Yanjinxuan (Bolo) Wang

I joined cadets in 2022, when I was 13. I wasn't expecting much the day I joined, I looked up to the big scary flight sergeants and warrant officers and wondered if I could become like them one day. Even though most parades for my first year were virtual due to COVID-19, I still saw how the senior cadets were able to quiet down a zoom meeting of twelve-year-olds.

 

I was a very shy kid, and pandemic lockdowns certainly didn't do me any favors on that part. I still distinctly remember my first in person parade, everyone seemed so confident and intimidating. Our CO (Commanding Officer) Major Angel greeted me in the parade square where I just froze, not knowing what to do. I stuttered out the best response I could muster for the time and remember thinking that I would never be as confident them let alone stand in front of a classroom or whole squadron to deliver a speech.

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Looking back on that memory, I see how far I've come. I'm now comfortable meeting and talking to new people, something that once felt impossible. I've had the chance to lead a team of more than 60 cadets in my home unit's tech and media teams, and I've made friends from across Canada through two summer camps. I know there's still plenty of room for me to grow, but I'm ready to face each new challenge as it comes.