A year passed is a year gained.

Saying goodbye is never easy, especially to people that have become such a big part of your life. Well, near the end of the academic year, I had to say goodbye to people that have grown to become great friends and people who I genuinely care about. I have met people that were interesting, people that were diverse and most importantly people that I had never met before. I feel that, apart from classes of course, I have learned a great deal from interacting with people who come from a wide variety of backgrounds. I have made friend that will never part my memories and I have made friends who will never part my heart. This last semester was indeed a challenging semester for me, as I faced a few personal problems. It was difficult for me to focus on everything at once, and as a result, my academic performance was affected. The good news is that I pulled through and I couldn't be happier. I feel as if I have come out the other side with a little more experience and wisdom. I realised that this is what growing up is all about. Although everyone has to deal with responsibilities, the bumps along the way are a true measure of our ability to handle ourselves. My hope for the future is that I make it through or learn from the fall. I feel blessed for the events that have made me who I am, and I feel even more blessed for the people who experienced those events with me. I have successfully concluded one wonderful year as SMUC, and the way things went, I cannot wait to start the next. Madrid feels more like home than ever before and that is what is going to make the year to come even more enjoyable. I look forward to adding more names to my list of friends. No matter what next year can cook up, I am ready for it and will face it head on. Bring it on baby!!