Linda Auziņa is a student at Ventspils University of Applied Sciences who started the year quietly working in the Student Council. But life took a turn when Linda was elected Student Council President in April. Now, every day has been an exciting adventure for her, allowing her to meet a variety of influential and interesting people, gain new experiences, make friends and grow as a person. Linda is happy to share the story of one of the most interesting years of her life.

"When a year is coming to an end, I always like to look back on what I have done and experienced. I think the more you dare to step out of your comfort zone, the more colourful and exciting your year will be. I can definitely say that mine has been very much so. It started with small, easy jobs in the Student Council. At the beginning of the year, I was really fully immersed in my studies. Now I've realised that even though there are a lot more things to do, they are becoming more interesting and a lot cooler. The biggest adventure has definitely been the Student Council itself. I really appreciate this opportunity to work, to be involved and to represent students' interests.

I am happy to have met many interesting people from whom I have been able to draw inspiration. When you step out of your box, you step over your own boundaries and that is when you have the opportunity to have a much broader experience. Every day I have had the chance to grow, to learn something interesting that definitely will be useful in the future. If at the beginning of the year I was a quiet "work mouse", not being seen a lot, now I have realised that life has to be lived to the fullest. You have to enjoy every opportunity, every adventure it gives you. I am glad that it is December. 2022 is coming to an end, but that does not mean that our opportunities to grow are coming to an end. People tend to start each new year with the motto "new year, new me", but I think it is worth not starting again each year, but continuing to grow and working on yourself from where you left off the year before. That way we see and contribute to growth, rather than discarding everything we have learned.



This Christmas we can finally spend with our closest people without the constraints of the pandemic. May 2023 be even more interesting, more filled with adventures and more fun for all of us to look back on."