“The Best Four Years of Your Life”, Part 4: The End of an Era
Welcome to the long awaited Part 4 of my university series, “The Best Four Years of Your Life”. The anticipation of getting to this point has been all-consuming, and I’m extremely grateful to have made it here at all. The past four years have been a lot, but now that they’re behind me, I can look back and tell you about the things I learned and wished I knew in retrospect, and all the things that are still to come.
C’s get Degrees
I’m sure you’ve heard of the infamous saying, “C’s get Degrees”, and as redundant as it may sound, it is a life motto that many people in university live by when they get to their final year. Most of us just want to reach the end of the race, and care less about the journey and the things we learn in the process.
It’s normal for your final year to feel overwhelming — on top of just doing school, you need to think about meeting all of the requirements to actually graduate, and figure out what you’re going to do after. For me, this looked like trying to get into the required courses I needed but never took, and applying and doing job interviews in between studying for classes. Amidst all of this, it’s normal to stop prioritizing your grades and your learning, but for me it was still important to do well in my classes and to truly feel good about reaching the end of my program.
Everyone’s situation is different, but you should applaud yourself for even getting as far as reaching your final year and being one step closer to getting the degree you’ve worked tirelessly for. Whether you live by the saying or not, it’s important to prioritize your mental health and to know that no matter what happens, it’s not the end of the world. Take an extra semester if you feel like the course load is too heavy, or take a year off after graduating if you haven’t figured out what the future looks like yet. Take a few extra electives that you’re really interested in but aren’t related to your program at all, or join the club that you’ve been eyeing since first year. Getting the degree seems like the only thing that matters once you get this far, but I think it’s important to take advantage of all the social and learning opportunities that you’ll no longer have once you receive it.
Double check, triple check
Once you get to your final year, it’s expected that in 2 semesters, you’ll receive your diploma and officially be a university graduate. As simple as it sounds, it happens too often that people don’t make it to that point, because of 1 missing credit, or 1 missing required course. Double check with your faculty advisor and program advisor that you are actively meeting all of the requirements to graduate at your expected time, and then triple check again to make sure you’re still on the right track. You won’t lose anything from being extra cautious, but you’ll surely be in a frenzy if you end up finishing the year with no diploma, just because of an avoidable mistake.
Prepare for what’s to come, whether something is coming or not
Nobody expects you to know exactly what you want to do after you graduate, but it’s a huge pressure that soon-to-be graduates naturally feel, knowing that there is so much uncertainty after a few years of knowing exactly what you need to do to receive a degree. The question everyone will ask you is, now what? Whether it’s graduate school, a job, travelling, or nothing at all, it’s important to still be prepared for the big change that’s about to happen in your life. Transitioning from being a full-time student to anything else is a pretty drastic change, and having some sort of plan post-grad can make that transition a bit smoother. Many people from your graduating class are going through the same thing, so just know that you’re not alone.
Now that I can officially call myself a university graduate, I don’t feel all that different, except for the fact that my identity is no longer defined by what I am or am not studying in school, and more-so what I do with the things I’ve learned.
Always forward, never back
As I said goodbye to McGill and the city of Montreal, I eagerly welcomed a new future into my life, in Seattle, Washington. Moving away from home is always a big deal, and I’ve done it once before, but now I’ve moved to a new country, with nothing but a few luggages and a hopeful spirit. As I finish up writing this part of my university series, I have already been in Seattle for almost 3 months, and I’m pleasantly surprised with everything the city has to offer, and what my life here is looking like. It feels like my life at McGill was a long time ago, which means I’ve officially moved on and am only looking forward, never back.
Present Day
I am currently working as an Associate Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services in their HQ in Seattle, Washington. I’m very lucky to have found a job post-grad that is 1) enjoyable, 2) fulfilling, and most importantly, 3) pays the bills. I know that this isn’t the case for most people who finish their undergrad, but I am rooting for anyone who is reading this, and I want to remind you that the job you get right out of university does not define the rest of your career. Getting a job at all is a huge accomplishment, and hopefully it’s something that you enjoy and can learn from.
I live in the city in a 2 bed/2 bath with my partner, about a 5 minute walk from my office. We recently became puppy parents, and let me tell you, it is much harder than you think. Our puppy is named Miso, and as cute as she is, taking care of her is a full time job on its own. I’m looking forward to the day we have a house and can give her the yard of her dreams, but for now, nowhere in the apartment is safe from her potty accidents and chewing habits.
I’m not too sure where I’ll be in the next year or two, but for now, Seattle is where I call home. There’s still much to be explored, but I’m excited to do so with my little Miso by my side.
If you’ve made it this far in my university series, I appreciate your support and your willingness to follow my journey. University was one hell of a ride, but I’m eager to put it behind me as there’s still so much more in my life to look forward to. You’re welcome to follow the rest of my journey as I continue to figure out what it means to be an adult — feel free to follow me on Medium to be notified on my future blog posts, message me on LinkedIn with any career questions, follow me on Instagram for some delicious food stories, and subscribe to my Youtube channel (launching soon) to get a glimpse into my daily life. Thank you for being here, and you can look forward to hearing from me again soon. 🙂