this is... the end?!

photo credit - Pinterest (if you know this, you know ball)

Hello everybody! Happy Thursday, and as sad as this may sound: Welcome to the final blog of the semester!! As we are wrapping up our final week of the Spring 2026 Semester, I've done a lot of reflecting on how much life has changed since Fall 2025. I've personally grown a LOT, and have learned so much about myself as well as life during this time. As someone who has never really been good with change, it's been a bit of a journey to constantly expose myself to new things, but I'm sort of growing to really appreciate it. I've also learned when to let go of certain things and let them "die" so to speak. It's all been a very stressful yet refreshing journey to say the least. In proper Side Note fashion, I can't simply write a blog without making it have some sort of deeper vague meaning that is applicable to the masses lol. So this last blog is about... the end🙀.

I think in a lot of situations people are afraid of things ending because it forces you to change and opens up the possibility of the "unknown." This can be really uncomfortable because something that you've become familiar with or grown attatched to is coming to an end. You almost have to change the way you think in a way. Don't get me wrong I am 100% overjoyed that this school year is ending, but there is a part of me that will miss the routine I've developed while being here at UIC.

To get a bit more specific, connections (whether it be friendships or romantic) are even harder in terms of them ending. I like to think that we form friendships in seasons, or at least I do. For every major turning point in my life, I've managed to gain a new lasting friendship through it. Because of this, I can personally say that it is harder for certain connetions to change or end because it can feel like you are losing that specific era of your life. I believe I've said this in a previous blog but I'll happily say it again: I don't 100% believe that every connection we form in life is meant to teach us something. I think sometimes we make friends just for the sake of having new people to talk to and that's perfectly fine! I also don't 100% believe in "getting closure" when things end. As a society we tend to crave adding meaning to everything that happens in our lives, when in reality sometimes the "closure" that someone gives you isn't the closure that you really need. Sometimes true "closure" has to come from acceptance within us.

Now, let's tie this all back together and put a bow on it. Since exposing myself to the world that is UIC Radio blogs, I've developed a slightly new perspective on life (if I can humbly say so). Every conversation I have sounds like potential blog material, and coming up with new ideas every week has also caused me to reflect deeper on my own opinions in order to write about them. My thoughts on change has been one of them. So, when it comes to change and things ending: I'm starting to embrace it. There really is something beautiful about closing a chapter, and something thrilling about starting a new one. This blog has been that for me, and if I can quote Wicked, "I have been changed for good."

photo credit - Me 😄 !!

I've had a lot of fun writing Side Note this past year and changing/growing because of it. I look forward to what this blog will hold come Fall 2026 Semester and I think you should be too!

Thank you guys SO much for reading and I hope you have an amazing summer!

With Love ALWAYS,

~Side Note xoxo 💋 !!