My name is Marissa Lester and I have the honour of being one of the 2020 4-H Ontario Ambassadors. I have also recently graduated from the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus where I studied agriculture. Through my two-year program I managed to balance homework, assignments, classes, and a part time job as well as my 4-H life! It was not the easiest thing I have done in life, but it was well worth it!
4-H has been an extremely big part of my life ever since I joined. When I decided I was going off to college, I was worried about finding the time for schoolwork, training a show heifer, and a part time job but I am so happy I continued to make time for 4-H.
Lucky for me, Ridgetown was only 45 minutes away from my hometown of Brigden. It was tough to get into a routine but I made time for my assignments, to be an active member in my 4-H clubs, halter break two heifers, and also work my shift on Saturdays. Throughout this experience I learned important time management skills and how to prioritize the things you care about most in life.
There were a lot of other students in the same boat as me who all shared the same passion for 4-H and would not give it up for anything in the world. I’m very thankful for those friends I had made through college and the support system we created.
At the end of the day, it’s important to prioritize your interests and passions in life. Would I say give up your senior 4-H years? No definitely not! Your senior 4-H years in my opinion are the best ones that are filled with many accomplishments and opportunities you will not want to miss out on!
It can get difficult.
It can get stressful.
It can get overwhelming.
However, it’s important to remember to do what is best for you, to do what you love, and to never give up. Most importantly, you need to never stop ‘learning to do by doing’ whether you are in 4-H or not!
