Closing One Chapter, Opening Another

I have now completed a milestone that one is lucky enough to acheive from life in a developed country... the opportunity to go to school for 18 years of my life which has ended with a university degree. As much as I surely complained at times during that period, I am grateful to of gotten the chance to do so. I can't help but reflect on the the last four years and how much of an impact it has had on my character, my dreams and my overall outlook on life. Through the many experiences I have had during these four fast paced and amazing years, it has really shaped who I have become and what I strive for in life. As much as the information, comprehension, library time, early mornings and late nights brought me to add a University Degree to my collection of achievements, to no surprise has most of my more valuable knowledge come from outside the classroom. Through great friendships, crazy experiences and mistakes I have begun to see life a lot differently and look to make the most out of it.

I think that society tries to set out a life for you starting with an education, going to university, finding a job, find a wife, get married, have children, work till 65 and retire. It is very easy to allow this to happen as it always seems like the logical next step. I don't want to follow this path.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” -Howard Thurman
I want live life off the beaten path, out of the ordinary where every day is filled with something new and day to day is hardly a routine. So as I close this chapter, I open a new one that begins with all of these things in mind...

Closing a Chapter in my Life

As my University career winds to end here in Windsor, I can't help but reflect on the the last four years and how much of an impact it has had on my character, my dreams and my overall outlook on life. Through the many experiences I have had during these four fast paced and amazing years, it has really shaped who I have become and what I strive to become. As much as the information, comprehension, library time, early mornings and late nights brought me to achieve a University Degree to my collection of achievements, to no surprise has most of my more valuable knowledge come from outside the classroom.

As the final days count down to my completion of a degree in Honours. Business Administration with a Concentration in Marketing and a Minor in Information Technology (which I think sounds pretty good) I look back on the various things that I have learned and experienced at University. Some of them were tough such as time mangement skills and the classic all nighters to finish projects only started the night before. Some were influential in introducing a life of responsibility where I took total control over my decisions and had no one to lean on when times got tough. Things like cleaning a house, grocery shopping, laundry and other daily taks are always taken for granted until your in a position where these chores rely solely on you. All in all it has been an awesome and exciting experience that I'll never forget. I look forward to whats next...

Life Goals

In an attempt to pursue a life of adventure, excitement, and purpose I have created a list that I will complete before I die:

1. Work a job that I love
   
2. Live in a different country than Canada (completed March 2009, Korea)
3. Live on the beach
   
4. Start my own business
5. Get married only once
   
6. Start a family
7. Buy a House
   
8. Get ripped
9. Run a half marathon
10. Read 1000 books
11. Write a book
    
12. Learn to hold a conversation in a foreign language
13. Learn a martial art
    
14. Attend all major sporting event championships (Superbowl, Stanley Cup, World Series)
15. Attend an event at the Olympics
16. Be at the game where the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup
17. See a Premiership, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A Soccer Game
18. Go see a game at the World Cup
19. Catch a ball at an MLB game
    
20. Coach a Soccer team to a championship at any level.
    
21. Visit all 7 continents(NA,SA,EUR,ASIA,AUS,SA,AA)
22. Visit all the provinces and territories of Canada(Missing: Nfld, NS, NWT, Yukon, Nun)
23. Travel by train across Europe (Compelted Aug 08)
    
24. Drink beer at Oktoberfest
25. Celebrate new years at Times Square
    
26. Walk on the Great Wall of China
27. Take part in La Tomatina (Tomato Food Fight in Spain)
28. Gamble in Las Vegas
29. See the Taj Mahal
30. Run with the bulls in Spain
    
31. Go to Rio DeJaneiro, Brazil during Carnival
32. See the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt
33. See Machu Picchu in Peru
    
34. Snowboard in Whistler
35. Go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans
36. See the Grand Canyon (Completed May 2007)
    
37. Go on a safari in Africa
    
38. Eat Fish and Chips in England(Completed Sept 08)
    
39. Kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland
    
40. Drink Guinness in Ireland
41. See the giant heads on Easter Island
42. Drive on the Autobahn(Completed Aug 2008
    
43. Sail the Atlantic or Pacific
44. Go on a long road trip (Completed April/May 2007)
45. Shake hands with someone incredibly famous
46. Make my own beer/wine
48. Be a contestant on a game show
49. Have my picture in a newspaper
50. Go to a movie premiere
51. Be an extra in a movie that goes to theatres
52. Join a protest (Completed 2005 and April 2007... Both Bush Protests)
53. Get arrested
54. Streak a public place/important event
55. Experience no gravity
    
56. Swim with dolphins
57. Go Scuba Diving
    
58. Learn to surf (Completed May 2007)
59. Go in a Shark cage
60. Go Dog-Sledding
    
61. Bungee Jump
62. Sky Dive
    
63. Para-Glide
    
64. Ride in a hot air balloon
65. Fly a Plane (Completed July 2007)
    
66. Ride a camel
67. Ride a motorcycle
68. Learn to ride a unicycle
69. Do a polar bear plunge
70. Survive in the woods bringing no food or supplies