the employees were very welcoming. I believe the biggest bias of being a waitress is the tips. Depending on the quality of your service, tips can make a remarkable difference in your wage. Unfortunately, the biggest drawback of my job was that the wage was not enough to support a future family, so I eventually left.

Write a choice here.

Become a Figures Skating Coach.

After receiving encouragement from people at my rink, I decided to pursue coaching and began my skating journey. As an intern with my club's skating team, I was able to gain valuable experience and learn the ropes of the job from my students and fellow coaches. While I initially felt anxious, I quickly found ways to come in handy to my teammates.

Write a choice here.

Backpacking Journey.

I have decided to go backpacking, as it is a fantastic way for students to travel. Being young, students do not have a lot of money, making backpacking is a priceless way to see the world. It is also a great way to connect in-depth with the nature and the culture of the country. I am considering three options for my trip : visit Africa, Asia, or Europe.

Choice 1 : Trip to Africa.

Choice 2 : Trip to Asia.

Choice 3 : Trip to Europe.