Shekhar Baid juggles studies, volunteering, and part-time work

Shekhar Baid with his coloured volunteering T-Shirts | Photo: Renuka Malhotra / The Dialog

In Toronto for just 11 months, Shekhar Baid is originally from Mumbai, India and is pursuing international business management at George Brown. Baid has been an active volunteer with various activities in and around the college.

“it is not theoretical, the entire learning experience,” said Baid about his experience in college. “It is a more interaction and involvement based learning experience in college.”

Baid currently volunteers with five on-campus initiatives, including the student leadership academy, and the dean’s ambassador program.

Involved in so many endeavors, time management is important to Baid. “Being an international student you have to manage your work which I am doing outside campus, volunteering inside the campus and my studies as well.”

Baid has a straightforward approach. “When I am not involved with anything, I concentrate on my studies,” he said. “When I have free time, I accept the offer to volunteer.”

Baid recently participated in the United Way’s CN Tower Climb, climbing the 144 floors in 28 minutes.

“The first 20 floors were like, ‘okay, I can do it, nothing much.’ Slowly, I got to 70, I got to 80, ‘okay, now I can’t go’. ” recalled Baid. “When I reached 140 I was so exhausted, I was like, ‘no, I want to go back.’ ”

But Baid didn’t quit, he said other climbers encouraged him to make it to the top and complete the task.

“I could have went back after the 28th floor, but then I saw many people, (including) children, were climbing up and I saw what I was doing it for and that boosted me up,” said Baid.

For Baid, it is necessary to avoid a monotonous life. He just doesn’t want to come to college, study, go home, study again, and sleep. Baid wants to experience different aspects and opportunities in life.

“Canada being a multicultural country, there are people from different parts of the world. So, during these opportunities, I get to know new people everyday, I get to talk to them, know them and it is a very good experience.”