Over The time has come – graduation! Five years later and I am finally finished at UBC and my gosh what an incredible ride! I remember when I started at UBC how disconnected I felt from the campus, from people, from the city. It was not until I took a year off to discover the world and myself in a positive but challenging way, which made me reevaluate myself at UBC. Upon my return, I made the decision to switch into GRS, a change that had a profound effect on my entire University experience.

GRS is like a home and a family! It is a program that makes you feel at home, brings laughter, global experiences, creates critical thinking about yourself in this world and connects you to unimaginable experiences. Every student is welcomed with open arms by Brent Skura and Roxana Quinde. These two have wisdom like Ghandi and charisma that lights up a room. They make everything in life seem achievable and push you to expand your horizons personally and academically.

It is very hard and sad to be leaving GRS. I feel like I am leaving close family and friends behind. Yet, I feel I have been provided with continuous support to help me begin this new chapter in my life. But now when I reflect on my entire undergrad, I realize how life changing that switch into GRS was. I often think about the person I would have become had I stayed in my former program, and feel nothing but certainty about my decision. I am grateful for my experiences in GRS, the opportunities Roxana and Brent pushed me to experience and how I have become a ‘global’ citizen in this world.

So thank you to Roxana, Brent, the students and everything else that made my five years at UBC so incredibly inspirational and helped shape the person I am today.

Over and out GRS. Forever with me, forever a part of me!