To My First Year Self…
To my first year self,
The ocean and beaches will be your best friend and easiest way to relax!
I know you’re brimming with excitement about the next four years of your life and for all the people you will meet, all the events you’ll go to, and just the thought of new life experiences.
Please hold onto that throughout your journey at UVic – even in the most stressful and darkest times of the winter months, I hope you will remember the warm sun that lit up your face while sitting on the quad and look forward to cherry blossom rain in the spring.
These past four years have been quite frankly, exhausting. There were a lot of moments that you would not even foresee coming but you’ll get through them all. Make sure to rely on your family and friends and trust yourself to make decisions.
I’m envious of how refreshing classes will feel during the first year. Although the novelty wears off soon, don’t worry, there are lots of more interesting classes waiting for you.
Please prioritize yourself and your mental health above anything, whether that be others’ expectations, societal standards, or academics. It will be so worth to take time each week for yourself so that you don’t burn out.
I’m proud of you for trying new things such as going to different clubs and it’s okay if you don’t find something where you feel like you can belong – there’s always the option to create something!
Ultimately, I want to tell you that you made the right decision to go to university – even if the thought of pursuing higher education scared you, even if you were afraid that you weren’t going to make any new friends, even if you weren’t confident about your study habits and whether it would be enough for university classes.
There are lots of things that are hard to gauge and hindsight is 2020 (beware of 2020 though, you’ll need lots of perseverance and strength from within) but, live in the moment and don’t think too far in the future just yet. The future isn’t going anywhere so try to find something in each day that makes you smile!
Sincerely,
Your future self writing from the last week of classes for your undergraduate degree
Make sure to check out all the cherry blossom trees on campus!
