Today started out with another amazing breakfast at 7:30 in the Conrad Grebel residence, followed by staff seminars for the remainder of the morning. This is when the very talented and experienced crew of Program Advisers here at Waterloo were able to demonstrate their abilities and passions to the students. With Rob and Paul, I had the pleasure of taking apart a variety of defunct electronic equipment, learn about the processes involved within them, and even attempt a few repairs on broken items that the Shads brought in! Although we had limited success with the latter, in many ways, this added to the entertainment value.After lunch, it was our turn to prove our worth: Shad seminars! Everyone was given a 10 minute opportunity to teach or discuss something of interest to them. While I have had the fortune of meeting some incredibly talented and diverse people in the past, today truly opened my eyes to how there is always something more to learn, and that each of us has something unique to offer to the world. Learning to order Korean food (always impressive on a date), write credo poems (very humorous), fit your entire body through a single sheet of paper (yes it’s possible), and about the ‘science’ behind science fiction were just a few examples of this collective expertise!
The guest speakers Josh Vanwyck and Ben Best, two recent graduates of UW’s Systems Design Engineering program joined us after an exceptional dinner to offer valuable insight regarding the intricate process of social change and how it applied to our design projects. It was another very useful speech and the duo left a positive impression of the university’s program.
To finish off the day, all four ‘houses’ gathered to participate in a friendly (which inevitably escalated into a somewhat competitive) game of Cranium. Many laughs were generated amidst the ‘acting’ and ‘sculpting’ of varying degrees of aptitude. All in all, it was a great way to finish off this action-packed day!
Having described today as ‘another day’ at Shad Waterloo would have been misleading on many levels, as each day is indeed an adventure unto its own. Even with the daily schedule, it is nearly impossible to predict what is going to throw at you next! While the events and activities may be scripted, the experience is not. Your reaction to it, the impact it has on you, and the powerful aura of support and passion at every turn is what makes each moment unique. This is what I have to come to find makes Shad so incredible!
Josh Segeren
Shad Valley Waterloo
Hometown: Chatham, Ontario
