When it comes to life wisdom, fitness enthusiast Aidan Sampson’s words overflow with the love of sports. “Just go for it. Life is full of opportunities, and if you can see those opportunities, then you can take those opportunities. Don't shy away from a challenge. Don't shy away from adversity.” He is from St. Lewis, Labrador but is now living in Halifax, Nova Scotia while studying to get his Bachelor's of Kinesiology in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University. Aidan was recognized as a 2024 Loran Scholar, selected from a pool of over 5,200 applicants to receive a Loran Award.

After he graduates, Sampson’s looking to become a personal trainer and coach. It’s a field he’s passionate about as he’s played sports since he was 12. He stopped pursuing them in university as he realized he would have to give up half his life to do so. He found another way to get involved with physical activity through coaching and training without sacrificing so much of his free time. 

When it comes to gym time, Sampson loves to deadlift, row and do lat pull downs. He loves training his back. His advice for nervous first-time gym goers is to just go for it because they are not alone in being nervous. “There's going to be some big 300 pound guy absolutely jacked out of his mind in that gym, and he's just as nervous to talk to you as you are to talk to him. So just go for it,” he urges.

Beyond the gym, Sampson likes being outside and walking. He plays intramural volleyball so he can enjoy recreational sports without all the pressure to perform. He’s been playing since seventh grade and he likes to be the outside hitter. Otherwise, he studies a lot, enjoying his courses so far.

His advice for students is to not let school work pile up, study, go to lectures to learn and take notes. Sampson’s preferred study method is flash cards and he recommends testing yourself instead of just writing notes. He considers notes a good starting point, but quizzing yourself is the next step. To keep his mental health in check, he studies around people who cheer him up or who he enjoys spending time with. Good company makes study breaks more enjoyable.

When it comes to obstacles Sampson has faced, one was a poor grade on an assignment after receiving better grades on others. He advises to keep moving forward when that happens. “Just because you get one bad mark doesn't mean it's the end of the world. You can keep going….Take it as a learning experience. Keep going. Study harder. Figure out what you did wrong, figure out what you need to improve, and just keep moving from there,” he encourages.

Growing up, Sampson’s role models were his parents and his grandparents. They always pushed him to be the best version of himself. Celebrities and athletes never inspired him as much as his own family did. Now, looking to the future, he wants to run his own personal coaching gym in the Maritimes where he’s always lived. He wants to create better access to recreational opportunities, thinking of how he had to travel four and a half hours to see his badminton coach when he was young. The type of coaching he wants to provide is strength and resistance training, not just for athletes but for everyday people. Sampson would like to help clients improve agility and stamina, strength or aesthetics.

Overflowing with the love of sports and movement, Aidan Sampson is full of wisdom he wants to share. Going toward all of life’s opportunities he can see, never shying away from a challenge or adversity, just like he recommends, he’s pursuing his dreams of coaching and training. Sharing his passion in his home region and creating ways for community members to reach their own goals, he’ll be building strength where he’s from and a strong path to success.

Thanks to Alison Tedford Seaweed for authoring this article.