Certain, but uncertain. 

This can sometimes be the train of thought for a recent high school graduate making their choice on what comes next. There is definitely an idea of what they enjoy, what they are passionate about, and what they want to learn more about. But, how do they find something that can combine all those things together. 

Third-year Varsity Blues baseball pitcher Matthew Baici knows the feeling all too well as he shared his thought process during the transition from Monarch Park Collegiate Institute to the University of Toronto. 

"I always knew I wanted to go to U of T, but it was in high school that I decided that I wanted to pursue the sciences specifically," explained Baici. "Initially, I had thought that I would pursue a double major in physics and chemistry; however, after my first year at U of T I found the chemistry labs I had to take as part of my courses were much more interesting and interactive, so I decided to focus on chemistry, enrolling in the specialist program." 

From there, Baici dived all in. The relief pitcher has since earned OUA all-academic honours twice, while also contributing in two OUA championship seasons for the Varsity Blues, making the most of every opportunity.  

"My favourite Varsity Blues memory is definitely winning the OUA championship in back-to-back seasons these past two years. Seeing as I didn't know if I wanted to pursue OUA athletics at first, reflecting back I'm glad that I did as I have been able to develop and learn so much from so many different people as a result." 

This enjoyment of community and learning from others has extended beyond just the baseball diamond. Baici has been an active member of the U of T chemistry community, currently serving as the academic coordinator for the Chemistry Student Union. In this role he assists in coordinating mentorship opportunities between upper-year and first-year chemistry students. As well, Baici serves as a Varsity ASAP mentor himself within the greater Varsity Blues community, helping other varsity athletes academically. 

But a memory that stands out to him most came from a late semester gathering. 

"In my second year, I remember studying for my final thermodynamics exam together with a lot of my classmates, which was when I felt like a lot of us really had a chance to get to know each other as we were going over the course material, and doing practice problems for the exam," described Baici. "I really enjoyed all the different ideas and methods for solving the problems we were able to find as a group, as well as all of the ups and downs we went through trying to understand and rationalize some of the more advanced concepts in the course. Also, right after we finished writing the exam, we were all able to reminisce and reflect on all of the challenges that we faced along the way, while also realizing how much closer we had become as a collective in the second-year chemistry community at U of T." 

Ahead of his senior year, Baici has found a way to answer some of the uncertainty within his academic journey. But as it always is, there still remains the question of what comes next. 

"I'm definitely considering doing some sort of graduate studies, but right now I'm still trying to pinpoint the specific area of chemistry I'd like to fully focus my interest on in the future. Compared to other universities, U of T offers a lot more interactive learning options in the sciences, especially for first-year students who might not be fully set on a specific subject to focus on. It's this hands-on learning that has really stuck with me through my time at U of T, and it's one of those things I don't think I'll ever get tired of."