Hear what it feels like to graduate from those doing so!
I bet you remember the moment you got your acceptance letter. Or maybe it was a notification from the application portal. Whatever it was, you got into UF.
And, the years studying for exams or stressing about assignments might have felt like an eternity. However, the end was sooner than you thought. I mean, it’s already here.
No more all-nighters, no more tears; it’s graduation time. And in a few days, your name will be announced in the ceremony. You will walk on stage dressed in your robe, marking the end of an era.
You’re turning into an adult. You’re one step ahead of what you dreamt.
Behind your achievements, there’s always the lessons learned and the memories attached. And in this article, you’re going to hear from those graduating, their experiences and journeys:
Julia Hoffman, Communication sciences & disorders
The vault of memories:
Freshman year was hard, not gonna lie. I had entered through PACE, the two-year online program. I didn’t know anybody because I was homeschooled. There were a lot of things I didn’t know about. That year, it was me trying to figure out all the resources that UF has. Then COVID happened my second semester of freshman year. That was really rough, too. So, I didn’t get on campus until I entered junior year.
The lessons learned:
The last four years have taught me a lot about myself. Like, that it’s okay to ask for help. You don’t have to do everything by yourself. You’re not weak for asking for help. It’s okay to cry. Crying is not a weakness. But it’s also just knowing that you are not alone at all, even though you feel like it. And during that time, for me, at least it’s okay to pray.
But also, it’s not just about the weakness and the struggles. Like, I love people. I am very social, but it’s also okay to step away and don’t try to take on everything by yourself.
The sad goodbyes:
There’s a lot of people that are leaving. My friends, who I got so used to having them around for like at least the last year or two years. This is another change in my life. It’s not for better or worse. It’s just different.
I will miss the experiences of undergrad. I’m here for another two years, and I know in the master’s program, it’s gonna be different.
The future?
I’m going to get a masters to become a speech language pathologist, and my dream is to go into the medical setting. Being ready to be an adult? A part of me, yes. Because I am, I very much feel mentally, physically that I am older now. So, it’s terrifying.
Valeria Ortiz:
The vault of memories:
I do remember my first year. It was really fun. It was 2019. And it was fun because it was like a fresh start. Everyone’s kind on a fresh start, and everyone was so welcoming. It wasn’t as scary as I thought. Also, the title of being at UF, I was intimidated. I thought ‘classes are going to be hard.’ But also, COVID did it that year.
The lessons learned:
I remember, preview, orientation. They were showing me my class requirements, Gen Ed’s and my degree audit. I did not understand anything. And then once classes started, I was so confused. But everything works out in the end. You’re gonna find opportunities that you didn’t even know about, that will interest you or find some random person that’s going to tell you about this whole other thing that you could do.
The sad goodbyes:
My gosh, I think my friends. I’m going to miss having my friends so close. It was just a great time in college. We made the most of it. With the independence that we had, you can just plan your own weekends and time. It was really fun. So, definitely take advantage of that while you can. I’ve been taking advantage of being a senior and kind of doing everything one last time.
A convo with an old friend:
I would tell my freshman self everything always works out. Second is never take no for an answer. And number three, say yes to everything. Say yes, obviously not dumb things. You have your whole life to be tired over work or older people’s responsibilities. If you’re just tired because you woke up early, then you have the opportunity to go home. Don’t! Have dinner with your friends or go watch a movie. You have your whole life to be tired, so say yes to everything
The future?
How does it feel to graduate? I was always looking forward to it. But now it’s bittersweet. I’m kind of sad. I’m not ready to be an adult, but you know. It’s time. I’ll manage. Everything will work out.
Melanie Moller:
The vault of memories:
I got my acceptance letter for UF summer 2020. I was supposed to start, and then COVID happened. So, they didn’t really do summer anymore in that year. And so, I came up in the fall. I came up with my sister, and we got an apartment together, which is not what I expected my college experience to be like, at all. I thought I was gonna have a completely different life.
I didn’t really make a lot of friends at first because it was COVID. But I did meet a lot of people virtually. Then, I just started to discover Gainesville on my own. I would just walk or bike everywhere. And that was really cool. Because I feel like you find out so much more than if you’re driving. COVID kind of changed everything, but I feel like it changed it for the better in that way.
The lessons learned:
The biggest lesson I learned about being here was to explore everything. For example, I joined an outdoors club, and I realized I love backpacking. I tried out different classes like ceramics class. I like just trying out different things because it helps me explore different passions. Like, I suck at ceramics. And that’s okay. Like, I don’t have to be good at ceramics. I don’t have to be good at everything. As long as I just tried, like putting yourself out there and like getting out of your comfort zone.
A convo with an old friend:
There were a lot of opportunities I didn’t take my freshman year because I was overwhelmed or scared. And there were opportunities that I could have made. Sometimes when you’re in a new place, it’s super scary. But I think learning that people are more similar to you than you think is a lot more comforting. I would tell myself to just do whatever I want and not think about other people’s opinions.
The sad goodbyes:
I’m going to miss my best friends and my outdoors club, Outdoor Adventure Recreation. I got into it my senior year, and it’s one of the clubs where I found a sense of community.