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» Home » Student Profiles » Sayoojya Saju

Back to School 2020

Meet students from a wide range of Faculty of Medicine programs.

Meet the students

Sayoojya Saju

By Stephanie Chow | August 27, 2020

Program: MSc, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
Year in Program: 2
What inspired you to pursue your program?

During my undergraduate degree, I had a chance to be a student ergonomist in a couple of different manufacturing companies. During that time, I realized I wanted to do more than just ergonomics and I was always really interested in other fields, especially environmental science. One day, I learned about occupational hygiene and I realized it would actually allow me to connect all of these things I was interested in together, while getting the chance to learn about how other people perform their work and help protect them at work. I’m glad I chose this because the program has been exactly as diverse and fascinating as I thought it would be.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

I am looking forward to staying in one city long-term. Over the last five years, I’ve been moving every four or eight months and it’s been really nice to call the same place home for the long-term. I have found moving to be exhausting both mentally and physically, especially as the years have passed. Now I’ve gotten the chance to spend more time with my friends here than I would have otherwise and I’m looking forward to getting to know them and the city much more over the coming year.

How are you making personal wellness a priority during COVID-19?

I have been scheduling time off to do something that’s either fun or physically challenging and sticking to it. I also think that having a kinesiology degree and having had good friends in public health science has ingrained the idea of personal wellness in me, and I’m very grateful for that. It also helps that every time I take a walk or talk to someone, I notice that my energy returns.

Favourite physically-distanced social activity?

Playing games, whether it’s on a virtual table or document. Even though the people I’m playing with can be quite far from me, I feel like we are all entirely present in that moment. It makes me feel close to them despite being in different rooms.

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