Issue link: https://publications.tfs.ca/i/1540856
DESTINATION / DESTINATION Waterloo University PROGRAMME / PROGRAM Architecture BIJOU N. Bijou joined TFS in Grade 7 after her family relocated to Etobicoke, following nearly a decade spent between Singapore and Tanzania. "We were looking for somewhere to settle and Canada felt like the right place," she says. Though she arrived without any French, Bijou had studied in English and Mandarin at an international school in Singapore. Encouraged by her parents to keep learning languages, she enrolled in TFS' Introductory French Program. "It was challenging because I wanted to be perfect right away," she recalls. "But I remember the exact moment it clicked. I was in math class after lunch and suddenly, I understood everything the teacher was saying. That's when I realized I was actually becoming fluent." In the Senior School, Bijou found community through the arts. A pivotal moment came in Level III when she performed in the Spring Salon. "I'm an introvert, so dancing in front of an audience was huge. But it gave me the confidence to take on things I never thought I would," she says. She went on to apply for First Citizen, perform annually at Spring Salon, co-direct the school musical two years in a row and get involved in the fashion show, coffee house and the Arts Council. She also found a sense of belonging in the Black Excellence Society. "It was the first time I felt part of a community where people looked like me and shared similar experiences," she says. "It became a safe space to talk about life, school, haircare, microaggressions, things I hadn't had the opportunity to express before." In Level IV, Bijou became co-head of the society and held the role for two years. "We planned monthly presentations for La p'tite école and the Junior School, aligned with EDIJ goals. We shared pro-Black books, led discussions during Black History Month and facilitated meaningful conversations." Her love of visual art and design led her to take higher level Art in the Diploma Program, where she found a mentor in Ms. Markovic. "I found a second home in the art studio," she says. "As a perfectionist, I doubted my abilities, but she helped me see my own strengths and pushed me beyond what I thought I could do." Bijou is studying architecture at the University of Waterloo. She credits her guidance counsellor with helping her choose the right program and school. "Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, my guidance counsellor really listened," she says. "I originally planned to go to the US and was accepted into some great schools, including Rhode Island School of Design, but things changed. I'm excited about Waterloo—it's an amazing program." 39 TFS