Transitioning from High School to University
Friday, August 5, 2016
By: Renessa Gomes

"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it and join the dance." ~ Allan W. Watts

I’m not one for change and never have been. Change seems frightening. It is stepping beyond my comfort zone. It is taking a leap without knowing how far down you are jumping. But change is inevitable. My name is Renessa Gomes and I am beginning to dip my toes into the mysterious waters of planning the next 4 years of my life: university. To me, the fear is not from the fact that my life will change, but the fact that there’s a choice ahead of me. The consequences of this change; the choice of where to go, and what to do with my life. They say change is good, taking that next step may be scary, but will reward you in the end. But what if you regret taking the jump after seeing where you’ve landed. All the worries begin to cloud my head. However, during this period of processing, I think it’s important to realize: change is coming whether I am anxious or not. This means that regardless of my concern, the only thing I can do at this point is accept the change and make the best of it. I think what I often forget is that any change is a process, no matter how sudden it may appear. There is a process of letting yourself sink into the environment. Whether it is presented for you, such as a transition week in university, or whether you may have to reach out to a counsellor who will, or whether you have to pave the way yourself. So I started asking myself: “What am I interested in?” Then stretching to, “What kind of program applies to my skills and interests?” to “What university offers this program?” to “To whom can I reach out to educate me on the university lifestyle?” And so the process goes on. This becomes a never ending process, as I am constantly asking myself, “What’s the next step?”, which may be the hardest question of all. However, it’s all about knowing where to start, which for some may be with chatting with a SAVTI counsellor or knowing when to reach out to SAVTI who can help guide you on your journey.