My new understanding of work and life

I find that students of Management school are very busy, since most of them are both taking courses and working part-time. I think it is the same case with students from other faculties. Almost all the student taking German course with me are working part-time. A Canadian friend told me, that University of Manitoba students enter in the labour force at a very young age. A lot of students that work may use the earnings to pay for their tuition and living expense, even for a car down payment or an European trip. This does not take place often among Chinese university students. Working part-time is a very good way of developing students’ money management awareness, from my perspective. Students will realize the importance of saving and hardness of earning from working part-time.  Some of my Chinese friends are doing so right now. They think work sometimes is fun and kind of relief from the textbooks sometimes. I think I should work part-time like they do, but courses always come first.

This term, I am taking Taxation, Accounting Theory, Administrative Policy, Business Government Relationship and German. German is always a highlight and it is full of fun to me. Taxation is my favourite course. I chose that because last March I did income tax return volunteering for international students and it turned out to be excellent for me. I just loved that job. I think part of the reason is this is very beneficial for us, since in China we never get any concept of tax. All taxes are included within the price and we don’t have to file any tax return when we have no income. So, the awareness of tax is really weak for us, at least for me. So that was a great opportunity to know something about the Canadian taxation system and make use of that properly. Our tax professor, Dan, is a great teacher, fun and humorous. He works for one of the “big four”, so he is very knowledgeable about the taxation world. I am even thinking about going the taxation direction when I graduate. But I guess it depends on what job offer I can get first. This term is fast. I have just finished all the mid-terms and now am starting to work on different projects or assignments. I like to be busy, maybe that’s why I am in “busi”ness school. I hope in ten or fifteen years I can have my own little accounting firm after I have either done investment banking or taxation for a career. I am expecting life will fluctuate like stock, sometimes at peak, sometimes at trough.  The key to realizing that goal is to keep focused and do the work. That is what my policy professor, Khan, told me and I will take it to heart forever.

My plan of study and work might have a change and this time I will take full responsibility of it because I regard myself as a grown-up person. Nothing much to say right now before I decide, but I will do my best, not least in the rest of my life.