Finishing your first year of university is an indescribable feeling because it’s unlike anything else we will ever experience. The thing is, we all go through different stages that mark changes in our lives. For instance, grade eight graduation is where we get ready to enter high school, and high school graduation is where we get ready to enter university. This is what most people consider to be the scariest step of all because after almost 14 years of school, we get to enter a completely new environment. But the number of things we have to plan and prepare for, as well as the exciting new paths we have to choose between, is a distraction from all of the stress we have to endure. Because of this, we are too busy to really relish in the fact that our lives are flashing before our eyes.
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Throughout middle and high school graduations, most of the time we’re too busy celebrating the fact that we’re growing up to worry about all of the things we’re leaving behind. We’re usually excited about going to our first parties, getting lockers and attending our prom night, which all symbolize significant changes. But after the first year of university, the significant change does not always carry a positive feel to it because it marks our growth into a stage that isn’t half as fun as teenagehood. From here on out, the things we’re going to be looking forward to are lower electricity bills, shorter grocery lists and getting promotions at work. After the first year at university, the adjustments we make become harder and more bittersweet as we look back with nostalgia.
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Once the first year of university comes to an end, everything starts to become more real. While there was a lot of room for error in the first year, as we gradually shift into summer, we are obliged to start thinking about getting a job or internship, how we can improve our CV, how we can get financial aid and maybe even where to live after moving out of dorms. Because coming to university is such a stressful and scary adjustment, there are a lot of people, such as our families and university faculties, who try their best to make our transition easy and pleasant for us. But after the first year, we are in charge of that. The training wheels come off and we are forced to learn things on our own.
Reaching the end of my first year, it has dawned on me how real and intimidating everything can be. I think the scariest thing for me is forgetting how to live and enjoy every moment. It’s common for us to disregard the little moments that give us joy because everything else is so chaotic; I think it’s quite important to remember to have fun and not grow old too quickly. It’s crucial that during these years, we surround ourselves with people who make us feel good and who understand that being happy is key. It’s essential that we don’t forget to be silly and irresponsible every once in awhile because even without training wheels, there’s still room for mistakes.
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