This May, I won’t be walking across the stage of the Chan Centre with degree in hand. Rather, I will be walking through the forests of Indonesia for some evaluation work with Dr. Chris Bennett and my fellow UBC colleagues.

I wouldn’t have ended my undergraduate career any other way.

I don’t think the notion of flying to the other side of the world for six weeks has hit me just yet. Perhaps it’s due to the frenzy of finals and tying up loose strings, but I feel rather calm about leaving for what used to seem like a long period of time. I guess I’ve gotten used to travelling. The timing couldn’t be better: I’ve been feeling rather blasé about pure academics this last semester and I’m pretty strained both mentally and physically. I’m quite due for a change of scenery at least before the Vancouver summer begins.

“So what now?” This question lingers at the back of my mind as I go about my daily routine. I’ve overthought all the possibilities, so much that it makes my head hurt. A break in a new country – a new climate – a new perspective – is just what I need to refresh myself before I decide on my next steps. If anything, I’m looking forward to this trip as a period to embrace the fact that I don’t know what I’m doing next. And that’s it’s okay to be like that.

Next stop: Indonesia. Next stop: the unknown. My adventure awaits.