Abby Oosthuyzen - BA in Justice Studies (BA-JUS)

I am very socially involved in my world and volunteer for many causes so the flexibility to continue to meet these and other obligations while working toward my BA in Justice Studies at Royal Roads University definitely suited my needs. The convenience of studying from home so that I could still be mom to my daughters was also very appealing and served me well.

My greatest fear at going back to school was not being able to find my “groove”. It had been 20 years since I was last in a formal academic setting and I knew that I had picked up some poor study habits along the way. I overcame this fear by acknowledging that it was okay to be rusty and I made a determined decision to learn and grow. Having others in my cohort who were in a similar situation was comforting and knowing I could draw on them helped me overcome some of my reservations.

Now that I’ve graduated, I feel such a sense of accomplishment. When I started the program, I was more singular in my vision but now I see all kinds of possibilities. Originally, for example, I had my heart set on becoming a lawyer but since earning the BA, I find that my personal philosophy is more in keeping with mediation. This self-discovery has been empowering. I have come to realize the importance of understanding myself in order to better serve my present and future clients.

The most valuable learning for me was coming to the realization that perfection is subjective and that even failure can be valuable and converted to strength. Blind spots exist but reducing them through acknowledgement and confrontation sets you on a growth curve. This has changed the way I interact with colleagues and friends; it has changed their responses to me; and it has resulted in more collaboration and more team spirit.

My children have watched me grow and evolve, too, and are now enjoying the emergence of a different mom and woman. They have grown with me. My marriage, unfortunately, did come under tremendous strain. I should have resigned from voluntary positions earlier so that I could have given adequate attention and time to those things that were priority in my life.

Spreading myself too thin did have significant consequences on meaningful relationships but I have been enlarged. I used to pride myself on having a large worldview now and being broad minded but I found out exactly how limited I was in those areas and have come to appreciate diversity in a whole new way.

I have the greatest respect for my instructors. They were fair and just and made me feel as if they considered me an equal at various levels. There was an appreciation for my journey and the life and work experience I brought with me. I had a sense that they were committed to learning with me and not just instructing me. No doubt Erich set the tone for the team. His ability to work with me in my crisis times gave me the desire to keep stretching until I crossed the finish line.

I believe that RRU is part of a new breed of universities. The combination of theory and practical is refreshing and empowering and every lesson learned can be implemented at your place of work or service. You do not have to wait two years in order to experience the benefit of your learning.