Most of Jessy Trinh's time at Ryerson University has been spent exercising unintentional divergence. Though she hasn't exactly tried to be different than her peers, her university experience—which has been marked by her studies in interior design and her three years spent with Ryerson's figure skating team—is quite unique. Like most student-athletes, her story starts with her choice of program: Interior design. 

The Ryerson School of Interior Design (commonly abbreviated to "RSID"), where Trinh studies, is one of the university's smaller departments. Not only does it pride itself on having small and tightly-knit cohorts—Trinh estimates that her year only has about 60 students—but it's also geographically separated from the rest of the Faculty of Communication and Design (FCAD) since it operates out of its own building on Church St. instead of being housed in the larger, more central Rogers Communications Centre (RCC). 

Still, this separation hasn't hampered Trinh's enjoyment of the nationally-renowned program. 

"As a creative person, we thrive off of each other," Trinh said of the collaborative nature of her program and her relationship with the school's other groups of creatives. "We get inspiration from each other, we discuss our work and that's how we get motivation and ideas."

Since her program relies on what's called "studio culture"—a collaborative, open-concept environment meant to foster creativity and encourage the sharing of ideas—the switch to virtual learning has been tough for students in her program.

"It was definitely difficult at the beginning," she noted, adding that the faculty's professors have made exceptional efforts to enhance their experience despite the difficulties posed by COVID-19.

A native of Ottawa, Ont., Trinh decided to pursue interior design after watching interior design shows on HGTV and being inspired by the stylists' skill and dedication. After doing more research on the program and its reputation, she applied to Ryerson and was eventually accepted. Upon moving to Toronto and enrolling, she found that the program was heavy, but not impossible to manage. 

"I would say it's pretty intensive," Trinh said of her program, addressing the iterative process all designs must go through. "As I started to understand the dynamics of the program, I got more comfortable with it."

As a free skater, Trinh captains the always-exciting Ryerson figure skating team, a position she took over from co-captains Rebecca Bourgeois and Isabella Larkin this year. Among athletic circles, the team is known for their early practice times—they practice four times a week from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., a routine that involves Trinh, a commuter, waking up at 5:30 a.m.—and their elegant precision. Trinh's skills are even more impressive given that she learned to skate at the age of 11, which is significantly older than most figure skaters. 

So, just like her choice of program, Trinh's upbringing within the sport is slightly unconventional, though that doesn't seem to bother her.

"I try not to think of [it] age-wise," Trinh remarked of getting into the sport comparatively late. "I just live in the moment. Sure, I was surrounded by a bunch of younger skaters, but I didn't really let it get to me." 

As for what the future holds, Trinh, like many Rams student-athletes, is open to anything. Her education is preparing her well, she said, and she looks forward to exploring the world beyond the confines of university. 

"For me, that's kind of up in the air," Trinh said reflectively of her future. "I just want to explore and gain experience in a little bit of everything before I can set my sights on a particular path."

Stay tuned to ryersonrams.ca for more student-athlete profiles throughout the spring and summer months.

Student-Athlete Profile Series
Alexander Zwegers (FENCE): The Rams' Gambit: Inside the mind of Alexander Zwegers
Ali Ghazanfari (MSOC): Year six between the sticks: Ali Ghazanfari on discipline, good fortune, and coaching
Phil Seguin (BASE): Phil Seguin honours friends, faith, and passion with Wraps Performance
Ye Eun Park (WHKY): A commute from Korea: Ye Eun Park's transpacific march to graduation
Elijah Roberts (MHKY): Puck and podcasting: Elijah Roberts on sport media, Soul on Ice, and Black excellence
Brooke Pearson (WSOC): The creative process: How Brooke Pearson never stops exploring
Mikaela Dodig (WBB): Hoops with honours: Mikaela Dodig and her nationwide excellence
Steve Harland (MHKY): From cells to cellys: Steve Harland's mind-body connection
Molly Peters (WVB): Aces and different spaces: Molly Peters and her diversified Ryerson experience
Madison Lalonde (WHKY): From helmets to masks: Madison Lalonde's careful pursuit of safety
Lhexen Rabit (MVB): Fashion and fitting in: How Lhexen Rabit balances design and sport