Gabby Del Bene is a Master’s student here at Florida State University (FSU) after completing her Bachelor’s degree in Media and Communications studies. Besides finishing her bachelor’s in three years, Gabby has also been very involved on campus: holding a position as Panhellenic’s Vice President of Public Relations, being an active member of Gamma Phi Beta and dabbling in a couple of campus clubs.
Aside from all of her impressive accomplishments, part of the reason I wanted to do a profile on Gabby is because I look up to her. Gabby, from the day I met her, has been a force of nature. She is strong yet compassionate. She is graceful but humorous. She stands firm on her opinions but allows room for growth. Regardless of what year you are, it is reassuring to hear advice from someone who has been there. That is exactly what I did today.
What made Gabby pursue a Master’s degree?
She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Public Interest Media and Communication. In her case, she said it would be more efficient in the long run, with a master’s allowing her more options than only her bachelor’s. Gabby is exploring her options, from special event planning to entertainment management and even social media influencer marketing. But the main thing that stuck out was that continuing on to earn her masters gave her the gift of time.
Is there anything Gabby struggled with in college?
Navigating college is no easy task, especially for Gabby who didn’t attend the Summer C semester like a lot of her friends. She felt as if she was stepping on the toes of relationships and connections already formed. Reaching out to new people was tricky. You never knew when some people were strictly class friends or friends-friends. Family is super important to her, so it was challenging being seven hours away from them. The biggest stressor was finding the right balance between school, work and a social life. Despite what some might say, you need all three in college. Gabby can attest to this.
How did Gabby differentiate between real and temporary friends?
A topic we touched on earlier was the idea of having friends in classes versus hanging out with them outside of class. When I originally thought of this question, I thought there would be some sort of sign that can tell who would be there for the long haul. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised by her answer. She said, “temporary friends can be mistaken as real and real friends can become temporary as well, but that doesn’t make the temporary friends any less important.” Some people are supposed to be supporting characters in your story but not part of the storyline. And on the flip side, there are some friends who you can’t see every day, but their friendship feels like one you have built for years.
How did Gabby get to where she is now?
“Hard work.” Gabby said she has never really been the type to prove herself to others, but there were people she wanted to make proud of her accomplishments. Through the past three years she broke out of her shell and allowed herself to try new opportunities. She surrounded herself with solid friendships, but a healthy relationship with herself so that she could say, “this is what I want to do.”
What advice does Gabby have for students still in their undergraduate careers?
In all caps for the full effect, “SAY YES.” I could not agree more, new experiences will make all the difference in your college experience. And of course, we are all here to learn and get those degrees but, “don’t miss out on those little experiences with your friends to add five extra minutes to your study session.” Have fun, be kind and be brave. You are going to change so much from your freshmen self, be proud of that growth and find what makes you excited to wake up and do it again.
I want to say a personal thank you to Gabby Del Bene for sitting down with me, allowing me to write this and get a glimpse into her life. I wanted to bring to light a common misconception: that by graduation you’re supposed to be ready to take on life. In the grand scheme of things, 22 or 23 is such a young age to cement any life plans. It felt good hearing from a graduate student with an impressive background who is still trying to piece it all together. And if you are too, it is okay. Take all the time you want, because one of the things Gabby emphasized was being open to opportunities. I asked her the last question, “What are three words you would use to describe yourself?” Gabby responded, “Opinionated, strong and funny.” I would say brave-hearted, adventurous, eximious. If you take any advice from this at all, study hard but have some fun while you’re at it.
Gabby, I am so excited to see how far you go, good luck and go Noles!
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