Home Away From Home In Arts
Meet Wadood Hiraj, our newest Student Services intern!
If you were to turn back the clock to the time where I am in the later years of my high school, ending up in the Faculty of Arts all the way across the globe to a secluded city like Edmonton would not have been on the bingo book. In case you’re unaware of the inner workings of a traditional Pakistani family, convincing them to send you abroad for an Arts degree is a hard sell even on the good days.
Like many prospective international students, I applied to the Faculty of Engineering and chose Arts as a second option for the sake of it. To my pleasant surprise, I ended up being offered a conditional admission into engineering, with emphasis on the “conditional”. U of A also happened to give me some money in scholarship which became a deciding factor in pursuing the decision to study abroad in Canada. Fast forward a few months into my study permit application, and all credit to my lackluster predicted grades (should have known to avoid physics), my offer to Engineering was revoked. It was too little too late with respect to my study permit application that was due to be approved, and what was once the second choice of program in arts became the ultimate refuge in pursuit of studying abroad.
From setback, presented an opportunity. Which of course, in my case was to convince my parents of switching to science after the first year. Bad idea, I know but it did help me secure a ticket all the way from Lahore to Edmonton. Well as anyone would rightfully predict, I was in for reckoning in my first semester. The biological science course that I enrolled in took me by storm in an almost trial-by-fire scenario. Ended up being put on probation, and did not have the slightest of clues about what was to follow. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. It felt like the world was falling apart at that moment but ended up being the best-case scenario. I ended up discovering a newfound love for social sciences and decided to double major in Political Science and Economics. The difference was night and day. The GPA boost was instant and the classes became more enjoyable. Imagine also having a life on the side? Definitely a plus. The versatility of an arts degree can not be understated. From social sciences to humanities and more technical stuff in Economics, there is no shortage of options.
The experience of being an international student has its very unique challenges. Loneliness and isolation can very much take their toll. The biggest selling point of being in an Arts degree at UofA is its community. There is a family you are born with, and the one you end up choosing. That is what a degree in Arts has allowed me to do. The university experience became substantially better by surrounding myself with people who cared about me. International students are often otherized and are left to mend for themselves. In many ways what is the equivalent of living as a second-class citizen. The mental strain that comes as a result of that can take its toll. It was the community that became part of which helped me navigate the tumultuous times in university.
Your degree is not linear and it is never too late to switch, start over or simply just be unsure about what you want to do in the future. Despite being in the final years of my degree, I am still uncertain about what lies ahead post-graduation. However, what I am the most certain about are the people I met along this journey. Despite having a bad rep (cough deadmonton cough), Edmonton is a city booming with the potential with a strong diverse community and various cultures to explore and appreciate. Arts is a reflection of that diversity where you get a chance to meet students from all across the globe.
It is perfectly fine to just want to get a degree for stable employment or use it as a stepping stone in the academic world. Truth is, we are all different people with unique challenges and circumstances. There is no blueprint that has to be followed. University has a plethora of resources that can be utilized for your specific needs. If you are someone who wants to obtain skills for future employment, the arts work experience program is a good consideration. For someone hoping for more research and grad school opportunities, an honors program might be a great option.
As cliché as the saying goes, you only have one life. Might as well make it fun right? For a shy Pakistani kid, an arts degree brought me out of my shell and gave me a community that I would cherish greatly. It is the people in your life that can have a great impact and the ones you can rely on when needed. Education and Employment are important facets of your life, but not life’s foundations. And that is perhaps the most significant thing that I have come to realize while being part of the faculty of arts and something I want to conclude this blogpost with.
This article was written by me, Wadood Hiraj. I’m an Economics and Political Science double major at the University of Alberta. Currently, I am on my work term as the Student Services and Engagement Intern for the Faculty of Arts.
