I began at CU Boulder in the spring of 2023, so my college experience didn’t follow the typical timeline. It’s been three and a half years. Nothing about my time here has really gone exactly how I thought it would, and I think that’s what made it what it was.
When I first got here, I had a version of how things were supposed to look. Classes, routines, friendships, everything falling into place. And some of that happened. But a lot of it didn’t — and looking back, I’m really glad it didn’t.
There were moments where everything felt easy, and then there were moments where it didn’t feel like that at all. Not just academically, but personally too. Times when I had to adjust, shift, and figure things out in ways I didn’t expect. Times when I had to pull myself back together and keep going, even when things felt off or uncertain.
One of the biggest parts of my experience here has been the people. Not in a perfect, everything-works-out way, but in a real way. I met people who came into my life at the exact right time, even if I didn’t realize it then. Some stayed, some didn’t, but at the end of the day, all of them mattered.
Some friendships made everything feel easier, and there were also moments where I had to learn how to let go, set boundaries, or grow in ways that weren’t always comfortable. And I think that’s something no one really prepares you for — that relationships change just as much as you do.
But through all of that, I found my people. The ones who made the hard days feel manageable, who were there for the random moments, the late nights, the conversations that didn’t seem important at the time but ended up meaning everything.
And that’s something I’ll carry with me more than anything else.
CU Boulder gave me the space to figure out who I am — not just academically, but as a person. To change my mind. To switch paths when something didn’t feel right. To stop trying to follow a perfect plan and start paying attention to what actually works for me.
There were setbacks. There were moments where things didn’t go how I planned, where I had to rethink everything, not just school but life in general. But those are the moments that pushed me the most. They forced me to grow, to be more independent, and to trust myself even when I didn’t fully have everything figured out.
And I think that’s one of the biggest things I’m leaving with — the ability to keep going, even when things don’t look how I expected them to. The ability to adapt.
Graduating doesn’t really feel like an ending. It feels more like stepping into something new, just with a better understanding of who I am, what I want, and what I deserve.
I’m leaving CU with more than I expected — not just a degree, but a different mindset. One that’s more confident, more aware, and a lot more grounded in what actually matters to me.
So this is a thank you. Not just for the easy moments, but for all of it. The uncertainty, the changes, the people, the growth, and everything in between.
Because without all of that, I wouldn’t be leaving as the same person. And I don’t think I’d want to.