In celebration of my last month at University of Florida, I’m taking the time to write ‘thank you’ notes to those who have helped shape my time here. To you all: I am forever grateful.
Growing up, I always knew that I was going to college. As a first generation student, sometimes it’s a little daunting, but my parents brought me up with books and discussions about current events and encouraged me to pursue a higher education. I was fortunate enough to be accepted to UF, and when I first came to Gainesville, I knew as soon as we turned onto Archer Road from i-75 that this was where I was going. I was certain, and my tour only solidified the wholly go-with-your-gut decision I’d made in the car.
UF is a wonderful place. With my jampacked senior year schedule, I’ve kind of forgotten along the way how lucky I am to be here. The stress of wondering if you’re capable of managing all the schoolwork, part-time job and extracurriculars while still applying to companies where you’d like to build a career can be exhausting and overwhelming. UF has rigorous courses that require giving in order to get.
And that’s part of why I want to thank UF. For pushing me so far outside of my comfort zone. I am someone who lives very much inside the bubble of comfort, and these past few years I’ve had to do many things outside of it. Perhaps most of it stems from being a journalism student, and having to learn how to approach random people to talk to them, track down sources to interview, and even travel to different counties to get a story. And while these are things that often stress me out, when I take a step back, I realize that these are opportunities that are not ubiquitous. They are special, and something that sets this university apart from the others.
Education aside, I’ve made my best friends here – people who I’d go to the ends of the earth for. People who I just don’t think I could’ve found elsewhere – ones with forever bonds, built on the hours we spent working in the AHA! Lab, laughing until we cry during our study breaks, countless breakfast dates bagels at the one big table in The Hub, walks by Century Tower, games days in sweltering heat and waiting out for seats to see whichever celebrity ACCENT Speakers Bureau was bringing that month.
And it’s people like that, ones who make your education into college, that idyllic experience we read about in YA novels growing up, the smiling faces we see on information brochures and the real life college kids we witness in the flesh on our tours. And there’s something so unifying about us all being Gators – that no matter where we end up, no matter the city or the job or life, we have that connection of four years in Gainesville.
I’m admittedly sentimental as I’m nearing on the very end of my time here. It’s weird to envision my life without seeing packs of scooters traveling together on University Avenue or being able to run to midtown for a quick burrito bowl in-between classes or calling my friends to say we should meet by the bus stop. I want to take it all in as much as I can this last week, and savor every little last memory that suddenly feels so important and exciting as it did the very first time.
Everyone who has graduated always says “it goes by so fast,” and for a long time, I couldn’t believe that sentiment. Four amazing and incredible years, yes, but also four difficult and challenging years. Surely it couldn’t feel that fast. But now, as this chapter is coming to a close, it feels like it was just a moment ago that I was a waving a teary goodbye to my parents and trying to build a life for myself in this little college town.
So here’s my advice to those of you who still have time here: do what you want to do. Spend your time how you’d like to. Be unapologetic for your interests, and make the most of everything this school has to offer you. There is a niche for everyone, I can promise you that. And for those of you with me, at the start of something new: we’re all in this together. We will forever know that the Gators out there in the world are looking out for us and wanting us to succeed. Carry that with you in your fearless pursuit of your dreams. So, in my last article here as a student: I’d like to thank this college that made this town a home. Thank you to a university that gave me what I need to start my career. Thank you for the organizations that gave me people that changed my life for good. Thank you UF, for everything.
Photo credit: Leah Marshall