In what feels like the blink of an eye, I find myself at the end of my first semester at the University of Alberta. These past four months have sped by in a flurry of quizzes, assignments, labs, and exams. Out of my five courses, English was surprisingly my favorite course, as I loved my professor, the works that we read, and the freedom we were given to discuss. Not so surprisingly, I also adored my Bio 108 class. We learned all about evolution and the progression of species from single celled organisms to the complex organisms we see around us today. The lab portion of this class was a particular highlight, as I loved getting to work with real plants, fungi, and animals. Balancing my five courses has been quite tough, but my life is not completely consumed by school work. The U of A is full of extracurricular activities to help distract you from school stress. Currently, I am involved in the Best Buddy program, and thus visit with a person w ith a mental disability once a week. It has been an amazing, eye-opening experience that I am excited to continue. Although it is freezing in Edmonton right now, the campus is full of beautiful snow crusted trees and buildings, and is buzzing with the excitement that comes with a new semester. I can’t wait to see what my next four months at the University of Alberta hold for me!