I’ve been avoiding coming to terms with graduation for the past 4 months (and subconciously probably the last 3 years). I’ve been pretending that I don’t have to leave school and enter the real world next week. I just can’t seem to imagine myself being an adult and doing taxes and not spending my weekend nights deciding on whether or not I should get a large pizza at 3am. UNH has been so good to me, it genuinely scares me to think of being anywhere else. But since I’m 7 days away from graduating and becoming an alumn, I think it’s time I start to get a grip.
These past four years have been a rollercoaster. I’ve met some of the greatest people I’ve ever known and I’ve met people who taught me exactly what I don’t want in a friend and person. I’ve made memories that are equally embarrassing and equally funny. I’ve had some of the best and worst times of my life on this campus and at the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade my college experience for the world. Coming to UNH is by far one of the greatest decisions I’ve made thus far, and it truly pains me to know that when everyone comes back next semester, I won’t be coming back with them. But I know that I’m prepared for the real world, in terms of my education and in terms of my own personal growth in my time here.
I feel like a different person than I was as a naiive freshmen. College forces you to grow up, even though you probably don’t notice this while you’re dancing in a sweaty frat basement. For the first time, we get to be on our own in a whole new environment. I remember thinking that was scary, and now I’m here about to face my future and in coming to terms with it I’ve realized that there’s more to life than college.
I know that I’ve made friends that will last me a lifetime. I know that I’ll never forget all the incredible memories that were stupid at the time that mean everything to me now. I know I’ll never forgetting climbing the Wildcat on a night out, or waiting for Kurt’s at 2am in the freezing cold or running across campus in a mini skirt and a crop top just to get to the frats. I will cherish those memories for the rest of my life, because they’ve become some of my favorites. But I also know the future is exciting and new and a chance to put everything I’ve learned to use. I’m excited to go forward and explore the real world. I’m excited to be on my own again and meet new people and go through this experience all over again. I’m excited to find out who I am and what I want to be, over and over and over again.
So as scary as it is to look graduation in the face, I’m just as excited as I am nervous. And I know I’ll probably cry when everyone comes back to school and I don’t, but I also know that I’ll always be a Wildcat no matter where I am and that I’ll always have the incredible friends and relationships I’ve built here that have helped get me this far.