With the end of each school year comes a sense of catharsis. The weight of exams and school is lifted and the short break between the winter term and the start of either summer jobs or the summer semesters allows us to catch up on the things we’ve put on the back burner.
For me, this year-end feels very different than past ones. After this term, I’ll be graduating from Laurier, saying goodbye to The Cord and, in September, moving to London for grad-school.
As a result of all these big changes, I can’t help but reflect on the last time I experienced a “big” change.
When I graduated from high school, I was hesitant to let go of all the things that I thought made me who I was. Leaving high school included leaving behind my involvement in student council, my group of friends, etc.
But even when you think you’re not ready for the next chapter in your life, some chapters inevitably close on their own and force you into the next.
When I came to Laurier, I was closed off to a lot of staple experiences because I was still wishing I was back in high school and hanging on to my old self. I realize now that, in a way, I didn’t allow myself to be open to everything that Laurier had to offer.
Although looking back I have no regrets and I have truly had the best time at Laurier, looking into the future, I don’t want to close myself off and be stuck holding on to my experiences as an undergrad at Laurier.
These experiences at Laurier have taught me so much about who I am and who I want to be. The Cord was my home and my place at Laurier. This paper and the people I work with made me feel like I belonged somewhere.
In the wise words of my favourite dude (and my all-time favourite quote), “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
As scary as it is, I’m excited to move away and start fresh. I hope that I get to experience things as amazing as my time here at The Cord and at Laurier.
As much as The Cord and Waterloo in general will always be a part of me and an extremely significant portion of my life, I want to be able to cherish the memories I’ve made here while accepting that it’s time to move on to what is next for me.
I want to be able to open myself to new experiences, friends and more instead of dwelling on things that currently bring me comfort.
In fact, my current mentality has allowed me to appreciate the little time that I have left here at The Cord and at Laurier. Instead of resenting the fact that I have to leave, I’m focusing on cherishing the time I still do have here and knowing that the friends I have made here will be life-long and I will always have memories to look back on.
In the wise words of my favourite dude (and my all-time favourite quote), “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
Indeed, you can still cherish the past and memories while allowing yourself to move on — and that’s what I hope to embody as I move on to all that my next chapter has to offer.
