Petra Jessome came to King’s from her hometown of Sydney, N.S., on the Colin Starnes scholarship, and through her four years here she has truly made her mark on King’s. From working as a Campus Ambassador, Tour Guide and Office Assistant in the Advancement Office to her involvement in student organizations like The Watch, King’s Pre-Law Association and the Contemporary Studies Society, Petra’s contributions to King’s have been immense, and have earned her the Sandra MacLeod Award. Now, she is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in law, justice and society and a minor in environment, sustainability and society.
What drew you to King’s originally?
The uniqueness of the Foundation Year Program (FYP). I think it’s special to begin a university education not by narrowing your focus, but by stepping back and asking how knowledge itself is constructed. It paid off, as my time in FYP changed how I approached learning, and allowed me to become more comfortable with uncertainty and asking questions.
How did your extracurricular endeavors enhance or shape your experience?
Getting involved on campus allowed me to build a sense of community that kept me sane and smiling even at stressful points. It has been of paramount importance. I recommend for every student to find at least one activity that keeps you on a schedule and keeps you grounded.
What’s your top study tip?
Just focus on being able to understand the concept enough that you could explain it to someone who hasn’t done the reading. Don’t panic if you can’t remember every detail. Highlighting everything is the same as highlighting nothing.
What’s one thing from your time at King’s that you’re especially proud of?
I’ve often felt most proud of the work I did outside of the classroom. Creative pursuits and personal projects, from writing for The Watch, to putting together campus events, have felt just as good as getting an A on a paper.
Thinking back to who you were when you received your acceptance letter, what would you tell her?
When I first received my acceptance letter, I thought I had a clear idea of what my next four years would look like. For the better, I was wrong in a lot of ways. I would tell my past self that the experience will be more challenging than she expects, but also more meaningful. There will be moments of uncertainty, and times when things don’t go according to plan. But those moments will shape her just as much as the successes. I would tell her to trust that growth doesn’t always feel like progress at the time, but that she will learn so much through her time at King’s, and ought to cherish each moment.
