Sandrine Côté

Anxiety is something every human being encounters. It is either a subtle pressure in our chest or a crushing weight all around us. In the face of difficult feelings and challenging events, we either freeze, fight, or flee. For me, childhood led to anxiety greater than anything I had ever surpassed. I chose the second option; I fought and studied as hard as I could. I journaled, listened to a thousand podcasts, and raced through the pile of books on my bookshelf. I challenged myself to do things I feared doing: public speaking, debating, and journalism. I found great pleasure in my preferred literature research field and eventually discovered that I now could cope with anxiety. I had built confidence within myself in learning to work with discipline but also with passion. Learning new literature fields and understanding difficult topics brought me a sense of trust within myself. And so, I was able to persevere and excel in my classes because I worked through—and continue to work through—my anxiety. I can now balance success, discipline, and hobbies, and in doing so, I found balance within myself, as well as a passion for public speaking and literature. This award is the culmination of everything I worked for within and outside of myself.

Dawson College Perseverance Award
Fall 2025