As the summer season moves into fall season, high school students are busy planning their move into Universities all over the world. The excitement of frosh and dorms is noticeable all over this town; noticeable most are my aunts and uncles, well I am BROWN and when children are moving out, you see aunts and uncles more than you see their friends.

Join the debate club, the philosophers’ café, varsity outdoor club, run for breast cancer, donate blood or just dance at a cultural night hosted by many of the different cultural clubs available on campus.

Make a fool of yourself. It is your chance to learn. This does not include learning how to do drugs and get wasted 6 days out of 7.

I can look back in time and tally my own experiences with theirs- suffice to say; excitement and nervousness are a normal part of going to University. It is also normal to feel down after the excitement is burnt out. I am not interested in mapping out what a University student may go through but rather what one should aim at.

You will spend, ideally, four years in University to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. You should aim at scoring the highest mark that you can in all your courses, for the rumor is true- GPA does matter. The easiest way for me to do that is by attending all classes on time, listening to the instructor attentively and taking notes, which I revisit every now and then. Everything else is secondary; I only bought books if they were absolutely necessary. My instructors were my books that, for the most part, tell their students of what the exam will look like so the students can ace it. Pity, if one fails to take advantage of that.

I cannot stress the importance of extracurricular life on campus. With myriad opportunities and clubs to choose from; make sure you are active in your school community and the city community. Join the debate club, the philosophers’ café, varsity outdoor club, run for breast cancer, donate blood or just dance at a cultural night hosted by many of the different cultural clubs available on campus. Becoming a university student means taking the summer seriously as well. Don’t sleep it off or work at a useless tree planting camp. Apply to future employees by emailing them and ask for an unpaid volunteer or internship position at their company. Work hard to show your dedication while working for them and hopefully when you graduate they will consider hiring you upon graduation.

While in University, open yourself up to all possibilities. Discuss all and everything; make a fool of yourself. It is your chance to learn. Universities are meant to be grounds for learning, habituate your self to learn. This does not include learning how to do drugs and get wasted 6 days out of 7.

All in all, make the best of your time. I wish you all a successful and joyous bachelors’ degree.

Author: Osama Saddique

• An aunty saw me greet my husband and gave me this advice, “Never tell your guy you love him, you will lose your value.”
• My friend got dating advice from an aunty, “Let the man come after you, you are the prize after all ”
• An aunty visiting our house told my 14-years old sister, “You should learn to cook quickly, what would your in-laws say?”
• An aunty told my cousin on her wedding day,“Never let your husband think that your parents can financially help you after you are married, he will keep on asking for more.”
• While cleaning my purse and throwing away old receipts, an aunty said to me, “Keep the receipts in a safe place, you need to return things that your husband bought without thinking.”
• Giving advice on marriage, an aunty said, “Don’t be too nice to your mother-in-law, she will think you are plotting against her.”
• Also, “your mother-in-law is your mother-in-law, don’t buy it if she says she is like your mother.”
• An aunty “Don’t let your husband near his female friends, men are not to be trusted.”
• “Your husband should work and provide for the family, stay home and enjoy your day, don’t go crazy finding yourself a job.”
• “When your husband returns from work, tell him how tired you are because you have been looking after the house and the kids. Never give him a chance to say he works more.”
• “Always ask your husband’s permission, good wives let the husbands decide and make them feel like a man.”
• After 2 weeks of marriage, aunties start asking, “Is there a good news?” (That’s their way of asking if you are pregnant, YET!)
• After throwing a party at their house, all aunties say, “I am going for a facial at the spa tomorrow, I need to get rid of the stress I have been in from last 24 hours.” I never knew cooking was so stressful.
• While getting my arms waxed at a spa, the aunty sitting next to me said this after I said ‘Oouch’ a little too loud, “You think this is painful, wait till it’s your wedding night.”

• Every time I go out with friends, my mom says, “Stay away from water”, she thinks I will drown. I have been a swimmer since I was 5
• I saw some desis gathering near the electronics aisle at Canadian Tire, my mothers starts dragging me towards them, “Hurry, something must be on sale!”
• We have a 3-bedroom house, and every summer my relatives crash at our place. That’s 25 people living under 1 roof for more than a week!
• Every time we have guests visiting Toronto, we go to Niagara Falls. That’s more than 10 visits per season!
• Every time we tell our parents that it’s a long weekend and we should celebrate, they take us to the nearest mall.
• Whenever we go out to dine, my mother starts saying, “I could have cooked a better meal at a cheaper price at home”
• My friends bought the camping gear this season. We camped at Algonquin Park for 2 days, and returned the equipment when we came back.
• My elder sister always gets new clothes, I have to do with the ones she can’t fit in anymore!
• When my brother returns from work, my mother starts shouting, “Get up and give your brother something to eat!” I return from work 10 minutes before him.
• Every time my 10-year-old brother misbehaves, my mother says, “Wait till your father comes home!”
• Every time we have guests visiting, my father calls my 5-years old sister and says, “Beta, sing the poem you learnt at school.” She has been singing, “Twinkle Twinkle little star…” ever since she was 3.