Five Years After University – My Greatest Gain from my Undergrad

Last night I realized something very weird…

It’s already been five years since my last undergraduate class!

I can’t help but wonder where the time has gone. But I am glad to say one thing – I can measure each period of my life in blogs or artistic projects. Grad school was spent on my comic “Tiger Pearl”, and my under-employment years were spent writing my blog Transitionelle (now ellefeeney). But undergrad… well those were the days!

One of my first shared projects is still one that I hold closest to my heart – a comic written with my best friend that still makes me giggle at its ridiculousness: Vicoodles – by Tiana and the Hick. (Clearly, I was the Hick – though for the life of me I still can’t figure out why).

For some reason this is the only edition that I could find this afternoon, although I know that we have them all saved somewhere.

Vicoodles was Tiana’s brain-child, but when she invited me to participate I couldn’t say no! We would have our bi-weekly meetings, usually in the dining hall over copious cups of tea and triple-helpings of dessert, and we’d dream up ridiculous inside-joke that just HAD to become comics. We’d go back and forth for days, sometimes weeks, and then Tee would draw up the comic and it would be forever immortalized in print. In our student newspaper, of course.

This small, silly comic started me on a road that I am so thankful to have gone down. Before Vicoodles, I was just a girl with a lot of ideas and a dream about sharing my writing with others. But Vicoodles gave me the confidence to put my words out there. Silly words and happy words, which turned to doodle, inspiration, and reviews. My words were no longer hidden away.

I suppose I never really considered the impact that one silly comic could have on a person’s life, but sharing brought me confidence that can’t be learned. Of all of things I gained from my undergraduate degree, the confidence to share my opinions and my humour has brought me the most joy and accomplishment. Not just in writing, but in every part of my life.

So put yourself out there – and seek out friendships where you encourage each other to do so. You never know where one tiny step will take you.