Wolfville Nova Scotia, the stomping grounds of
students from Acadia University who flock to Main Street come the start of
every school year. I remember the air fresh with excitement of finally being on
your own, rekindled friendships at ‘Just Us’ or ‘Library Pub’ (dealers choice),
that first night back at the ‘Anvil’ where you literally know everyone there,
and the anxiety of starting yet another semester of school. These are the
memories that flood my mind when I remember the start of the school year, but
not what defines my experience at Acadia University. The Acadia SMILE Program is what defines my
experience. One thing you may not appreciate or even realize is that Acadia is
a gold mine for opportunities to get involved and gain experience that may
shape the road you take after you do leave that town. So while you
still are still walking that beautiful campus, please do yourself a favor and
get involved. Acadia hands opportunities out to their students on silver
platters, and it is your choice to take them. One of the best decisions I made
was to involve myself with SMILE.
I started out my first year as an instructor, and had the pleasure of
getting more involved every year finishing my time as Student Director for
Tuesday/Thursday mornings. This program truly changed my life and is the
greatest influence on the path that I have taken in my life.
I can promise you that you will never be HANDED another
opportunity like this to be involved and make a difference like you can in this
program. At its very basics, SMILE is an 8-week program where you develop a
plan and set goals that are specific to a child to try to make their experience
the best possible. However, once you get involved you will realize how much
more it is than that. You will become part of a community and part of a child’s
life in a capacity that is unexplainable. You have the opportunity to spend one
on one time with a young child who will adore you from the minute you step into
that gym or pool. You are the one person in their life that they can call their
own. They have to share parents, teachers, friends, but their SMILE buddy is their
own. I can promise that your SMILE buddy will make as much a difference in your
life as you do in theirs. Being a student director I had the pleasure of being
able to be watch these relationships form on the pool deck, to watch goals
being met and the excitement of everyone involved as this occurred. The first
time a child swam without a lifejacket, danced on the pool deck, played in a
group game, swam a lap across the pool, asked a new friend to play a game, and
YOU were a part of that. My Tuesday and Thursday mornings were what got me
through the busy and tough times at school. For an hour every morning I got to
watch friendships being formed, games being played, and people with happy
hearts. My advice to you all is to get out of your comfort zones and to get
involved; it will be the best decision you will ever make.
