Before coming to UBC, I went to high school in Hong Kong. Throughout my time in secondary school, I did not know how to study properly in order to do well on exams. As a result, I failed my first set of government exams, which are used in Hong Kong to determine university eligibility. I still remember failing Chinese, a memory I recall with much humiliation and which also motivated me to leave Hong Kong to study in Canada. The worst part of failing Chinese was that even my high school teachers teased me about it. The time between my exam results and coming to Canada were some of the most depressing of my life.
Before I transferred to UBC, I studied at Coquitlam College, where I met my favorite instructor so far in my university career, Michael Cui. He is also a friend of mine now. While I was at Coquitlam, he taught me how to study efficiently, think strategically, and use the information in the textbook instead of memorizing it. The conservations I had with him made a lasting impact on me, and led, in great part, to my success at Coquitlam. I was able to finish my last term there with a 3.7 GPA so I could successfully transfer to UBC.
This past month, I went back to Coquitlam to visit my friend, Michael. I told him that I got into Accounting, and I shared with him the difficulties that I have faced recently. I want to be an accountant in Canada, so I asked him about what I need to do in order to earn my Canadian certification. He’s not only a great instructor but also a great friend. He gave me some great advice that I had never considered. He suggested that I take advantage of the internship program offered by UBC. If I can intern, he says, then I can at least get a taste for what the work in a real accounting firm would be like. He also gave me some tips on applying my accounting knowledge in a real firm. Joining the internship program can pave the way to my future career.
During our talk, he also shared with me some of his musings on doing business. I am a very impatient person by nature, and I like to finish things as soon as possible. I simply do not and cannot wait. He informed me such a disposition would be calamitous to a future career in business. Entrepreneurs think ahead and anticipate problems; there is usually a reason behind their actions. I should learn to observe how successful businessmen behave so that I can learn from their methods.
I am heeding Michael’s advice. I think an internship in an accountant firm will also held me build up some professional connections within Canada and gain some work experience. Since I am relatively new to this country, I need to start now to build up my work experience or I might miss some good working opportunities when I graduate from UBC.
I really appreciate Michael for his invaluable advice. I need to start to apply the things that I have learnt from 299 and apply for an internship in an accounting firm soon. A true friend helps you discover your strengths and Michael has certainly helped me to forget my past mistakes, realize my potential abilities, and motivate me to succeed. I owe him a great debt of gratitude.
Michael Cui is a knowledgeable person with lot of life experiences.