And So It Ends.

Yesterday was my last day of classes at St. Thomas University…ever. Where has the time gone?

Let me paint a picture for you. 5 years ago in September I was 18 about to embark on my university years. Prom and graduation had come and gone, and time and time again I was being asked by friendly face after friendly face: "What are you doing in the fall?" You see, ever since the days of travelling to Fredericton and passing the steeple atop George Martin Hall on our way to the Aitken Centre had I dreamt of coming to STU. I remember when I took my tour in the summer before coming to STU and saying to my mother "This is definitely where I want to go to school!" What I quickly learned when left alone in Holy Cross House is that maybe university life wasn't for me. I was soooo homesick. 

I'm a small town girl, from a place where everyone knows your name (or at least your family name). And in what seemed like a matter of minutes, I was ripped from my comfort zone and forced into this new world of different personalities, backgrounds, and beliefs. I remember the first thing I did after Mom and Dad said bye to me - I went onto my computer and searched the dates of Thanksgiving weekend so I could start the countdown to when I could come home without an excuse. 

Now, hopefully as your reading this you are beginning to realize that this story doesn't end in tears and feeling bad for myself. After the (extended) Christmas holiday (due to the faculty strike) in my first year, and upon returning to residence at STU, I pulled myself out of my "self-pity coma" and put myself out there and made some friends. And here begins the best experience of my life. 

The people I've befriended in my five years at STU and shared my numerous university memories with are some of the most inspiring, unique, and beautiful people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

From Holy Cross House traditions

To parties at 860

And the many classy winter formals

From nights at the Pub (whether it be Snooty or the Cellar)

To birthdays in Sussex

 Pubcrawl, after pubcrawl

And buckets too!

From 2nd dirt side

To four memorable Welcome Weeks

And winning a cheer off, too!

 Graduation #1 

To the first day of a new program

 And meeting some fantastic new friends along the way

This one small blog post hardly does any justice to the emotions and memories I hold inside. I can only scratch the surface and try to relay to you how much this university means to me. STU and the people I associate with it took this insecure, quiet, reserved girl and turned her into an independent, strong, and lighthearted woman. 

Five years have come and gone with the blink of an eye. Through the laughter, tears, heartache, and love, I am in disbelief that another chapter of my life has come to a close. But with that, opens a new and exciting one. 

To my family and friends, thank you for making this university experience the most life changing and rewarding experience of my life. As cliche as it sounds, I honestly wouldn't be who I am today without the impact you've had on my life. 

Love, 

Melissa