Contributing Writer: Aisha Malik is a fourth year student at UofT, and she is studying English and History
Edited by: Jina Aryaan
1. I’m going to miss having access to one of the greatest library systems in the world!
The University of Toronto library system is the third largest in North America! Although the workload at university can be rigorous and never-ending, it definitely helps to have access to the libraries, and their countless resources. One thing that we definitely take for granted is having free access to JSTOR. Do we even realize how helpful it is to have access to the library systems?
2. Time is especially passing by faster now than ever before!
Who would have thought that four or five years could go by so fast? With the fast-paced lifestyle of a university student, it’s easy to keep waiting for the weekend, or the break, or summer. What we don’t realize is that all this time that we’ve been waiting, time has been flying by. The semesters truly do go by faster during the last two years of undergrad. It doesn’t feel like too long ago, when we were struggling in our first year and just trying to get the hang of university life. In the midst of studying and enjoying fun times with friends, time really does fly. The months leading up to graduation definitely feel like days the closer we get to it.
3. Omg UofT is so pretty!
Our campus is one of the most photographable campuses in the world, due to its outstanding architecture. In our first year, we may have walked around campus and marveled at the beauty, but throughout the years, the beauty got lost as we ran around to submit papers on time or cried about uncertainties about every aspect of our lives. Despite all the ups and downs, it’s these experiences that make the campus feel truly like home. Now that we’ve grown, matured, and found comfort in the good and bad days of university life, we have become better at recognizing the beauty surrounding us as we approach our last weeks of university.
4. I feel nostalgic and I haven’t even left yet!
No, seriously, have you been thinking about all the things that you will be doing for the last time? Your last undergraduate semester, your last assignment, your last exam, and the list goes on. I’ve already started thinking about the last time that I’ll walk around campus as a student rather than an alumnus. I guess that’s the beauty of it, we were all so ready to graduate after our first year, and now, four years later, we’re cherishing everything a little more.
5. Going to one of the best universities in the world was a privilege and the best decision of my life!
With its stellar reputation, and national and world ranking, being a student at the University of Toronto is a great privilege. We worked hard to get here, and let’s be real; we worked hard to stay here. We’ll realize how fortunate we are to call UofT our alma mater as soon as it all hits us: we’re really graduating. Finally, we get to join the exquisite group of UofT alumni.
6. Graduating from university is exciting, but it’s also a bit scary!
Waiting for the moment that will conclude the past several years of hard work is nerve-wracking and exciting! We can choose to take time off, take continuing studies, get a job, or just take some time to figure things out. After spending the last 18 years or so in school, it can be scary to not have a definite next step. But, we get to choose our next step, which can also make it exciting and rewarding!
So to the upcoming class of 2018, I wish you all happiness and success, graduation is almost here!