When I had my senior meeting a few weeks ago I was eager. I had written down courses, internships, and more to be prepared. Then a few minutes into the meeting to my surprise I found out I would not be graduating in May. The shock came as I have always been on track before and have never failed a course or had to retake one. I couldn’t figure out how until my advisor told me that it was because I didn’t have enough upper-division credits. Once that was said, it made sense how and this was because of where I went prior.
In my college career, I started at a community college, which only offered courses between the 100 and 200 levels, however when I went to my first university, I had to do the same that semester. Due to the difference in curriculum based on the institution, I had to do some lower-level courses that didn’t transfer over. After one semester at that institution, due to financial reasons, I decided to transfer to Oswego. Because I had to do some beginner classes at my previous institution it led me to fall behind a little bit, bringing me to finding out I wouldn’t graduate on time.
When I got this news, I panicked and was frustrated for a few reasons. One was because I had no idea of how much financial aid I had left and how much it would cost for me to stay another semester or two. Another was the frustration towards myself because I felt like I was disappointed in how I didn’t recognize it sooner; as well as in the last semester or two I have started to decline in my liking and passion for my major, so I felt that I was going to be stuck for a little longer.
As soon as I got out of the meeting I let myself feel the emotions. Maybe it’s because I’m a people pleaser, but I just cried. I think talking about the situation now, I could laugh, but at the moment I really thought I was a failure. After a moment or two, I dried the tears away and started trying to figure out what else I could do. I started emailing my financial aid office and looking up how much money I could still receive. Luckily it was going to still be covered and that took off some of my worry right away.
The next thing to do though was to see what courses I could take. Given I just needed upper division, I could take it in any course subject, not just specified to my major. However I started looking into more English courses, as this was my minor while having a major in journalism. As I was scrolling through, it was almost as if a light bulb lit up in my mind. If I was going to stay here longer, why not change to a double major?
I then applied to switch it and waited patiently to have my advisors accept it, a week of waiting and it was approved. Once this got approved, I felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders. I felt that once I was able to take a new path, and start this new route through my college career, everything was going to be alright. At that moment, I wasn’t worried or frustrated anymore.
The panic that was once over financial questioning was resolved, the image that I had of myself had improved, and I felt like a new passion and liking for what I was doing in school was growing again, one that had been a little dim for a while. I registered for courses this week and was so excited to start this next semester, even if it wasn’t going to end with me walking across the stage yet.
I decided to share this with you all because I think it poses a relatable experience. Now, you might have not gone to multiple institutions or majored in the same subjects I have, but you might relate to the reaction or feeling of being behind; especially in an academic and social setting such as school. When we grow up we might have not shared a grade with someone if ours was lower than theirs; we might have not shown a trophy we got if it wasn’t first. We often grew up in a society that only allows you to show your achievements if you get first place or better than anyone else, rather than acknowledging ourselves as being able to grow.
With this experience, I was nervous to tell anyone. A lot of friends I made here were graduating in the spring and I felt that I didn’t immediately want to share that it would take me longer. However in the end, I realized that it wasn’t such a big deal and I was still getting my degree, the thing I came here to do in the first place.
I also shared this experience because I wanted to say it is never too late to change your mind about what you want to do with your life. It took me until my senior year of college to find out I didn’t have a full passion for journalism as I once did, but I did have one for English. Some students change their majors many times, some take a semester off or gap years, some students stop going to college and pursue trade schools and other things, and that is okay. I think what is not okay though is continuing to fully go into something you don’t want to or don’t love anymore. I was lucky enough that my minor was English, so it won’t take me long to complete, but if you can, try to not let time determine if you want to pursue something else.
So for anyone reading this, college students, young individuals, and any humans really, know it is okay to stay longer. Know it is okay to go at a different pace than you originally anticipated because, in the end, you will get to where you want to go. Sometimes paths change and when you accept it, you will start to see the good that comes out of it; and know that as I learned, it’s alright to stay longer in college.