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My journey in college, the blessings and the regrets.
I’ve been attending Rowan University for four years now, and as my time in Glassboro comes to an end, I’m beginning to look back on my journey. I’m very grateful for all the opportunities I have been given, especially the chance to meet and work with industry professionals before graduation. I’m grateful for the friends that I have made and the many clubs and organizations I have been a part of over the last four years. However, there are some things that I feel I’ve missed out on, and some things that turned out just right.
#1: Greek Life: Did Wrong
From the day I began looking for colleges to apply to, my mom suggested I join a sorority, especially if I decided to go to school out of state, which I had originally planned on doing. She wanted to make sure I would make friends that would last a lifetime, I would have the fun a college student should be having, and that I wouldn’t get too homesick. Although I didn’t think I would fit in with the sisters of a sorority, it was still something I was heavily considering.
In my freshman year, I almost went through with the recruitment process. I started following different sorority Instagram pages, speaking to the sisters at club fairs, and even got invited to some mixers early on so they would get to know me. However, as someone who was going to school for sports communication and didn’t prioritize partying and overall lifestyle, I decided that Greek life wouldn’t be for me.
Now that I’m in my fall semester of senior year, I do wish I had taken that leap and welcomed sisterhood into my life.
#2: Rowan Radio: Did Right
One week into my freshman year, I began training at the radio station. I wanted to have a career in sports broadcasting, so I figured this was the perfect opportunity to get an early start in the career I dreamed of. I am not going into public relations. Anyway, when I first started, I was very shy. I didn’t talk to anyone, walked in to do my work, and walked out when I was finished. However, I did want to get involved because at the time, it was one of the only things that I was doing on campus.
As time went on, I started to become more involved in the sports department and started talking to the guys more. So much so that by sophomore year, they were inviting me to their Applebee’s nights (I was one of the boys). I had fun and I enjoyed creating new friendships. One of my favorite things in the world is sports, so the conversations with them came easily and effortlessly. From there, I met new people as well. I was finally broken out of my shell and loved talking to anyone at the station. I even became close with both station managers.
Now in my senior year, it’s one thing that’s gonna be the hardest to say goodbye to. I’ll miss my Rowan Radio family, and I know I’ll be taking in every moment until May.
#3: Waiting on Friendships: Did Wrong
Based on the last section, you can see that I met many people through Rowan Radio. However, as I also mentioned, I was very quiet and shy and took a very long time to make friends. I was thankful enough to click with my freshman year roommate almost immediately, and we were constantly hanging out (we’re still roommates to this day). I also met two other girls freshman year, who I met through her, and eventually also began living with. Although I’m very grateful for those friendships, I wish I had gotten out more and made more.
In my freshman year, I did a bit of partying early on. I wanted to have fun and experience the true freedom of being away at college (even if it was 45 minutes away). Since I went to school so close, I often invited my friends from home to spend weekends with me at school. I think this is the part where I got “college friendships” wrong. I love my friends from home, but because they were constantly at Rowan with me, I used them as my security blanket. I thought, if they were going to see me all the time, I didn’t need new friends. I had them. But I was wrong.
In my junior year, I met two girls with whom I became very close very quickly. We hung out almost every day after class, and even planned our schedules together so we would be in the same classes the following semester. We joined the same clubs, had weekend hangouts, and were even part of the same friend groups. It was refreshing. One of them even lives with me now. It was nice that we all lived in New Jersey, too, because we were able to carry our hangouts over to the summer.
Yes, I am so glad I met people at college, I just wish it had happened sooner.
#4: Finding My Passions: Did Right
The career I have wanted in sports is hard to achieve, especially as a woman. I wanted to get involved as soon as possible. Like the radio station, I also got involved with the television network. Although I didn’t work on the sports show, I still enjoyed my time there. I was still very shy at that point, and I didn’t really talk to anyone. However, the upperclassmen made sure that I always felt comfortable and welcome, and that I was thankful for. After my first year, I realized I wasn’t interested in television, film, and production like I thought I was. I gave up the television network and moved on to the newspaper.
I was always very passionate about writing, but I never considered making a career out of it. The closest I had gotten was becoming an English teacher. When I joined Rowan’s newspaper, I didn’t know what to expect. I was confident in my writing abilities, but I didn’t think they were at the same standard as the other students, especially the journalism majors. I worked hard, and was thankful that I knew some of the editors from the radio station. I wrote my first article, and it received great feedback from the section editor. I knew I was doing the right thing. I decided to add a sports journalism concentration.
After a semester, I was no longer interested in storytelling. I loved writing still, but I was introduced to public relations writing, and I loved it. It came easier to me, and I fell in love with news releases. I stopped writing for the newspaper and started focusing more on PR writing instead. I added public relations as a second major, joined PRSSA, and joined a 4+1 M.A. accelerated program. Public relations was now my path.
This year, I remembered how much I loved writing. I joined the school newspaper and was even able to cover sports, which was another one of my passions. I love it, and I’m glad I’m back.
Overall, I’m grateful for my time at Rowan University. I have had many experiences, both good and bad. I’ve learned a lot about myself, and I think that’s the most important thing about going to college. I love the people I have met and the career path I have chosen. As they say, Rowan has been my favorite hello, but it will definitely be my hardest goodbye.