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Back to Part I.
At the end of the first part of our story, our intrepid heroine had
just moved to Halifax. She'd arrived home from Guelph, hat in hand, finally coming to
grips with the fact that the past many years of her life were spent
learning more about life than Environmental Science. They were very
valuable years, but that didn't occur to her until much later.
She had always been a bright girl, despite the difficult times in
Guelph. But it was there that she realized, through an addiction to a
computer game called Three Kingdoms,
that her life-long passion of computers could become her future. Yes,
she would become cybergirl, intrepid web designer!
The first steps...
...were to take some web design classes at Dalhousie University's
Henson College,
to supplement my handy knowledge of the subject. Just before I finished
the courses, I took a contract doing web design at the Nova Scotia
Natural History Museum. It was a fascinating subject: The Fossils of
Nova Scotia. With my natural sciences background, it felt like a
transition - working with my past and my future.
Early the next year, once I finished at the Museum, I moved quickly
into another project, designing a site for a company in San Jose. It was
an experience that, while positive, also showed me that web design was
not really what I wanted to do with my life. Somehow,
I knew it wasn't enough for me, but didn't know where to go next. Was I
too old to go back to university? I wasn't 18 anymore, after all. And,
for that matter, would it end up being the same old story?
It was the summer of '97...
 ...when
something magical happened: My brother graduated from Carleton
University. When I saw the looks on all the people's faces,
and I saw that there were so many people much older than me, I realized
that most of my fears had been silly ones. When we arrived home, I told
my mother I wanted to go back to university.
After some planning, I discovered Mount Saint Vincent
University's
Bachelor of Information Technology (at least, that's what it's called
now) program. A unique combination of computers, business, and
communications, I thought I'd found the perfect plan for me. I love
computers, but am not a programmer (you've got to be one by nature to
really love it), and communications has always been one of my fortes.
And there were three mandatory co-op semesters, to boot, meaning that each student
graduates with a full year of relevant experience!
Within weeks of starting, I realized this was the best decision I
could have made. No longer lost in a sea of people with classes ranging
from 50 to 400 people, I was now an individual in intimate 15-person
classes. The faculty knew me, I was able to ask questions and make
comments during class, and I loved the subjects! The desire to skip
classes and go out partying was gone -- I became an excellent student
and made wonderful friends.
 After
my first full year...
...in the summer of 1999, I worked a co-op semester at Information Technology
and Services at MSVU as tech support. During that semester, I was
contacted by the IT Society executive and asked to fill in for one of
their members who would not be returning the next year. I took over the
role of Communications Officer, and that was the end of me! I became
quite involved both socially and within the IT Society, which dug
further into my non-existent free time.
 But,
it was all worth it: The shell that had begun to form around me at the
end of my time at Guelph was chipping away. That summer, I met a
wonderful man by the name of James who helped me see life a lot more
clearly. We spent hours and hours almost every day discussing life, love, religion, and
the nature of people. I learned a lot from him. I've always believed
that people come into your life at the time you need them there, or at
the time you are ready for their impact, and this just proved it to me. Thanks, James!
Which brings us to...
...the year 2000. This year has been a busy one for me. In April, I
took over the position of President of the IT Society at MSVU. In May, I
started working on my second co-op term, this time with Garvin-Allen
Solutions, a software company here in Halifax, as a software tester.
I must be doing something right, because they asked me to stay
on for another four months as their Quality Assurance Project Leader.
Next semester, I will be helping them further design their testing
department, including developing test plans, training and leading the
students that arrive in September, developing/finding tools to use, and
much much more!
I've also had the opportunity to take a few trips this year. I took
two trips to Toronto to watch friends of mine get married (the weddings
have a section in my picture gallery). After
those, I flew down to New York to see my friend Vijay and drive out to
Cincinnati for a party (which also has a section in the gallery).
So what's next?
Next January, I'll be entering what will be (at least, it should be,
if they offer the class I really need) my last semester at Mount Saint
Vincent. After that, it will be time to venture out into the real world.
My ultimate goal is to work as a Business Analyst for a
software/computer firm -- the person who liaises with clients, helps
them decide what they need, and designs a product for the programmers to
create. Where will I go to do this? I haven't the foggiest idea. But,
I've no doubt I'll have fun figuring it all out!
Back to Part I.
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