“This might just be the last time we go for a roommate dinner,” I pondered aloud to my roommates. As I looked up from my bowl of pasta, I was met with long, sad faces as we all thought about what our upcoming graduation meant. For the past four years, McMaster has been my home. It was where my parents first dropped me off as I stepped foot into a new chapter. It was also where I experienced the highs and lowest of lows of adult life.
The Little Moments Turned Out To Be Not So Little
As I reminisce about the past four years and how much I have changed, I cannot help but remember the highlights of my undergraduate experience. I would not have believed you if you had told me on my first night in Mary E. Keyes that I would learn to accept failure, face rejection as my dreams crumbled before me, make the closest of friends and make unforgettable memories together like our regular impromptu dance nights in our apartment. All that in four years? It sounded like something out of a coming-of-age movie. And in some ways, it was.
In my third year, my roommates and I bought a small waffle machine on a whim. Waffle Wednesdays became a hit, even though none of us could make a fairly decent meal for ourselves. We made an extremely thin batter, forgot to incorporate all the essential ingredients, and did not know how long to cook the waffles. We all gave it our best shot. Without fail, our waffles turned out raw, and tasteless. Despite the twenty half-eaten waffles sitting on our kitchen counter, and our hunger getting the best of us, our whole kitchen fiasco was filled with giggles, jokes, and laughter that came from deep in our bellies. Although this might seem like a small memory, it was a metonym for the genuine fun we had when we were together. It was these moments that you should not take for granted. Being present with your friends, and saying “yes” to things on a whim is what will create a happy memory archive.
Uplift Your Friends – Words of Affirmation From Your Loved Ones Can Go A Long Way
Perhaps the most profound lessons I learned from the ages of eighteen to twenty-two, were related to learning to love myself, which is not a transformation I made alone. It was my friends really who helped me abandon my negative and harmful thought patterns. I remember staring at my reflection in the mirror before leaving the house, whispering “I don’t think I look good” under my breath. One of my closest friends would catch me and remind me of the things I would fail to see in myself. Slowly my thoughts began to change from being inherently negative to seeing myself in a new light. I also learned about embracing unrequited love and seeing that at this moment, I am enough for myself. If things are meant to be for me, they will be.
Rejection is Redirection
University also taught me how to deal with rejection. I learned how to get back on my feet after receiving grades that did not meet my expectations, taking midterms I did not have enough time to study for, and receiving disappointing feedback. Finding out I did not receive admission into medical school this year was near earth-shattering. The dream I had worked hard to materialize since such a young age left me feeling empty and confused. It took a couple of days, but I then reminded myself of the bigger picture – that this was a mere setback in the grand scheme of things. It is all about persistence and positivity that pushes you towards that final “yes.” And although at the cusp of graduation, life may feel uncertain or the fear of the unknown may creep up, remember that through the ups and downs, you eventually found your way and made it to the finish line.
Undergrad was a bittersweet amalgam of some of my happiest and sometimes sad moments. If I were to surmise everything I learned in one short, sweet, sentence I would say: Everything will happen for you – maybe not the way you think it will – but in the end, it will turn out to be more than just alright.