For my first article of the 2024/25 school year, I reflected on my conflicting feelings about entering my final year of university. So naturally, I decided to write my last article of the year about what I’ve learned since September and throughout university.
Writing this article during my last week of classes (ever!) made the reality of school ending sink in. I knew I wanted to reflect on my university journey, but I hadn’t thought about what that meant until I faced the inevitable final class of the semester.
University has been some of the best years of my life, and I know that probably sounds like a cheesy line you’d hear on a campus tour, but it’s true. From the moment I stepped foot on Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) campus, I threw myself into getting the most out of the next four years.
And those four years flew by. It’s hard to believe that when I started university, I was an 18-year-old who had moved to a brand new city on my own, and now I’m 21 and proudly call Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood home.
Since then, I’ve grown in ways I never could’ve imagined back in my first year. I’ve learned how to navigate change, how to speak up in rooms that once intimidated me, and how to balance a jam-packed schedule without completely losing my mind (well, most of the time).
I’ve figured out what I’m passionate about, what kind of communicator I want to be, and how to turn late-night brainstorms into real projects I’m proud of.
One of the biggest takeaways from my time at TMU is that your university experience is truly what you make of it. Some of my favourite memories didn’t come from lecture halls, but from the time I spent working on student publications, collaborating with classmates, and being part of a creative community that constantly inspired me.
Whether it was writing for campus magazines, snapping photos around the city for class assignments, or getting coffee at Oakham Cafe with my friends in between classes, I found myself surrounded by people who pushed me to do better and dream bigger.
But beyond academics and extracurriculars, university taught me a lot about myself. I’ve learned that growth doesn’t always look linear, and sometimes, the detours end up being the most rewarding paths. I’ve learned the importance of asking for help, of saying yes to opportunities that scare you a little, and of trusting that things will fall into place, even when you’re not entirely sure how.
Now, as I approach the end of this chapter, I feel a mix of emotions: pride, nostalgia, excitement, and definitely a little fear of the unknown. But more than anything, I feel grateful for the people I’ve met, the lessons I’ve learned, and the version of myself I’ve become along the way.
To anyone still in the middle of their university journey, soak it all in. Take the risks, have the conversations, and stay up too late working on things you love. Because one day you’ll look back, just like I am now, and realize it was all worth it.
Thank you, TMU, for being the place where I found my voice. I can’t wait for whatever comes next!