After five years of study, I have finally been awarded a Bachelors of Applied Science. After returning home from the convocation ceremony, I spent some time cleaning out my closet. To my interest I found my acceptance package from the University of Waterloo. Inside the package was an offer letter welcoming me to the Systems Design Engineering program.

Looking at the letter, I noticed that it actually contains a rough description of what Systems Design encompasses (it is always an on going joke among Waterloo engineers that SYDE students don't know what they do). The description reads as follows:

You will find that Systems Design will allow you the opportunity to explore systems where it is essential that electrical, mechanical and computer components are designed or analyzed simultaneously as well as investigating the business aspects of products.

In some sense, almost every modern engineering project requires these key disciplines.

The letter is full of promise and speaks nothing about the academic challenges that I would encounter during my five years in Waterloo. Nor does it speak to the innumerable amount of good times and friendships that I would form through vibrant campus life.

The five-year old letter looks just as bright as the degree certificate that I now hold, which equally promises an exciting future.

It's been a good five years over all, and I'm excited to see where the next five years of life brings me.

For amusement, I took a snapshot of my degree and offer package side by side. It's all together an end-to-end scene.

I can't believe it, but the university plaza where Mel's Diner caught fire last night. And almost everything is gone.

http://news.therecord.com/news/article/700674.

I had so many good memories at Mel's Diner.

I was originally going to title this post, "The End," but in a lot of ways, it's not the end.

Sure, it's the end of my undergrad career as I know it, but it is the beginning of so much more. For lack of a better term, "the rest of my life."

It's been a bit of a strange last year in Waterloo. In fact my last couple years of undergrad have probably been my most challenging and my most rewarding.

It's all good, and I'm extremely thankful for the time that I've had.

I think, I have few regrets about my undergraduate career.

If there was anything I might have done differently, it would be to be more adventurous in looking for co-op jobs. I would have maybe gotten out of Toronto sooner, but mainly, would have avoided comfortable software jobs earlier on.

That and I would have joined UWCCF in my first year rather than my second.

But having said that, I still have few regrets, if any at all.

It's my last night in Waterloo as an undergrad. And I'm actually sleepy. The house is quiet since I'm the only one left. Everything is pretty uneventful, but I almost prefer it this way. I was never one for crazy partying. Catching up quietly with friends is what I value more.

I've met so many people here in Waterloo. It's been awesome.

It's definitely not the last time I'll be in Waterloo. But, you know what I mean, right? Don't worry, when you reach your last night of 4B, maybe you'll feel the same way.

By no means exceptional. But by all means indicative that we are reaching the end.

I'm becoming super irritable these days. But we're nearly there.

 
My congratulations to all my colleagues. Five years was no light affair. All the best to our future endeavours.