Wow, I can’t believe I’m almost done with my second semester in the Diploma of Applied Social Sciences and Humanities program at Langara College. To think that I was only thinking about taking this program this time last year when I was woefully unhappy at BCIT. I had no idea that DASSH could be such a transformative experience.
When I started the program back in May, I was under the impression that it would emulate the experience of “just another associate’s degree”. Looking at my courses during the first semester, I wasn’t entirely thrilled at the idea of lots of writing-heavy courses being requirements to graduate. I was wary of reading intense courses as I have not taken traditional academic courses in a very long while. The first and last time I took a History class at another school, I hated every minute of it. It felt like a Sisyphean ordeal to have to slog through a course’s readings, only to be rewarded with yet more readings! I was not looking forward to it at all back in May.
To this day, I still suffer from serious imposter syndrome. I worry that many of the relationships that I have built over time are only sustained to date because I still deliver some kind of value to them. I constantly fear that one day people will realize that I’m rather dim and dull and will just disappear from my life altogether as I won’t be worthy of association with them anymore. Thanks to my time to date in the DASSH program, my fears are slowly subsiding. Nearly 8 months after beginning the program, I’m so pleased with my experience and how much I have grown as a person. With the broad spectrum of courses I have taken to date, I feel like an even more well-rounded individual. When I talk to my coworkers during the daytime, I find that I have more meaningful points to share in conversations and have started giving them more thoughtful answers to questions about politics or global affairs. There is indeed a noticeable change in the way I see the world now. With all of this new knowledge under my belt, I find I’m even starting to stand up a little bit taller as if I am less ashamed of myself. I bring all of this up to say that I have zero regrets about continuing my studies at Langara. As much as it can be difficult to study and work full-time at once, I wouldn’t trade it for the newfound knowledge and renewed self-esteem I enjoy because of it.