Graduation Day: Four years in the making
On June 12, 2024, I graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Communication! It feels strange even typing this, especially considering it feels like I got my offer letter to TMU two days ago.
I joined TMU in the fall of 2020 from India and I did a year and a half of online classes until April 2022, which was my first month in Canada. I remember my first day in Toronto so clearly. I was anxious and nervous about being in a new country all by myself. I had no idea what to expect but I knew for sure that I would make myself proud. On my second day here I went to campus to get my OneCard and attend an event for the Visual Artists Association (external link) which I was a part of. This was the day I knew that I was going to be okay! I finally saw the campus that I had only seen pictures of, met new people as well as my online classmates, and was absolutely loving the city already. And just like that, my nerves from the previous day were gone.
Fast forward to the weeks before convocation and I just couldn’t believe it was all happening and I was already shopping for a graduation dress! I was excited to have a day dedicated to my and my cohort’s four years of hard work and accomplishments. It was also bittersweet to know this would probably be the last time we would all be together.
The morning of the ceremony, I woke up earlier than I was supposed to because of how excited I was. I had a hearty breakfast, got dressed up and before I left, realized that the next time I come back home will be with my Bachelor’s degree. When I got to the Mattamy Athletic Centre, where convocation is held, I cheerfully met all my friends and as we were waiting to walk into the ceremony we were reflecting on our unique journey as students who joined TMU during the pandemic.
During the ceremony, I was soaking it all in, with a couple of happy tears! I listened to the beautiful and inspiring speeches, and watched my friends walk the stage, eagerly waiting for my turn! Four years of hard work and sleepless nights were all worth it. I was incredibly proud to be there. In one of the speeches, we were told that we’re now “forever a part of the TMU community”, and it's true – TMU was truly my home away from home and now a place I will always be connected to and proud to be a part of.
I was so excited to walk the stage wearing my convocation gown; I had seen it on previous TMU grads and couldn’t believe it was my turn! They called my name, I heard my friends cheer, I took one step and a big smile naturally appeared on my face as I crossed the stage and greeted members of the TMU community who helped make it all possible. Once I got off the stage I could not stop smiling. The ceremony was a beautiful and precious time with my peers that marked the beginning of something great, not just the end of my time here.
What am I going to miss the most? Being a student! I have always loved being a student, going to class, doing assignments and learning new things. As much as I used to dread 8 a.m. classes and long lectures I would do it again in a heartbeat because there was something very special about it. It’s the little things, like the excitement of sharing your new semester schedule with your friends, trying to find a class in Kerr Hall, joining office hours, running to get to your class on time, going to fun events on campus, or even meeting the 11:59 p.m. assignment submission deadline. It's strange for me to know that I have a degree now. I still feel like I have to start a new semester in a couple of months.
When I got my offer to TMU, I was excited to come to Canada. Four years later, I can say my biggest achievement is my personal growth – something you don’t anticipate as a teenager. Moving out, living on my own, meeting new people and learning about myself has been the best part of all of this. I learned more than what my courses taught me and for that I am forever grateful. My advice to my younger self or to anyone who is nervous about coming to TMU is that the things that you are nervous about are not comparable to the incredibly unique and life-changing experiences that you’re going to have!
People ask about my post-graduation plans, and honestly many of my plans are already set in stone but a lot of things are still to be determined. I know that I would like to stay in Toronto and continue creating content and writing comedy. That’s another beautiful thing I learned over the past few years – you don’t need to rush everything and not everything is the end of the world. Live at your pace, create your own path and do what you know is right for you.