Time to Say Goodbye

So U of T, I guess this is goodbye! It’s hard to believe that this is my eighteenth and final blog post here at Life @ U of T. Do you remember when two-month summers in elementary school seemed to take years to creep by? Why does time seem to go by so much faster now? It really does not feel like a full four months since I was introducing myself to you all! The end of writing for this blog also marks the end of my time at U of T. I’m starting to realize that the next time I sit in the Knox College quad or read paper in Sid Smith might be years from now, though I do feel prepared to jump into life as a U of T graduate. Like I do in any time of transition, I’m trying to look back on what I’ve experienced while also planning and getting excited for what comes ahead.

First, looking back: I think that I’ve definitely accomplished everything I set out to do with these blog posts. I wanted to try new things on campus, which I did by trying new restaurants, courses and fitness classes. I wanted to practice covering some fun aspects of science; I covered topics like space, solar racing and science outreach. Writing a blog post each week kept me thinking about the huge number of opportunities at U of T, and I was inspired to make the most of them.

I did learn a lot about different services and opportunities at U of T, but more than anything I’ve developed a willingness to explore new aspects of my school. Pretty handy, considering I’ll be starting at a new one next week! I’m making that my main goal for the upcoming semester: even though I won’t be writing about it every week, I want to be involved in student life and experience all that my new campus has to offer. Because exploring was what made this summer so memorable, and getting involved outside of the classroom was what made my U of T experience as a whole as memorable as it was. It’s so important to balance gaining skills and learning in the classroom with growing as a person in other ways. For me, that growth happened while writing and editing for a number of campus publications. It also happened during countless long dinners with my friends in residence. And it definitely happened when I decided to go for it and apply for this job!

So, U of T, some parting advice: go to Clubs Fair next week and sign up for a new campus group. Sign up for opportunities that you are interested in, even if they scare you. Visit that building on campus that you’ve never been inside. Study at a new library. Take an interesting elective. Your experience is what you make of it, so you might as well make it awesome!