I chose Seneca because I am most familiar with the school, having been a student in a past program. I did not successfully complete that program, as I found it was not in line with my life interests. So, I took a few years to figure out what I wanted to do and where my talents lie. After working at the YMCA in Edmonton, Alberta., I realized my passion for helping others. I also realized that my love of sports and fitness needed to be nurtured, so I decided to go back to school and further my education. Because of my previous connection to Seneca, it just seemed fitting to apply here and attend.

I chose the Fitness & Health Promotion program because I have experience in the fitness industry.  I wanted to increase my knowledge and network in that industry. While Seneca’s program was fairly new when I applied, I was sure that they would hire nothing but the best teachers and I was right!

My experience can be described in two words: life-changing. I never truly enjoyed being a student before, as I would just get by on good grades. But the challenging environment, the interesting and exciting material and the dedication from the professors made me want to achieve the highest grades and I graduated from this program with honours.

The class size was perfect and I made some great connections with classmates whom I still speak with to this day. Outside of the classroom, I would spend all day on campus either studying with my classmates, using the gym, getting some Starbucks or hanging out at the grill at Newnham Campus. I’d be home by nightfall!

I had many memorable experiences at Seneca. There were many events that the Seneca Student Federation (SSF) ran, which ranged from things like video game tournaments to celebrating the food of different cultures and of course, pub nights!

I also had a lot of fun in most of my classes, where we got to swim and skate as part of our classroom experience and do group fitness classes like Zumba. There was always something happening at Seneca every day I went there.

My professors at Seneca were the biggest influence on me continuing my education, because they were all so knowledgeable and I wanted to learn as much as they knew, if not more! We were introduced to different fitness certifications that pushed me to continue. I wanted to learn more and potentially obtain those certifications, as they would help me become a valuable asset to future employers.

My desire to work with unique populations (i.e., athletes, children and teens, older adults, persons with disabilities, injuries, chronic illnesses, etc.) and guide them on their lifelong journey of optimal fitness, health and wellness.

The Fitness & Health Promotion program put me ahead of many first and second-year kinesiology students at York. I had already obtained a lot more information than they did, and I believe that helped me figure out exactly which courses made sense for me to take, rather than  trying to pick and choose courses at random.

There is an extensive list of kinesiology courses to take which can be overwhelming, and if it were not for the specialized subjects we were taught at Seneca, I would not have been able to properly navigate my degree. As a diploma student, we were granted many credits toward our degree, which exempted us from certain courses, however the subjects we learned, prepared us to take courses from the second year and up.

Going from a diploma to a degree was challenging but not difficult. I truly believe that doing a diploma program gave me the skills I needed to succeed in a university setting.

There are major differences between a diploma and a degree program, such as that a diploma can be a two or three-year program whereas university can take anywhere from four to five years to complete. In college, you will have the same classmates in all of the same classes with mostly the same professors for two years, which makes your experience more intimate and fulfilling.

However, at university, most of your classes will be with different students and many different professors. In university, you may have small classes of students like 20, 40 or 80, or you can have more than 500 students for one course! My biggest classes could go up to almost 1,000 students in one class, as the KINE program at York is one of the largest in Canada. The workload in college is similar to that in university, however I did find that in university, they rely more on midterms and exams over assignments and in college we did a lot more assignments.

The advantage of having both a diploma and a degree is that it demonstrates your variability and that you can adapt to your environment in order to succeed. Because diplomas and degrees have different requirements, the fact that one has both puts them ahead of those who may have one or the other or none.

The most important tip I would give someone who is considering going into a degree program is to do your research on the degree and understand how it will serve purpose to you after you obtain it. Another important tip is to love what you are learning, as it will help keep you motivated. University life can become very overwhelming, so if you are not enjoying what you are learning, or it doesn’t apply to your future career interests, then it may be time to take a step back and re-evaluate your educational goals.

This is going to sound cliché, but time management is a skill you will need to perfect if you are transitioning to university. Deadlines can approach quickly and if you are not keeping up with lectures, labs, or assignment due dates, you will fall behind fast. It is 12 weeks of your life twice a year, which sounds long but it isn’t, and weeks can go by in a blur.

If you are working while in school, you will need to decide where to focus your energy. School is temporary and work can be anything while you’re in school, so my best advice is to prioritize school as best as you can. Self-care is of the utmost importance, because school can be incredibly stressful! Taking time for yourself, finding quick distractions like a minimally invasive hobby such as needlepoint or piano playing, or  working out a couple times a week to give yourself a break from school will contribute to your success.

Currently, I am rounding out my final year at York and preparing to graduate! I recently changed jobs and am currently working for the City of Markham as a fitness specialist and personal trainer.

My short-term goals for now are to obtain my certification as a strength and conditioning coach and exercise physiologist while improving my physical skills as a trainer with the City of Markham.

My long-term goals are to work and create exercise programs that are easily accessible to a wide range of special populations that also help educate them on lifelong health and wellness. I also have hopes to teach and contribute my own experience and knowledge to the Fitness & Health Promotion program at Seneca.