This is goodbye… it’s been fun, but now it’s time for bigger, better, and newer things.
It is a strange feeling to write this. Typing these words knowing it will be the last thing I ever submit for Link. I’ve had this same feeling about so many things lately: tests, assignments, labs, etc. I do all of them thinking, “Wow, it’s the last time I’ll have to do this for BCIT.” At the time of writing this I have just started an internship and begun my transition into the “real world.” This chapter of my life is ending, and a new one is just beginning.
The theme of this month is newness, and I think it is a fitting theme to end the school year on. So much of what we had to go through was new. We experienced online learning, having arrows on the floor, having hand sanitizer in our pockets, and masks on our faces. For better or for worse, this was a year filled with new experiences.
For some people leaving school feels scary. The world is even more chaotic than usual, but school gave structure, and the assignments could give you a sense of purpose. We are now leaving that familiarity behind to try and figure our lives out in a fast changing, chaotic, and unpredictable “new” normal. Some might see this as an exciting way to break out of the endless monotony of textbooks and late-night cramming sessions. I, like a lot of people, feel I fall a little in the middle. I’m happy to have more free time to pursue my own hobbies, work in a “real world” environment, and put my skills to use, but I’ll also miss the community that comes with being a student. As I said in my earlier article “Why Do I Miss BCIT?” there’s this great feeling that comes with learning some new in a group of like-minded people.
I also had the really sobering realization that I have spent most of my life in school. I did take two gap years, but that was always to save money for school. But now? I AM DONE! I mean, I’m sure I’ll go back one day to get a bachelors or something—but I don’t plan on returning to post-secondary for a while. I’ll be able to live my life not thinking about saving money for school, what credits I need, or how I’m going to find time to study while balancing shifts.
It’s funny to look back at the start of the year. I remember wondering what it would be like to work on getting my diploma remotely. I don’t know how I did it, but I did. We all did. As we finish up our exams, book our internships, and apply for our first non-retails jobs, we will no doubt face new challenges and obstacles, but we will also encounter new opportunities.
This is goodbye. To Link, to BCIT, to my time as a student. It’s been fun, but now it’s time for bigger, better, and newer things.
