The Intersection of King & Bay
Bay Street - the heart of Toronto's Financial District. Now, if you're a business kid like me, you'll probably know that landing a job on Bay St. simply implies that you've “made it”. Congratulations kid, you're in the big leagues now.
When I started my official job search, I had a meeting with a recruiter on King and Bay. I felt real, as though I was doing something right, but deep down, I felt very small.
"What was I doing here?"
"What did I need to do in order to fit in?"
"What are recruiters really looking for?"
These are a few of the many questions that bombarded me as I awkwardly looked for the office on Google Maps. Of course, I arrived thirty minutes early and sat in the food court located in the PATH. I came with a book, and two pairs of shoes - one for walking, and one for impressing. In all honestly, instead of reading my book or listening to music to calm my nerves, I sat there and observed every woman's shoe in the food court.
"Were they wearing boots or heels?"
"Which one was more acceptable?"
"Should I change my shoes?"
I chose to go with the boots. As I entered the office, I realized that the heels were my best bet. I immediately ran to the closest bathroom and changed into my heels - dress to impress.
Thankfully, the meeting went really well and I learned that over thinking does not harm you, but obsessively thinking about something will. In the end, I did not pursue what the recruiter was offering me because I was still in school and could not commit to a 9-5 job at the time, but looking back, small experiences such as the meeting on King and Bay ultimately set me up for future endeavours. It was the first of many.
It was a cold day in January when all of this happened. On my way home I came to a realization that I was officially an adult. Everything was happening so quickly. On the bus ride home, I looked out the window and wondered a few things.
Is this how the rest of my life will be? 9-5 with an hour commute back and forth?
Will I enjoy what I'm doing?
Will I go to law school?
Should I pursue a master's degree?
It feels good to be growing up
And all of a sudden, it started to snow. There's something calming and overwhelming about a light snowfall. It feels calm when you're admiring from afar, but it's painful when you're facing the brute of the storm - I guess that's a small metaphor for life. Admiring from afar can be beautiful and calming, but one day you'll have to face the storm, and when you do, don't forget to take a deep breathe and admire yourself in the moment.
I personally believe that each experience will lead you to a place where you're ultimately meant to be, so even if things don't work out now, you are building yourself up - and that m'friend, is something to be proud of.
