I can’t believe I have known Misha since she was in grade 6. Now, a beautiful, smart, confident, and articulate 22 year-old, she has transformed in amazing ways and she was excited to speak with me about some of the life lessons she has learned so far as well as the advice she’d give growing girls.

A recent graduate from Carlton in Ottawa, Misha is now attending BCIT to earn her second degree. She is interested in content creation – this means she loves using her creativity to post on Instagram and she’s saying “yes” to requests to model various products.

Misha also loves meeting new people and has a refreshingly positive outlook on life: “Happiness comes from freedom”. I asked what she meant by this and she explained that when you have freedom – to be independent, to make your own choices, and to be exactly who you want to be – happiness can be the result.

Misha learned through her high school experiences with mean girls and difficulty feeling as though she fit in, that guys can be great friends because they are “straightforward, and honest”. Yet, she adds wisely, you need to walk away when the friendship isn’t working, “Don’t waste your time and don’t chase boys.”

She tells me that her advice to girls would be simple: “Work hard – nothing is easy. Do what you love to do – after all, it’s your life and you need to really live. Oh, and, make friends outside of school”.