The Balancing Act: Angela Li
You’ve probably heard it a hundred times already: university life is not just about academics!
No matter what your interests, from playing football and building a solar race car to taking a jump with the Sky Diving Club, there’s always something happening outside the classroom within the Faculty and the larger University of Toronto.
Although academics will always be essential, students often underestimate how rewarding getting involved can really be. Aside from getting to meet other students with similar interests, it’s a great way to gain skills in areas like communication, leadership, teamwork and organization. These skills are incredibly important to employers, and can add tremendously to your application for jobs or further studies.
As a recent graduate from the Materials Science Engineering program, Angela Li definitely knows the importance of getting involved in extracurriculars. Among her many activities throughout the last four years of university, Angela volunteered with the International Student Centre, she worked as a mentor with the “I-Connect Mentorship” program to help international students adjust to life in Toronto, and she made time to help out at Hart House.
“Hart House’s Midday Mosaics is a series of noon-time concerts. Helping out with the organization of these concerts has actually inspired me to resume playing the piano. I got up extra early in the morning to practice. This seriously brightened up my semester and helped me keep my sanity!”
Earlier in her engineering education, Angela had the opportunity to take part in an exchange program in France. This experience offered Angela an international perspective on engineering, not to mention the opportunity to enhance her French-speaking skills. “I also made an effort to go to events hosted by the U of T Francophone Students’ Club.”
Angela is a great example of a student who took her engineering academic career to the fullest, by experiencing life outside of the engineering classroom. “I made a conscious effort to get involved outside of the Faculty — to give me a more broad range of experiences.”
Life at U of T is not just about what you do, but who you become. Make your university experience a well-rounded one. It’s all about balance – and balance is definitely a good thing.
Check out Podcast No. 4 to learn more about what engineering students do outside of the classroom!
