I write this piece in the last week I will ever step foot in the library to officially complete my undergraduate career. I have one assignment left due in two days, the 15th of May. Over the last year, my lovely group of close friends would not only meet to have fun, but meet in the library, arrange to have lunch breaks and motivate each other on our final stretch before becoming graduates. But in this final week, it has been rather empty. Most of my friends have finished and it leaves three of us left. And I can’t help but try to imagine what it will be like once I am finally done.
The thing is, I can’t. I think I will feel lost for a day or two, contemplating what to do since my life has been surrounded by education for the past twenty years. I will probably end up ruining my social battery and sleep schedule by planning loads of meetups and get-togethers to see as many people as possible before they disappear before graduation. Instead of looking forward, I find myself reminiscing. I’ve had the best time at university, and I don’t regret any of my choices. I am perfectly happy with how things went, choosing a degree I love, having a wonderful support network and finding passions in other areas through the help of student life.
Since coming to university, I find myself being drawn out of my comfort zone, where I became more extraverted. I’ve befriended many over the course of the four years, whether they were in my classes, met them in parties or in the various societies I’ve joined. I will forever be grateful to the friends I’ve made, whether we slowly lost touch, our friendship was on and off, was friends from the start or met right at the end. It will be sad to think I won’t have the convenience of university to see some people again. To no longer be able to bump into them in Starbucks on campus, go to the same party or sit next to them in a lecture hall (though that farewell was back in 2020 – thanks COVID!). As a people person, knowing life gets in the way and will make it more difficult to see each other as we dot ourselves around the globe is quite depressing – but that’s life. Knowing this though, I think it’s true some university friendships can last forever – I look forward to seeing where my friendships go, to see where my friends end up, even if it’s through social media and I’m excited to continually show support wherever they are.
Through societies and clubs, I found people who have the same interests as me, which I may not have been able to find otherwise. There is something about not having the same interests as people around you all the time, something separate that’s yours that can be extremely relieving. And I’m grateful to not only find the societies and clubs, but the wonderful people that are in it. I love them all to bits. For one, I continued my love for playing table tennis, this year marking my twelfth year of playing. Thankfully, I won’t be saying goodbye to this club just yet since they welcome graduates to still play, but there’s still something incredibly saddening to know I will forever be attending as an alumni, rather than as a university student.
Wanting to publish a book at some point in my life, I refound my passion for writing a couple of years ago and ended up writing for Her Campus in my second semester of third year. This piece I’m writing is my 39th article just for the society, and I’m incredibly proud of writing a whole range of pieces. From my passion projects advocating for chronic illness and racism, I’ve also found myself writing more fun and light-hearted pieces, which I would have never even thought to do if I were not in this free-reign magazine. It is such a wholesome society all having the same passion to write. And it’s wonderful seeing all of them write what they are passionate about, whereas Head Editor, I was even given the privilege to read them all before they were published. I’ll miss being a VIP.
With the Economics and Business society, I found myself joining back in first year and loving their social events (shout out to their pubcrawls!) – I met so many people through them. That is one thing I’ll truly miss – going to social events. Whether they were ones organised by me for table tennis, wholesome brunches with Her Campus or pubcrawls with the Economics and Business society, I’m happy to have attended them and just had fun. Whilst we are all here to study, having a student life where you are not always wrapped around your studies definitely makes it less exhausting, and more worthwhile. Everyone has to strike a balance. Juggling my university life and social life might not be something I’ll miss, but saying my goodbyes at my last socials definitely gave me goosebumps. Thankfully, I even got the privilege of being on the committee for these societies and clubs, and as someone who (unpopular opinion), loves responsibility, I’ve had the best time being part of something so great.
Whilst I’ll still be able to do hobbies like writing or play table tennis, student life as it was will change once I graduate. Being part of societies have made my university life a lot better and I will never have that exact experience ever again. Once I graduate, there will be several experiences I will never have again. The last month or two have found me doing many ‘last times’. For the final time, I listened to my last lecture, completed my last MCQ and soon, my last assignment. For the last time, I planned an undergraduate birthday party, attended a club social and took part in a committee meeting. For the last time, I organised the last time my friends who study together, eat lunch together and study in the library. And shortly, it will be the last time I see certain people as they start their next chapter, or even step foot on campus as a university student as soon, I will be an alumni.
As a sentimental person, I know I will greatly miss university life once it grinds to a halt. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for the next season in my life. I have a remote internship lined up with Rare Revolution which is the perfect role for me. It’s a combination of doing everything I love and already do – social media management, admin, leading a team and it’s for a magazine for rare diseases. What could possibly be better for me? As ecstatic as I am for this to start, I have said a lot of goodbyes and made my final farewells. I know one day I will come back to this will nostalgia, but right now it’s a mixture of nostalgia and excitement for what is to happen next. Because at the end of the day, before the next season arrives, this season finale must come – graduation. And that, will be my final farewell.