Remembering Rye student Julia Sokolov

By Kosalan Kathiramalanathan

Julia Sokolov will be remembered for her outgoing spirit and her lively attitude.

Sokolov, a second-year human resources management and organizational behaviour student, lover of reggae and a car enthusiast, died on Sept. 19, 2017. She was 24.

Sokolov was found in an apartment with life-threatening injuries following a stabbing in Scarborough. She was rushed to a trauma centre and succumbed to her injuries nine days later.

“She was always very carefree and energetic. She talked really fast and she made lots of jokes—she was totally humorous,” said Karina Askarova, a long time friend of Sokolov.

Askarova met Sokolov back in 2006, when the two were enrolled in a private school in Richmond Hill.

Askarova remembers that her outgoing and caring personality was evident from the beginning.

“She would always offer me a ride home after private night-school. [She had] a very giving and generous personality … she was always really inspiring and motivating.”

Her ambition and positive personality translated into her time spent at Ryerson, according to her former classmate Anisa Kasuji.

“She was never shy, always talked in class. She was driven to do well in school. She always participated and she constantly talked about her work experiences,” said Kasuji.

Sokolov worked at her father’s auto shop and loved to drive stick-shift cars.

Askarova remembered Sokolov as very adaptable to whatever situation she was put into, and often found a way to make the best of things—even when times were difficult. “She broke her finger once and we all managed to just make jokes about it throughout the year,” said Kasuji. “She was easy to talk to and some- times she went beyond expectations and helped her classmates.”

Askarova also spoke about her calm demeanor in stressful situations. Both friends went out one evening and despite the fact Sokolov’s car nearly broke down, they managed to laugh it off.

“Her car’s hood started to smoke … on the highway on our way home,” she said. Sokolov opted to grab food instead of taking her car to be checked right away.

“We stopped at the McDonald’s drive-thru to buy food and as soon as we started to drive out … her hood was smoking more and more and then her car stopped.”

Despite the two having to wait until 4 a.m. for a tow truck, Sokolov kept a bright attitude the whole time.

Steven Murphy, Dean of Ted Rogers School of Management said “her passing is deeply tragic, and we mourn the loss of one of the members of our TRSM family,” in an email sent to the faculty. Murphy also linked counseling resources available to students who are in mourning.

“We are committed to helping students through this difficult period,” he said.