An Interview with Rohan Atal

Community Connections - IRHS Alumni Interview

Tanvi Manku

Rohan (he/him) is an IRHS Class of 2020 alumni student and is currently in the Commerce program at Queen's University, Class of 2024.

How did you decide which field/program you wanted to pursue?

I had always been curious about the world and businesses. At the same time, I was considering going into law and so a bachelor of commerce was a great way for me to figure out what I would want to do while keeping other options open in law.

Why did you choose to attend your university/college?

With regards to business programs, I had narrowed it down to Ivey AEO and Queen's Commerce and I personally preferred the structure of a degree that provides more context about business in the beginning rather than later into the degree (Ivey in the 3rd and 4th year). Similarly the decision of whether or not to do a dual degree was helpful in this decision- at Western the structure is great for this but since I opted not to do a dual degree, I decided on Queen's instead.

What was the biggest challenge you faced transitioning from high school to university/college and how did you overcome it?

The hardest part of the transition was starting university online. It was definitely quite confusing to get the hang of what university is going to be like without having ever set foot in the building. Over time, this transition became easier and when I moved into residence in second semester, it was a great chance to see the campus and meet people.

What did you do in high school that you feel helped prepare you for university/college?

While academics were a priority and an important component of high school, I would argue that the most preparation for university in my experience came from outside of the classroom. There were many extracurriculars at IRHS and I think they were the most helpful in teaching me the skills that I rely on most now (collaboration, leadership, conflict resolution, project management, etc.). In my experience, Debate Club and DECA were both influential in this respect.

What was your favorite memory from IRHS?

My favorite memories were the Coffee Houses. These events really brought the school together and they were a lot of fun.