Meet Athisaya, Acanac Scholarship Finalist
In line with our mission of making things easy and saving money for all Canadians, Acanac launched our very first scholarship contest over the summer of 2017. We asked students across Ontario and Quebec to let us know how High Speed Internet has impacted their field of study by either writing a short essay or sharing a video with us on our Facebook or Twitter pages for a chance to win $1,000.
We were so impressed with the quality of the entries and the diverse perspectives from students in interesting fields of study, that we decided to showcase our contest finalists. We’re happy to share our conversation with Athisaya, who is studying Forensic Psychology at the University of Toronto We talked about the nuts and bolts of Forensic Psychology, her career plans, how the Internet is changing everything and even explored some of her favourite TV shows. Check out Athisaya’s contest entry essay here.
Our Chat with Athisaya
Acanac: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us Athisaya, and congratulations on being a finalist in our Scholarship contest. So, you’re studying psychology?
Athisaya: Yes, I’m doing my Bachelor of Science in Forensic Phycology.
Acanac: Can you describe how that’s different from “regular” psychology for those who may not be as familiar?
Athisaya: Yes, there are quite a few different subsets within Forensic psychology. For example, Forensic psychologists usually work within the Justice system or within a Police department. They l do criminal profiling or act as expert witnesses to determine whether someone may have a mental illness or whether they are fit to stand trial.
Acanac: Got it, are you profiling us right now based on the questions we ask?
Athisaya: No, not yet (laugh).
Acanac: Ok, we’ll try to relax and finish the interview strong. So, what career path do you have in mind after you’ve completed school?
Athisaya: I would like very much to work with the Police department, I may become a police officer to utilize my psychology skills. Not really sure which path I’m going to take yet, but definitely something within law enforcement.
Acanac: Exciting. So, we asked students to tell us about how High Speed Internet is changing their field of study…how is it impacting Psychology?
Athisaya: I think academics in general have been impacted, everything is online and computer-based now. For me though, having access to High Speed Internet keeps me updated on everything I need for my courses, I can access different databases so I can do my research and finish my homework. It connects me to what’s available in terms of job and volunteer opportunities and allows me to network with others in my field: like my professors or prospective employers. Come to think of it, it also really helped me before University. I took a year off after High School because I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do. Having access to High Speed Internet and researching online helped form my perspective on lots of things, by reading blogs and reaching out to people already in the field to understand their experiences before I made the ultimate decision really helped me.
Acanac: That’s interesting. With the cost of school being so high, is taking a little time off before you decide what to study something you would recommend?
Athisaya: I think it would really depend on the person, because everyone has different personalities and tendencies. For me, I really wanted to save up for school first anyway. I mean, I was thinking I really wanted to get into Psychology but I took the year to think on it and by that time I was 100% sure.
Acanac: It is a very important decision.
Athisaya: Yeah, exactly. So, if you can stay driven and motivated throughout that year to work towards your goal and not get distracted, I say go for it.
Acanac: Good advice. Now, the Internet is a relatively new phenomenon in our day-to-day lives. Do you think it’s having a positive effect on us as a society?
Athisaya: Very interesting question. From a socioeconomic perspective, I think people who perhaps would have never had access to ideas from certain professionals and experts in the field can now access through blogs or on YouTube. So, access to information disparity between people of different positions in society is reduced significantly and I think that’s a great thing.
Acanac: In your essay, you reference some of your Friday night Netflix sessions. Since you’re studying Forensic Psychology, if you could get a job working at either CSI or Criminal Minds, which one would you choose?
Athisaya: Without hesitation, Criminal Minds. Actually, one of the first thing you learn in Forensics first year is that CSI is very fake. They showcase one person who knows everything about the field ,which is definitely not the case. It makes for great TV, but it’s not realistic. In Criminal Minds though, a lot of the tactics and strategies are actually real and implemented by Forensic Psychologists… maybe not in the same timelines as real life, but the theory behind it is definitely there.
Acanac: Are there other shows or movies that influenced your decision to get into Forensic Psychology?
Athisaya: Growing up I used to watch Dexter all the time. At first, I thought it was kind of freaky but the more I watched it I thought: “Wow, this is really cool stuff.” And, although I didn’t love the blood or gore part of it, it did try to show us what people might be thinking before they commit a crime.
Acanac: Well, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with our customers and fans, Athisaya. If you were profiling us during the conversation, please let us know about the results and whether we have anything to worry about.
Athisaya: (Laugh) Thanks for the great contest and don’t worry, you did just fine.
Up Next
Please stay tuned over the next several weeks for more installments in our Acanac Scholarship Finalists series. You’ll get to read more about our great contest finalists and their insights into how our world is being transformed by High Speed Internet. You can stay in the loop on this and all the other stuff we’re up to by Liking our Facebook Page or Following us on Twitter.
About Us
The Acanac story is all about celebrating the worry-free enjoyment of your High Speed Internet service. We offer a wide range of High Speed Internet plans in Ontario and Quebec, for a great price, so you don’t have to sweat the small stuff.
Call us today at 1-866-281-3583 or visit us online to find out why it’s good to be here.
