Thanks for Everything

For those of you who have followed me throughout the year via this blog or any of our other social media channels, this is where we part ways.

This is my last blog post with student life, and very likely my last blog post as an undergrad student in general. Though we only know each other through the words on the screen, I’d like to thank you. Thank you for being an extremely important part of my life. It’s not everyday where you get to share what you’re up to with people who are interested in reading about it.

When I started this journey, my goal was to contribute to the richness of this blog, and the student life experiences that it shares. I set out to communicate a perspective of student life from a mature student’s standpoint, and I think I’ve done a decent job. A decent job, because, you might have noticed, regardless of age, our experiences are probably quite similar. We’re striving towards the same goal, in the same environment, and may have even sat in the same lecture hall together listening to the same professor. When I set out on this journey, I was convinced my experience would differ greatly from the vast majority of undergrads, but I was wrong.

In fact, what ended up happening was unexpectedly the opposite. Rather than me share my experiences with you, you’ve all allowed me to share in your experiences and become a true colleague and friend. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but the gist of it is that through this blog, you all have had a hand in helping me transform from being just a mature student, minding my own business with tunnel vision focused on finishing my degree and nothing else; to becoming a tried and true U of T student, steeped in the community that will forever stick with me for years to come.

In essence, without being part of this blog, there are so many things that I don’t think I would have set out to take advantage of and experience. Some of the highlights of my year that I was able to share with you were: getting to run my hand along the bells of Soldier’s Tower’s Carillon, watching a perspective shifting lecture at this year’s Hancock Lecture, being instructed by one of my role models in the art of Public Speaking, mapping out and getting to know where most if not all of the major bank ATMs on campus are, and quitting coffee (temporarily). Without you, I probably wouldn’t have set out to do the majority of these things, if any. Also, sharing these experiences with you put me in the habit of writing. In fact, looking back at the year, my journey with writing has experienced its own ups and downs, and has arguably gone side to side as well. I mean, I vanquished writer’s block this year, even after taking a writing workshop as well as a research workshop. If I’m completely honest, I would say that sharing my year with you has actually been quite instrumental in my success with academic writing. So thank you for that as well. In any case. I think this is probably a good place for my final words. Thank you for being part of my journey. Thank you for being amazing colleagues. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Hopefully my experiences were able to enhance your own U of T journey. I wish you all the best, and perhaps one day our paths will cross again (preferably not through words on a screen, but in the flesh).

Stay amazing.

All my best, Jasper.