Roz Jacobson

afterwords

Roz Jacobson

alumni UBC’s afterwords is a digital conversation series that shares the stories of some of UBC Okanagan’s extraordinary alumni.


Meet Roz Jacobson

 

1. What is your current profession?

I do personal training, teach yoga, and host adventure retreats. You can find me at rozz.ca or on Instagram @rozz__j.

2. What education did you receive at UBC?

Bachelor of Human Kinetics.

3. What do you think makes UBC Okanagan great?

UBC Okanagan is great because of its people and the place that it’s in! The people really made an impact for me when I think back on my time at university; the humans that worked on campus, the professors, my fellow students and teammates, my coaches and the friends that I made all bring a smile to my face thinking back on that time. Kelowna is truly an incredible place and the beauty of the campus speaks for itself.

4. Were you a Heat (Laker) and what was your involvement with Heat (Laker) Athletics?

I played 5 years of basketball as a member of the women’s Heat team. A fun fact: my first year in 2008 was the first year UBC Okanagan changed over from the OUC Lakers to the UBCO Heat - that was really special!

 

 

5. What is your favorite Heat (Laker) memory?

There are so many! Winning provincials in my first year, playing in the nationals in my second year when we hosted the nationals competition at the campus, road trips on the bus, but the one that I will always treasure is winning our very last game as #7 in a Heat jersey at home in front of a packed gym.

6. How did you find balance between your athletic commitments and your studies?

Practicing yoga, spending time with my family and taking time away from the gym and my studies. It really gave me an opportunity to have a break from it all which fuelled my tank to keep me going.

7. If you could start university again, would you do anything differently?

Oh yes! I would prioritize sleep more. I would make meditation part of my every day. I would have a stand up desk. I would ask for help more often. I would start a study group.

8. What was your first official job after graduation?

I was hired as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer at a gym in Kelowna.

9. What is the best part of your current job?

The best part about my current job is the people, the fun of bringing people together, inviting people into their body in an impactful way, creating connection, and bringing joy to other people’s lives.

10. What are some of the challenges you have faced in your career?

Figuring out how to work for myself, creating work/life balance, understanding what it takes to work in someone else’s business as a contractor, and balancing friendship and business.

11. What would you like to share with current students who will be graduating in the coming year and have concerns with the current work climate?

Knowing who you are and what matters to you is the most important thing you can figure out before you get into the working world. If you know yourself + you know what matters to you, you will navigate jobs + relationships + interacting with people with so much more clarity.

12. What's the best advice you can give to help plan a career?

Do what you love and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t make a career out of doing what you love because you can and it’s the best.

13. Do you have a mentor? How have they influenced you?

I have a few mentors in a few different communities (life and business coaches, yoga teacher mentors) and they have each influenced me to learn about myself in incredible ways and also in the details of running my own business. My business is personal because my business is about me, so creating and sustaining strong boundaries and communicating openly has been so important. I have my mentors to thank for supporting me in doing that.

14. What is something you continually find yourself saying?

You can do it. Keep breathing. Yes.

15. How do you balance your work and home life?

I do my best to work hard during the day when I’m away from my partner and then to just be with him when we’re at home. This past year has been tricky because we’ve both been balancing working on different schedules - openly sharing about what we’re up to, what we need to get done and when, and then giving each other space to do it has been so helpful to create balance.

16. Where do you volunteer or how do you give back to your community?

Right now I am not volunteering anywhere and that feels funny to write because I have given a lot of time to my community in the years since I’ve graduated and that feels so good to know and share here. I spent 4 years volunteering as a co-leader of the November Project Kelowna, which is a free outdoor workout every Wednesday morning at 6:29am and that was a very epic chapter to contribute to until 2019.

17. Do you have any books that you would suggest are a must read?

Yes! Atomic Habits by James Clear if you want to really dial in positive habits in life, Untamed by Glennon Doyle if you want to get free in your life, and American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins if you want to have your eyes opened by something you may not know a lot about.

18. Who is one UBC Okanagan alum you would like to nominate for afterwords?

Ian Deans