The end of an undergrad caused by COVID-19

Alexis G. Berry

The upheaval of the past weeks has brought a swift and sad end to my senior year. I wasn’t expecting last week to be my final classroom moments as an undergraduate student at uOttawa, but life happens, and when it does, it offers lessons.

Here is what I’ve learned: first, there is more compassion in the nooks and crannies of Canada than I thought. The caring actions of people in Ottawa and all over Canada have shown me that I’m growing up in a world that cares. Second, in times of panic, heroes come from unlikely places; an errand-running truck, an extra roll of toilet paper, or a joke will stick in my mind as the silver linings of these tough times.

Finally, the new emptiness of Sandy Hill allows some nice social distance for me to reflect on the past four years; the ways I’ve grown, learned, and matured from a kid into a young adult. Though I am moving into an uncertain future, I’m sure that this neighbourhood will continue to show that, as Albus Dumbledore said in Harry Potter, “Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”