The time has finally come for me to graduate, the goal that every college student reaches for and experiences immense stress for years because of.
It seems unbelievable, and I still cant imagine its happening. I graduate this weekend, (tomorrow actually) and after that, I’ll officially be done with my undergrad.
Honestly, it seems a bit anti-climatic. Like, here I am, finally achieving this incredible goal, and I feel the exact same. There’s no trumpets that will blast when I submit my last final, no confetti that will magically fall from the sky. I’m just then handed over to the next stage of my life, one that I hope I’m ready for.
School is what I have known ever since I was a kid, its my whole identity. I truly don’t know who I am without it. Am I ready for life post-graduation? Getting a job, considering graduate school, a career, etc? How do I know when i’ll ever be ready?
It’s that feeling when you open a gift, you’re elated and you’re anxious and excited all at once. Then, you open it, and it’s something you liked when you were 5. You look up at the gift-giver and they’re smiling and happy, and so you smile back, because you don’t want to seem ungrateful or make them feel bad. And you aren’t ungrateful, it’s just underwhelming and not what you expected.
It’s just a bummed out feeling, and maybe that’s just unique to me because I have always enjoyed school. I love my friends and the clubs, and the interesting classes. None of it was perfect, but I never forget the good parts of all of it. College was fun for me, and, because of that, I think a part of me doesn’t want to leave.
My life at NMSU was crazy yet underwhelming, fun and yet depressing, full of love and laughter, and then stressing over classes at the library. It was best of times and the worst of times. But I weirdly loved every minute of it, and I’ll miss it.
I especially am going to miss my friends. Going back home after graduation is going to make my heart break, because I’ll be leaving behind some of the greatest people I know. I can only hope that the cliche saying is right, that the people you meet in college will stay with you forever, because I want them to. If I could tuck my friends into my pocket, travel-sized, I would.
And then there’s Her Campus, and my love for it. It gave me an outlet to write my thoughts, and express myself. I put myself out there in my writing, even if it wasn’t all that interesting and perfect. But, it was fun. I loved the people I met through it, and the ways I pushed myself while writing articles. Being a Campus Correspondent this semester really made me grow as a person, in a way that only leadership can. I can’t wait to see how Her Campus at NMSU grows, and I can only hope that I will grow too. Eventually.
Before I joined Her Campus, I knew I wanted to write something. Anything. I just wanted an outlet. And I am so glad I found it. My only regret is that I didn’t join sooner, and that I made it a part of every one of my semesters at college instead of only 3 semesters.
So, my advice? Do everything at college. Join all the clubs, make time for the fun classes. Go to parties and hangouts, and all the on-campus social events. Take this time to grow as a person, fully and completely. Give yourself good memories that you can tuck away for the future.
Goodbye to Her Campus. Goodbye to my Undergrad. Goodbye to the simple life. And, I guess, hello to the next chapter.