In our quest to introduce each of our Beedie Luminaries, we are excited to share Jullianna Oke’s Q&A today. Julianna has just started her first year at SFU where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts with her passion for dance.
What is your name?
Jullianna Oke
What post-secondary school will you be attending?
Simon Fraser University
What program will you be taking in post-secondary and why does it interest you?
I will be doing the dance program that SFU offers for a major, as I have always been heavily involved with dance when I was growing up. As of right now I am also interested in doing a minor in criminology, but that might change once I start taking my classes.
Tell us a little bit about your background (growing up, going to school, extra-curricular activities, etc.).
Growing up, I always paired school with dance. Dance was and still is a true passion of mine, and I’m really happy that the program I did for high school allowed me to have flexible school hours to accommodate all the dancing I was doing. Although it was hard at times to balance both school and dance, I now have a good understanding of how I work and problem solve in a wide variety of circumstances.
Who inspires you, and why?
My mother has been a big inspiration to me. From when I first started dancing to when I graduated, she has supported me both financially and in the decisions I make. Being involved in dance at the competitive level that I am has taken its toll on our small household, but my mother has never ceased in saying that the cost of my dance was okay as long as I was learning and loving what I was doing. She is incredibly hard working and cares deeply about the students that she teaches and helps, and she always inspires me to make sure I’m giving my all to everything I do.
On the dance side of things, one person who’s abilities have continued to inspire me as I was growing up was Lex Ishimoto. Something I’ve always found inspiring was how he was able to give his all at a very wide variety of dance genres, and how he was able to effectively express himself in each one. I tend to struggle with expressing myself while dancing, but watching his videos inspires me to keep trying.
What motivates you, and why?
Improvement has always been a big motivator for me. I want to be better than I currently am- whether it be in academics of my physical abilities. The thought of pushing through something and ending up stronger, more capable, or more understanding of something provides me with the motivation to do it. Even when I haven’t been able to complete a task, I still learn something about myself and what I can do better for next time. The idea of improving and learning more motivates me a lot.
What are your goals for the upcoming school year?
My goals for the upcoming year would be to stay balanced and to try not to stress and over worry about everything. Throughout the years I’ve often prioritized school and dance over my overall wellbeing, but I know that this is a problem of mine that might take a little longer to solve. I think a small starting goal would be to just try to have a little more time to myself this year- whether it be going to acupuncture or taking a bath when my muscles don’t feel so hot, or making sure I’m getting the amount of sleep that my body needs. This should pair in nicely with making sure I don’t over stress and worry if all goes well.
What is one thing you learned in high school that you will take with you to post-secondary?
One thing I learned the hard way during high school—and will definitely take with me into university—is the painful consequences of combining procrastination and perfectionism. I would spend so long trying to perfect a certain part of an essay or project that I would leave the rest of it until the very last minute, turning it into a form of procrastination. Yes, I was doing the work, but I was by no means doing it effectively. Now that I am aware of how this is self sabotage, I know how I can avoid ending up in this position throughout my university classes.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to future Luminaries?
Make sure you have an outlet of something you enjoy so that you can unapologetically be yourself.
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