Hello, hello friends! Wow, what an experience college has been! I am graduating this coming week and I couldn’t be more excited and terrified! I’m not sure exactly how everything has fallen into place, but I’m glad it has. My college experience started four years ago and I just wanted to take this time to talk about my journey filled with laughter, tears (happy ones) and all the great memories I will have for the rest of my life.
I’m not sure where to begin with the memories, but let’s get something out of the way; I will forever be grateful to all the professors, friends and family that have supported me this far. I didn’t know this coming into college, but a support system is the most vital piece of the puzzle that would help me get through college and grow as a person. I have been able to learn about myself and simply learn what type of people I need in my life to help me aspire to be the best version of myself. I came into college a bubbly freshman who was trapped in looking solely at academics, and now I am an outgoing senior with more people I care about that I could possibly count.
Don’t get me wrong, academics are the main reason we are here, but developing as a person and being involved in campus life is just as important. I can’t reiterate this enough, but the truth is whatever you put into college, you’ll get back. I learned this by taking required classes that were interesting to me as well as joining student organizations. Finding a good balance between academics, social life and personal time is crucial and I am very fortunate to have conquered my college career with the best support I could ask for!
My memories are tied to my support team because they are the reason I enjoyed studying and getting through college! Starting with my courses, my professors were so enthusiastic about teaching and dove into material that I was passionate about, that it left me on the edge of my seat. My majors were perfect, yet challenging, but also I know this is the field where I belong. I changed my major twice to get here, fun times. I had classmates who were as passionate as I was and some of them ended up being best friends that I will be graduating alongside within the next week.
Besides academics, the student organizations are truly where I found the most supportive, kind spirited, strong and all around amazing friends I could have ever asked for. These strong groups of people were just like me, they wanted to fit in and find the people they related to. We want to find friends that challenge us to do our best, make us laugh so hard we snort and are there when you need someone to listen. These are the memories I will take with me. Yes, I am going to use all my skills and knowledge to but I did it in the most amazing way possible. I went through college with friends and family that saw me go through finals season eight times, go on late night adventures and roast me at game nights. Most importantly, they will be there to make more memories after I graduate. Thank you to all of you who made my VCU experience unforgettable.