In my first year, I took ECON 201, Principles of Microeconomics—a course that all Business majors take for their degree—and found myself drawn to the material and the questions it had me thinking about. One of the most important questions was how people's choices interact and can lead to very different outcomes. The course left me with a lot of unanswered questions. This led me to take more economics classes in my second year to search for some of those answers. After taking some intermediate economics courses, I was convinced that economics was the right degree for me. The courses I took provided me with tools and frameworks to analyze complex problems involving the decisions of individuals, firms, and governments. They’ve helped me better understand why things happen the way they do in the world and, most importantly, have made me ask better questions about the implications of the theories we study. 

In my third year, I enrolled in the BA Honours Economics Program. Halfway through this year, I became a PASS (Peer-Assisted Study Sessions) leader for a second-year economics class. As part of this role, I have the opportunity to create a collaborative learning environment where students can work together to understand challenging concepts. It has been an incredibly fulfilling role as I get to help students understand challenging course material, but I also get to learn how they think about the material and approach solving problems. 

In my fourth year, taking courses in Industrial Organization, Regulatory Economics, and Competition Policy made me eligible for the Summer Internship in Regulatory Economics (SIRE), which is run by the Department of Economics' Research Program in Competition and Regulation. Through SIRE, I received a summer placement with Trans Mountain's Regulatory Department. Applying concepts from my courses while contributing to a company at the heart of the Canadian energy sector has been one of the most valuable opportunities during my time at the University of Calgary. For example, learning in my courses about the implications of investing in major infrastructure projects and then seeing how those decisions were approached at a pipeline company gave me a much clearer understanding of how concepts from the classroom are applied in the real world. 

In my fifth and final year, I joined the Society of Undergraduates in Economics (SUE) as a Director of Academic, where I support the organization of a mentorship program. In this program, we pair upper-year students with first- and second-year students to share what we've learned about course selection, different degree paths, study habits, and building a sense of community. The organization as a whole is a great way to meet highly motivated students and become involved in the campus community. It also provides many opportunities to network, such as the club's flagship event, SUE Industry Night, where industry professionals with economics backgrounds come together in roundtable-style discussions about their careers. Attending this event a few times has helped me better understand career options after my University of Calgary journey and prepared me to apply for work-integrated learning opportunities. 

If I could give my younger self some advice, I would tell myself not to worry as much about choosing a major. Instead, I would take courses that interested me in my first year and beyond. UCalgary also makes it possible to change your degree once you've found the path that feels right for you. Finding something you're genuinely interested in can also set you up for the future. When you're passionate about something—no matter what it is, you'll be much more likely to put in the effort needed to succeed.