Undergrad, I Bid Thee Farewell

Disclosure: the piece below is filled with numerous unnecessarily corny clichés.

Before I get started... 21 days till Nepal. Oh gosh. I can't wait!!!!!

As you can fairly assume, my thoughts have been consumed by anything and everything related to the trip. In fact, I’ve been so excited for Nepal and my upcoming adventures that I haven’t had a chance to really conclude the undergrad chapter of my life. For those of you that may be confused as per the arrangements surrounding my field placement, it is in fact part of my undergrad – so, no, I am not yet a graduate. However, once I’m done the placement, I’m back in Waterloo for two weeks to debrief (i.e. nothing undergrady)… and then I’m done forever.
As of right now, I’ve written my last paper, completed my last exam, attended my last class, taken my grad photos, and handed in my intent to graduate… which essentially means I’m very much so done with everything that makes your undergrad an undergrad. With all that being said, it’s about time I gave this chapter of my life the closing that it deserves..

Fall of 2009: I remember moving into North One Village One like it was yesterday. I arrived to residence excited, eager, and with three suitcases of clothing more than any of my closets could fit. Four years later, some things have stayed the same – I still intend to take the maximum allowed luggage to Nepal – and others have changed. All in all, my undergraduate experience has been an unforgettable one, culminating into a life lesson about personal growth, trying new things, testing your limits, and learning to love.

I’m still blown away sometimes when I think about how I enrolled in Waterloo expecting to someday pursue a career involving Math and French… boy oh boy was I mistaken. Lucky for me, I discovered my calling pretty early on into my undergrad, and it’s been enlightening ever since. The classes I’ve taken, as inapplicable as some may appear to be (*cough #ohindev cough*), have instilled in me a passion to learn, and to learn, and to keep learning.

Although the field of international development, and some of the unfortunate realities of today’s world provide us with many opportunities to be cynical, I truly believe that someday good will prevail. Through multiple efforts, on all levels of scale, I believe that there is potential to break the vicious cycles of poverty in which so many people are currently entrapped. The people I’ve met and the things I’ve learned during my undergrad have made me a believer in the power of kindness. I haven’t quite figured out through which avenue I will go about bridging the gap, but I’m confident that my future life experiences will bring to figuring it out/finding the answer.

My undergrad experience, of course, hasn’t been all about classes (wouldn’t that be a shame!); the people I’ve met, and the memories we’ve created, are without a doubt central to me being who I am today.

To my Waterloo family (and Zubair, to whom I’m not officially related), I love you all incredibly and the last four years have been an absolute adventure. From the bubble tea dates in first year (Alyyah = permanent chor), to the countless barbecues, to your unhealthy gambling, to the secret underground escapades – we’ve had way too much fun and it’s been an unforgettable experience. Thanks for everything you have done to love and support me,  I'm truly blessed to have shared so many of life's milestones with you. You are my family like no other and I can't wait to grow old with all of you haha.

And Indevours, oh my dearest Indevours, you are all a part of this sick, twisted, and yet, wonderful family that I will truly cherish forever. Our undergrad has been nothing short of a rollercoaster, but I’ve enjoyed the ride. Each of you is so unique, so special, and I’ve learned so much through every single one of you. From the common adversaries, to the endless term papers, to the nights at Bomber, to all the hilarious memories (Get on my level!), we've all had so much fun together. I’ve enjoyed every part of this undergrad and feel so damn lucky to be studying with you at the University of Waterloo. With all of our varying interests and unparalleled passion, I can’t wait to see what our futures hold and all that we accomplish. We will work for change!

So to my Undergrad, I bid Thee farewell – I can’t believe how quickly time has flown by. The lessons I’ve learned during my undergrad experience are ones I intend to carry with me through life. The passion instilled in me for a more just world is a driving force in my efforts to bring meaningful change in all the work that I do. As this chapter of my life comes to a close, so many new things have just gotten underway. For starters, I’m saying goodbye to Waterloo and hello to Nepal. I can’t wait to see what life has in store for me; if it’s anything like my undergrad, I’m in for the experience of a lifetime!