What is university if not a game? Of course, we all have different fields of study and different social and extracurricular activities, but in the end we are all after the same thing: to walk onto that podium after four years of intense competition and receive the award that we’ve worked so hard for.
NANCY JI/THE VARSITY
First Quarter
Just like the beginning of a new season, you start this one fresh and with unbridled enthusiasm. You have made it here by crushing the opposition and working your butt off. But hold on — this new-found hubris is a dangerous thing to have as a freshman. Let’s not forget that university is a one-man game with countless hurdles along the way. If you stumble, there will always be someone else ahead of you. Yet, while competition is fierce, it spans an average of four years of your life. So take it easy and get to know — and enjoy, if possible — your new battleground. Of course, at this time, it is too soon to speculate the outcome. Is your first C- the beginning of the end? Or is a great GPA comeback at hand?
Second Quarter
“Things will get better in second year,” is a favourite phrase tossed around by veteran players of this game — and this is partly true. Now that you’ve just come back from a lengthy summer break, you’re ready to get back on the field. You’re faster, stronger, and hopefully wiser — all crucial to handling a new class of courses. You’ve also had time to re-group and choose your areas of study for the rest of the game, setting a clear goal at last. Yes, classes are expecting more of you, but you’ve tackled all of the challenges before and you’re a proven survivor. In fact, now is the perfect time to start dabbling in all those clubs that you signed up for last year. If you’re lucky, you’ve also made alliances with some other competitors who are willing to study and discuss strategies with you. After all, nothing beats a team effort.
Third Quarter
Third year already? The years are flashing by before your eyes! There are few game-changers to take note of during this period. Basically, classes start getting smaller, freshmen seem younger, and your tuition soars ever higher. On the bright side, could all those Con-Hall-trudging-over-muddy-fields days finally be over? With over two years of training, you now have a decent idea of where your strengths lie. Now that you’ve grown even more accustomed to the rules of the game, you can focus more on research, volunteering, and all those other résumé-padders. Regardless, just like a foul play, all-nighters remain a sure occurrence. So take another swig of that coffee and get back on that puddle-ridden field!
Fourth Quarter
Ah, the mystical fourth year. By now everything is almost a haze. Worn with experience, you are finally nearing a final touchdown. That being said, although U of T has become your second home, you never quite fully grasp the entire game. Robarts, the crown jewel of all libraries, remains a sorrowful enigma, and you still have trouble finding buildings on campus. Nevertheless, the final test that determines your final score is fast approaching. At this point, there is little you can do about a failing GPA. There are no more enemies now, unless you are headed into “overtime,” and competing with other students to join the master’s series. Either way, all that blood, sweat, and tears have led to the end of the game: the moment when you receive that coveted degree. Congratulations, the end is nigh, but you’ve played the match of your life.
