I know everyone says this, but if someone were to ask first-year me where I think I’d be in four years, my answer would be simple: I’m here to study and graduate, and that’s what I’ll be doing. I never thought I’d be where I am now, doing what I’m doing, with the friendships I’ve made. I never even thought I’d have the opportunity to become involved in student leadership, let alone be the president of the ICSS. I thought that I would just be the same old person I was in high school, someone who was too scared to put myself out there, and someone who was too disconnected to even care. But Innis, being the energetic, diverse, and welcoming place that it is, offered me so much more than I ever thought I’d have.

As president this past year I’ve learned more than I did during most of my undergrad, and that’s not an understatement. Though stressful at (most) times, I count my blessings every day for all the experiences I’ve had. Being able to represent students in such a meaningful way has been so rewarding. As president, I was able to sit on numerous boards and committees of the Innis College Council, which presented a bounty of opportunities to represent the interests of students. I was able to work with so many different offices and groups on campus to better the experiences of Innis students, and the list goes on.

To this year’s council: thank you for everything you’ve done for the students, the college, and myself. Working with such a dedicated and fun group of people has made this year so much easier. To the incoming council: I wish you a rich and rewarding year, much like the one I’ve had. Hold yourselves to the highest standards, higher than those you expected from leaders before, and never stop searching for more ways to engage and involve students.

Of course, this year had its fair share of ups and downs. Students in any leadership or extracurricular activities sacrifice so much for their communities, but believe me when I say that we’d all do it again in a heartbeat. Students working for other students, with other students, is such a powerful and moving thing. As great as my experience was, we can never stop looking and working to improve our operations, communications and representation. It really comes down to how much you commit to becoming a more open and transparent organization. What really makes a difference is the time spent connecting with students; it’s important to support the clubs and communities that already exist just as much as you encourage new and emerging ones. I hope to see these efforts continue at Innis and the rest of UofT.