Meet Siddhant Maini
Degree: BMSc’24 (honours specialization in physiology)
Role: Peer Guide Volunteer
Home Country: India
Highlights of my Western Experience
Most of my fondest memories include my friends and social circle. One of my favorite memories of my time at Western was with one of my friends who immigrated to Canada from China. On Lunar New Year, he didn't have his family to spend time with, so he came to my house with a big box of mooncake (a Chinese pastry traditionally consumed during the Mid-Autumn Festival), and we spent that afternoon together. It was a great reminder of how important social circles and friendships are, especially in times of festivals and celebrations. The nice gesture also reminded me how valuable it is to make meaningful friendships.
Another highlight of my experience was being a Peer Guide, which was meaningful to me. The reason I applied in the first place was because I am an immigrant and I've seen a lot of my relatives also immigrate to Canada for undergraduate degrees, for a job, for settling their family, etc., so I've seen challenges they faced. I wanted to use the insights that I've gained through my own personal life to help others who are facing very similar challenges. Initially I wanted to contribute to my community in a positive way, but I have also gained so much from this experience myself. As a Peer Guide team leader, I was able to not only help the peers build their skills, I was also able to improve my own skills and grow as a person.
An accomplishment I’m proud of
One of my biggest accomplishments was starting my own podcast about mental health called Peer Support Podcast, while at Western. Before I started university, I would be quite introverted. In this role, I had to talk to various professors from many different fields who are experts with more knowledge than me. So, it was quite daunting at first, but over time I developed that skill to talk to new people, to be more expressive, be more open, and I think that has greatly improved my day to day, as well as my academic life.
What's next
This summer, I’m working as a researcher on campus at one of the labs that I really like and in September I’ll be starting medical school at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.
I feel very satisfied and I'm quite excited about the work opportunities that are waiting for me.
