End of a Chapter

My master’s journey is finally nearing its end. I am preparing to defend my thesis on April 21.

This experience has been brutal, lonely, and emotionally exhausting. I spent countless cold winter nights in the lab beside a massive German robot arm, and at times it felt like something out of a dystopian science-fiction novel.

Graduate school changed me. It pushed me into some very dark and difficult places, and there were moments when I seriously questioned whether I was strong enough for it. Maybe I was not smart enough for this environment. Maybe I was too hard on myself. I still do not fully know.

What I do know is that this chapter took a lot from me.

Did I learn something? Absolutely. I learned a great deal, both academically and personally. Was it worth it? For me, honestly, no. But at the same time, I felt I had to take this path. Research can feel like stepping into a world where the pressure is constant and the stakes are always high. You are expected to keep going, keep producing, keep proving yourself.

As I leave the University of Alberta, I am grateful for one thing above all else: I made it through. Sometimes survival is an achievement in itself.

And if you are reading this while going through your own difficult chapter, please do not try to carry it all alone. Talk to people. Tell your supervisor, your parents, your partner, your friends, or an advisor. Reach out. Ask for help. Let people in.

This path can be unbelievably hard, but you do not have to walk it alone.