This is my last semester here at Arcadia. Wow, that was both scary and exciting to type out. I can’t believe I made it to the other end of this rainbow, and it’s been quite the rollercoaster.
When I think about my time on campus, I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to study something that brings me so much joy. The Media and Communications department here at Arcadia has nourished me, challenged me, and helped shape me into the person I am today. Not only that but attending Arcadia has allowed me to grow as a person, both emotionally and mentally. Freshman me, and current me, are two completely different people. And honestly, I’m proud of that.
When I first started attending college, I had no idea how I was going to manage it. I felt like I’d fail, and I was scared I didn’t have the college-student skills to be able to be successful here. I was so uncertain, that I explored alternative college options closer to home, but that was mostly due to the fear of the unknown.
I was incredibly homesick my first semester as well, and I struggled to make friends in the beginning. These were very discouraging factors because I thought making friends in college would be as easy as it was in high school. Nevertheless, I was gravely mistaken. It wasn’t until my third year of college, that I felt like I actually had friends on campus. This may not be the case for everyone, but it was the case for me.
As a senior, I feel like time is traveling in slow motion, but it speeds up slightly with every step. I feel like the clock is running out, but I also feel like I’m in a state of denial. When I think about the fact that I won’t be coming back next fall, I feel pain and grief. However, when I think about the last four years, I feel nothing but pride and gratitude. It’s a slippery emotional slope.
With my graduation on the horizon, I find myself sitting with a lot of questions. “Where will I live?”, “What do I want to do?, “How will I survive outside of college?”. None of these have answers just yet, but, even so, this is my last year here at Arcadia. No matter what speed the world is moving at, I gotta keep pushing forward.
