Semester in Review: Fall 2021

Author: Lucy Poole
Posted on January 30, 2022

My highlights from the Fall 2021 semester!

August: Orientation 

I know. Including August is cheating, but I had to (otherwise deciding on the September highlight would be way too hard). 

Coming back to campus at the end of August is always so much fun. Lots of people have gotten back to town, there’s tons happening every day, but you don’t yet have to contend with the stress of school (unless you start thinking ahead to the first week of classes… but we try not to do that). You get to catch up with old friends, make new ones, and enjoy some of the most beautiful days of the summer. During the last week of the month I try to squeeze in a patio night, a trip to the beach, and lots of evening walks to the Ice Cream Coop on Main St (in between Orientation planning meetings, of course!). It’s such an exciting time to be on campus as we anticipate the arrival of new students - energy levels are up and everyone is hopeful about the year ahead.

September: Homecoming 

Not the most unique choice, but we were so lucky to have homecoming at a time of year when we had very low covid case levels in New Brunswick. I would say it was the first day that felt somewhat normal since March 2020. It was a beautiful day to spend outside, my parents and sister were able to come to town for the game, and it really just felt like a big celebration after so long. You can really understand how much Sackville is a university town during homecoming!

October: Events at the Pond (MtA's Campus Pub)

My friend Claire and I have shamelessly self-proclaimed ourselves the Pond’s biggest supporters of the Fall 2021 semester. Probably our favourite discovery was Wednesday night Improv - we had both never been until this year and quickly became regulars (not performing, but we did try our best to contribute every now and then). We also helped organize a Karaoke Night for the Class of 2022 at Halloween, which was another of my favourite events of the year. Last semester, the Pond was open with an event happening nearly every night of the week. It's comforting to know you can drop in anytime and almost always run into someone you know for a quick catch-up. Its convenient location in the student centre makes it the perfect place to unwind after a long day of classes! 

November: Reading Week Adventures 

For the first time, I chose to stay in Sackville for reading week. In between working on grad school applications and studying for midterms, I was able to get outside and take advantage of the mild November weather we had this year. The highlight was definitely a day-trip to Cape Chignecto Provincial Park in Nova Scotia - I had never been before and it was so beautiful! Slack's Cove is another hidden gem that it just 40 minutes from campus. It's the perfect place to go to escape the stress of university life. My friends and I love going for a bonfire on the beach. 

December: Holiday Celebrations with Friends 

In fourth year, you really start to realize that you’re doing many of your favourite Sackville things for the last time. In December, I think it’s so important to take a night off from exam studying to get dressed up and celebrate the holidays with your friends. This year, I went to a Christmas potluck and made a roast beef dinner (ambitious, I know) in the same weekend. Studying is important, but there’s a fine line between working hard and letting the stress and pressure of finals consume you. It’s important to try to maintain a healthy balance during exams - a night with friends can be the perfect reset you need to be able to get through the last couple weeks of term. 

If I could summarize what I learned last semester in one line it would be this: as an upper-year student, don’t ever assume you’ve met everyone or done everything. The Fall 2021 semester makes a strong case as one of the very best since I arrived on move-in day in August 2018. Because you likely have a better handle on juggling courses, jobs, and clubs/societies than you did as a first year student, you can take greater advantage of activities on campus that you may have overlooked in previous years. Being able to confidently say that I made the most of the fall semester and the activities on campus when I could makes it a bit easier to deal with the ongoing lockdown in NB and the cancellation of some of my favourite events. 

Honourable mention: The Vogue! I think I went to the Vogue Cinema this past semester more times than my first three years combined. Going to the movies can be a great distraction when you're stressed, and a great way to support a historic local business. I saw Halloweentown, Dune, and Spider-Man No Way Home at the Vogue this term! 

Stay tuned for lots of blog posts coming in February 2022! If you have ideas on what you'd like to see on Mounties in the Making, send us a DM on Instagram @mountiesinthemaking.