Grace Adams is a Victoria College student hailing from Nova Scotia. After taking a  gap year after high school and graduating from Munk One last year, she is now beginning her double major in Peace, Conflict and Justice and Ethics, Society & Law. 

Grace found out about PCJ through Munk One and decided to apply because it gave her an opportunity to continue working within a small, close-knit cohort in an interdisciplinary environment. She chose Ethics, Society & Law because it seemed like the perfect program to complement her classes in PCJ.

In her first year of university, Grace experienced “imposter syndrome,”– something many of us students do. She found that it could sometimes be difficult feeling to contend with feelings like you aren’t good enough or smart enough to be where you are, but it ultimately lead to her becoming more aware of her worth and the skills that she brings to the classroom. Through this experience, Grace learned that every student brings something unique to the table, which is another reason she is looking forward to working with her peers in the program.

Grace is excited to focus on some of her personal academic passions within her PCJ courses, while continuing to use the skills she gained in Munk One, such as  applying key frameworks and concepts to various topics . Munk One also helped Grace find areas of study that she has since become passionate about  studying.

Last year, Grace was a member of the Victoria College Chorus and a member of the student union’s “Blue Crew” volunteer group. She spends most of her free time working as a barista at a café in Yorkville.

Before joining U of T, Grace took a gap year. During the first half, she worked to save money for a four and a half month backpacking trip all over Europe and Southeast Asia. A few highlights included Prague, the Swiss Alps, a tiny island in Greece, rural homestays in Vietnam, and learning how to ride a motorbike in Thailand. Grace recommends a gap year to anyone, no matter their age — you’ll never regret it!