Now that first semester is over and I am left with exams before the Christmas break, I have the chance to look back on my first semester as a student at UBC. Being done first semester gives me mixed feelings of excitement but also fear for what is going to come next. It has gone by so quickly and it feels like my 4 years of university are just going to fly by!

For me, high school was a breeze, I could go to school whenever I wanted to, attend the classes I wanted to attend when I want to attend them and I would still get really good marks. I never once studied for tests or exams and now that first semester has come to an end, I realize that I cannot do the same anymore. University is a whole new experience where I have to really organize myself and plan out my day to day life so I don’t fall behind or overwhelm myself with things to do. It has been really busy and I have learned how valuable sleep really is.

Within my classes. I have started to learn how much work I really need to do in order to be successful and it is all a new change, if something needs to be done, I have to make the time to get it done and set my priorities straight. It has made for a large learning curve where I find that I am learning who I am as a person more than anything.

Although I have some fears of what is going to come in the future, I am excited and looking forward to my future at UBC because as great as first semester was, I know better and great memories are still to be made. Friends have been made and I know plenty of friends will come and go while I am trying to find my closest friends that I want to keep with me after I finish university.

In the end, first semester has treated me well, I have learnt a lot and I am looking forward to the future where I know there is much more learning to be done. It can only get better from here!