One Last Pop
Hey bubble poppers!
As the school year wraps up, sadly, so will our beloved Pop the Bubble Blog. Read on to learn what our three 2017-2018 bloggers have to say as they sign-off!
Jen: I’ve been blogging for Pop the Bubble since 2016, and my favourite part of being a blogger is that it encouraged me to go out and interact with the community the local businesses. I not only developed my writing and creativity skills as a blogger, but I also developed a strong love for this city and the people in it. Even though this blog will not be continuing, I will keep on Popping the Bubble by volunteering in the community and educating my peers about Hamilton and all it has to offer. Next year, I will be leading the McMaster International and Exchange (MIX) club, and I hope to introduce exchange and international students to everything that made me love Hamilton so much. If you want to join me on adventures around the city and meet some new friends, please feel free to come to our MIX events!
Noel: Like Jen, I’ve also been blogging for Pop the Bubble since my first year in 2016 and I never considered myself being interested in writing. The blog really provided an amazing platform to discuss issues that matter to me in a way that other students can relate and interact within a non-academic setting. I feel like in my academic writing I never get the type of freedom and creativity that I had with writing for Pop the Bubble; the blog helped me to feel like I have finally found my own voice. As a commuter student from Hamilton, writing for the blog bridged my worlds between the Hamilton and Mac Community, and made me feel truly connected to campus for the first time. I’m really sad to see the blog not continue, as it’s been a big part of my undergraduate experience. However, I will continue to ‘pop the bubble’ by continuing to work with Hamilton community organizations such as NGen Youth Centre and Speqtrum in order to continue to advocate for youth issues and build community with youth in the greater Hamilton Area. In addition to this, I hope to find opportunities to continue my blogging such as with Local blogs that write about issues in Hamilton, as well as social justice blogs like Everyday Feminism! Hope to see you around Hamilton! 🙂
Sabrina: This year through the support of the Pop the Bubble network, I was able to rediscover the importance of meaningful reflection and the power of my voice. This blog provided me with an outlet where what I want to say has the value to be shared with students across campus. My voice and impact on this blog was largely shaped by reflecting on my volunteering experiences – from attending SACHA’s Take Back The Night march, to capturing the passion of those advocating for menstrual equity in Hamilton, to sharing my time with FAB Foundation and Mission Services’ Willow’s Place. By sharing these stories not only did I aim to increase the McMaster University community’s awareness of their ability to be active participants of Hamilton, but also bridge the connection between community engagement and career development. Being a part of the Pop the Bubble team has been a constant learning experience and I look forward to exploring my voice further through my own blog that I have created inspired by my time with the Student Success Centre.
To those who are leaving the campus, we tip our hats off to you. To those of who still have a couple more years being a part of this community, we cannot stress the importance of grabbing those hands-on opportunities. We encourage you to apply your academic knowledge and explore beyond the Westdale-Ainslie Grove bubble. Grab your binoculars, break free and POP that bubble! You may be surprised what you may discover about yourself.
It’s been real, friends. Keep bubble popping!
— Noel, Jen, Sabrina
