Well, Now What?!

So, we’ve all heard of Harvard University. But, ever wonder what kind of people actually go there and what it’s like? Well, you’re in luck because today’s guest isn’t just a top student at Harvard, but also an amazing professional dancer. Jennifer Chu does it all! She has been dancing since the age of 5 and hasn’t stopped since. She’s trained in all the styles you can think of from classical ballet to hip hop, she even attended the prestigious Julliard School of Dance, and even appeared in a hit Disney movie.

Today, we talk about why she decided to pursue a post-secondary education instead of going straight into dance, and how she deals with the fear of missing out on opportunities while in school. This episode is perfect for those either deciding to attend post-secondary or even those currently in university unsure of what their future holds. Check out her incredible dance videos on Instagram @jenniferchu_

You might recognize Lauren Toyota from her TV days as a former MTV and MuchMusic Canada Host. In 2014, she launched Hot for Food as a blog to share her vegan lifestyle. Hot for Food then expanded into a Youtube Channel which now has over 470,000 subscribers and over 35 million channel views. In 2018, she authored her first vegan cookbook, Vegan Comfort Classics: 101 Recipes to feed your Face, which became an instant best seller. Currently, she is devoted to creating engaging content on her Youtube channels, and working on her second cookbook.

In this episode,  we talk about her transition as a tv host to a digital content creator, what it’s like to be a woman of color in the public eye, how she successfully launched Hot for Food and grew a massive online community, and how she balances being authentically herself in her personal vlogs, while still keeping some of her life private. Check out her delicious recipes either on her blog, cookbook or Youtube channel. Seriously, they are so easy to follow and they're vegan! I hope you enjoy this week's episode.

Today’s guest is Amal Kassir- also known as Amal the Poet. At only 24 years old, she has performed in 10 countries and over 100 cities, from youth prisons to orphanages to refugee camps. Her work in the community involves humanitarian initiatives for Syria, speaking out and organizing against Islamophobia, and empowering the voice of the marginalized through writing and speaking. In this episode, we talk about how she created her own program in university, how she developed resilience as a young Muslim woman in the United States, and why people of all ages, and races are eager to hear what she has to say.  Her TedxTalk "The Muslism on the AirPlane" has reached over 4 million views on Youtube.  You can find her at @AmalthePoet on Instagram. 

Today’s guests are Rose Wilby and Graeme Peace. Their love story began when they were both working on the Croatia Yacht Week. Rose is originally from Canada and works as a boat cook on Yacht week and Graeme is from South Africa and works as a skipper. They talk about how they got into working at Yacht Week, how their love story started, and how they are now traveling the world together. This episode is a bit different from the others I’ve recorded, as most of my guests have had their set career goals. Graeme and Rose offer a refreshing perspective of living in the moment, doing what truly makes you happy, and being completely content with the unknown. Their story is so wonderful, and for those that are looking for that friendly push to go off and travel- well, this is it.  They are now starting to film the good times of their rather expensive relationship. Watch their travel videos here.

Ally Maz is a writer, entrepreneur and yoga teacher. She is the founder of Girlvana Yoga, Ladyvana Retreats and is the co-founder of the renowned yoga/fitness studio The Distrikt.  Alex is a Global Yoga Ambassador for Lululemon and a soon to be published author at Penguin Random House. She is known for her warmth, her propensity for real talk and her commitment to making yoga as accessible as possible. She has lent her expertise to NHL and MLB players, co-created a yoga app with EA sports, has taught classes ranging from 500 to 8,000 people, taught a private class to the rapper Common as well as her popular yoga tutorials with lululemon. She currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with her husband Bill and pupper Butcher. We talk about privilege, finding her passion in yoga, and how she dealt with failure and the unknown. Find her on instagram @allymaz.

Kyra Williams is not just a business student at The University of Victoria, but also a cancer survivor. She speaks about her journey and how the challenges we go through are really just a part of our learning process. We talk about the ups and downs of recovering, as well as navigating life post-grad. Currently, she is starting a blog, so visit her website and subscribe to her mailing list if you want some inspiration.  @liiveandwelearn on Instagram, and www.kyra.ca.

"Well, now what?!” is a podcast where I will be having transparent and open conversations with people from diverse backgrounds about all things post-grad and figuring out what you want to do career wise. Having recently graduated university, I found it incredibly difficult just figuring things out and just adjusting to this new chapter in my life. I know a lot of people out there are in the same position, whether post-grad or not, or even entering a new phase in their life, I thought this would be the perfect way to share my experiences and loads of other people experiences with the reality that we are facing. So, follow me along this exciting journey!