I've found time and time again that water often plays a role in some of my major life decisions. When choosing between colleges for my graduate program, one of the things I considered was proximity to water. My watermark represents a time of great change in my life, and how connectedness to water helped me stay grounded through the transition.

Humber College's Lakeshore Campus is located some 500 metres from Lake Ontario and backs onto Colonel Samuel Smith Park. This area of shoreline constitutes some of the best birdwatching in the province, and as an avid birder, I've logged countless hours at this location. Having this lovely natural area right outside my classroom was a blessing not only because it allowed me to get outside and engage in one of my favourite hobbies, but because of the social connections it helped me make. I was able to share this park with my classmates, family members, friends and my partner on multiple occasions.

From an ecological perspective, Colonel Samuel Smith Park boasts remarkable avian diversity. Many birds use this location as a staging site for migration, making it one of the best places to see species that don't often spend time in Southern Ontario. Toronto's shoreline has gone through a great transformation over the past several decades, and this section of Lake Ontario serves as a prime example of successful water conservation.

Lake Ontario at Colonel Samuel Smith Park is my watermark because it represents the connectedness I feel not just to this place, but to water all across Ontario. I feel incredibly lucky to have such a beautiful body of water just minutes away from my home.