Over the Winter Break, I did a lot of eating. And by a lot, I mean A LOT! At one point, I had eaten 5 dinners over 3 days. My stomach never ceases to amaze me.
But eating wasn’t the only thing I did over the break. I used quite a bit of my free time to do some much needed self-reflection -- just in time for the New Year.
My relationship with resolutions in a nutshell.
Here’s the catch, though: I’m a habitual resolution breaker. Yes, I break ‘em as soon as I make ‘em. Sound familiar, anyone?
But this year I decided to do something a little bit different and, instead, came up with a mantra: do what makes you happy. I was drawn to this idea because I wanted to come up with something that would not only help guide my life for 2013 but my future as well – what I want to do, and how I would like to grow.
The problem and beauty of this mantra is its encompassing broadness. Certainly, it can seem vague and there are so many aspects to happiness. However, it is also all in the way we define it for ourselves. That being said, what better way to encompass the many goals and hopes I have for my time left at U of T, and for my life in general?
So, do what makes you happy.
But what makes me happy? The short answer is an inexhaustible plethora of things, but I’m going to try to list a few particularly important ones.
One of the things I’ve really enjoyed this year is helping other students to make the most of their experience at U of T through a peer mentorship program. Going into 2013 and the new term, I’d like to spend more time getting to know my mentees better because it makes the mentorship experience (both for myself and mentees) that much more enjoyable. To be honest, I am enjoying this experience so much, I wish I had utilized the Student Life website earlier to find out about all the leadership and extracurricular opportunities available.
On a more academic note, being a fourth year student applying to grad school, I’ve had to think very long and hard about my path going forward and to decide whether I’m passionate enough about International Relations to pursue a Master’s programme in it. I’m sure there are some fourth years out there that can relate. But this kind of reflection over subject POSt choices is not limited only to fourth years. With first year students being required to choose their subject POSts in a few months, there will be a lot of thought and reflection required to choose a program that will hopefully spark your passion and interest. In either case, whether you’re in fourth or first year, a visit to the Registrar’s Office certainly doesn’t hurt to get advice and support to pursue what makes you happy and sparks your academic passions.
And so, here’s to the pursuit of happiness. Not just in 2013, but for a lifetime. Because I choose happiness – with all the vagueness and complexity that comes along with it – over numerous resolutions that get broken every year.
Is what you’re doing making you happy?
- Vivian
enjoyable. To be honest, I am enjoying this experience so much, I wish I had utilized the Student Life website earlier to find out about all the leadership and extracurricular opportunities available.
On a more academic note, being a fourth year student applying to grad school, I’ve had to think very long and hard about my path going forward and to decide whether I’m passionate enough about International Relations to pursue a Master’s programme in it. I’m sure there are some fourth years out there that can relate. But this kind of reflection over subject POSt choices is not limited only to fourth years. With first year students being required to choose their subject POSts in a few months, there will be a lot of thought and reflection required to choose a program that will hopefully spark your passion and interest. In either case, whether you’re in fourth or first year, a visit to the Registrar’s Office certainly doesn’t hurt to get advice and support to pursue what makes you happy and sparks your academic passions.
And so, here’s to the pursuit of happiness. Not just in 2013, but for a lifetime. Because I choose happiness – with all the vagueness and complexity that comes along with it – over numerous resolutions that get broken every year.
Is what you’re doing making you happy?
- Vivian
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