Meet Alex, a recent graduate from Waterloo's Engineering program who spent their university years juggling intense coursework and multiple co-op placements. With student debt looming large, Alex embraced the minimalist lifestyle during their studies, often sleeping on a mattress thrown on the floor to save money. Now, having secured a stable job in the tech industry, Alex takes pride in investing in their new apartment—and treating themselves to a proper bed frame, a symbol of their hard-earned independence and newfound comfort in adult life.