My Thoughts and Feelings Going Into My Final Year of University!

In a couple of days I’ll be starting my fourth and final year of university—there are a lot of things to process and think about! In this blog article, I thought I’d share some of my worries and hopes for my final year of university. I hope that if you’re also going into fourth year, this may be helpful or relatable!

Like many fourth years, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do after my undergraduate degree and have started applying to graduate schools. Having started my applications this past week, I can already see that balancing school with grad school applications will be a huge amount of work.

Though of course these feelings of stress are valid, I’ve been finding resources at U of T very helpful for dealing with my feelings and the challenges of applying to grad school. My college hosted a great four-part workshop series on teaching students how to apply to graduate school, which has been very helpful for guiding me through the process. There's also an event coming up with the U of T Career Exploration & Education helping students write academic CVs and professional statements. I also have an appointment with my college registrar this week to review my cover letter for grad school. I definitely recommend reaching out to these college resources if you’re similarly stressed!  

I’ve also felt like this year has come up on me so fast! Even though I’ve lived in Toronto for three years now, it really feels like yesterday that I moved into the city. Now that I may be leaving Toronto after this year, I’m feeling lots of nostalgia and frustration that with COVID-19 I won’t be able to experience a “normal” year of university. 

To get over these blues, I’ve been reminding myself that even if I leave Toronto next year, I’ll likely come back soon and be able to create many more memories. I also have an entire year left of my degree which I can spend exploring the city and making memories with friends. I’ve been looking at lists of unique places to visit in the city and I can’t wait to check out some new spots!

Not all my feelings are anxious, thankfully! I also have a lot of excitement going into my final year of university. In my final year of high school, I had a lot of fun with my friends celebrating our achievements and how far we’d come. I really hope I can bring that same sense of nostalgic fun into my final year of university, and look back on all the memories I’ve created throughout my university experience. Even though things are scary and uncertain right now, I also feel like I'm finally getting into the groove of university, and that's worth celebrating!

Overall, I’m excited to embrace my final year and make the best out of what has already been a super rewarding journey!

If you’re going into fourth year, how are you feeling?