For Juan Guibert, graduating from University of Toronto marks the end of a nearly decade-long journey that took him from the classroom to the high-octane world of professional esports - and back again.
During his five-year side quest from his studies at U of T Mississauga as a pro gamer, Guibert competed in major tournaments and sometimes trained for up to 14 hours a day.
He says that discipline served him well when he returned to the university to add a new title to his career stats: a bachelor of commerce degree.
"I was so used to working a ridiculous amount," he says. "By comparison, it felt like I had so much free time."
His unconventional path to Convocation Hall began in 2015 when he arrived at U of T Mississauga as a commerce student and joined the university's tri-campus League of Legends team. The multiplayer online game pits teams against each other in a battle for control of a virtual arena. Guibert helped lead the U of T squad through a series of high-profile collegiate tournaments, including a world championship appearance in Wuhan, China, and a title win in Taipei.
Those victories earned him a shot to go pro. But his parents - who had immigrated to Canada from Peru with high hopes for his education - needed some convincing.
"They weren't happy about it," Guibert recalls. "I'd prepared a whole spiel where I told them, I looked into it: I can pause my studies for a year or two and pick up where I left off."
With their cautious approval, he set off for Los Angeles in 2018. There, he immersed himself in the world of competitive gaming, complete with roster changes, coaching staff, contract negotiations and fan followings akin to those found in major league sports. At the time, Guibert says, League of Legends was booming, with matches drawing hundreds of thousands of viewers. At its peak, premier tournaments packed arenas, including New York's Madison Square Garden.
What was meant to be a gap year stretched into a lengthy competitive run. But the grind eventually began to wear on him. Even as he continued to perform, the pace became unsustainable.
Guibert stepped away from the pro circuit in 2022 and returned home to Brampton, Ont. He spent a few months weighing his options but kept circling back to an unfinished mission.
"I decided that going back to UTM would best set me up for success."
Returning to school in 2023 wasn't as simple as picking up where he left off. He shifted his academic focus from finance to a double major in marketing and economics. After years away, he had to brush up on skills such as academic writing and calculus. He also made an effort to reconnect with campus life, aiming to befriend at least one person in every class.
While he didn't officially rejoin the U of T League of Legends team, he stayed connected - occasionally lending his expertise and subbing in for matches.
As he prepares to graduate next month, Guibert has no plans to hit restart on his gaming career. During his final year, he interned at Borealis Foods, a food technology startup, and he hopes to pursue further opportunities in the field.
"Since I quote-unquote retired from esports two and a half years ago, I've been trying to focus on finding enjoyment in other things."
For students torn between their passions and their studies, Guibert offers this advice: there's no one right way to play the game.
"If you have the means, I would say by all means, pursue your dreams," he says. "But finishing school and taking the more traditional path is also nothing to be ashamed of."
