I’ve always liked to say that I am a person who embraces change. At age 14, I chose to go to a different high school than the rest of my childhood friends. When I started college, I moved to a city six hours away from home, where I didn’t know a single soul. Both of these major changes were difficult at first, but immensely rewarding in the end. They introduced me to new people and passions that have helped form who I am today.
Now, I am due for another major change. I recently graduated with my college degree, concluding what feels like the most important chapter of my life. For the first time, I have found myself resisting change. I once took pride in running headfirst toward transitions, but now it feels like I am being jolted awake from a deep, comforting sleep.
For those not heading to graduate school, the conclusion of college symbolizes the end of a nearly 20-year-long educational journey. From the first day of preschool to the final day of lectures, school serves as a constant throughout early life. Though the impact and importance of this constant vary for different people with different interests, education encompasses a fairly universal chapter in the lives of many.
From a very young age, I have had a passion for learning. I watched “The Magic School Bus” religiously, sped through all of the classroom books during silent reading and studied any insect I could find in my backyard. By the time I reached high school, I still couldn’t choose a favorite subject. I loved reading Jane Austen novels just as much as I enjoyed studying biology or American history. School has always felt like a rewarding environment where I was given the tools to expand my educational horizons however I imagined.
When asked why I chose to attend Northeastern, my immediate answer is the combined major program. As I approached the end of high school, the idea of interdisciplinary higher education was invigorating. I have spent the past four years studying both computer science and cognitive psychology, and there is nothing more fulfilling than working within the direct overlap of two of my deepest educational interests. Even during the grueling late nights spent debugging code, I savored both my passion for my studies and my partial sleep deprivation.
Being a student has always felt innate to my identity, but now, my formal education journey has ended. Less than a week after writing this, I attended my final day of college classes, which could not be more terrifying. I have a job in a terrific work environment and a summer full of friends and beautiful weather to look forward to, but I can’t shake the nagging feeling that I might be losing a quintessential part of who I am.
Whether I am ready for it or not, a new chapter is starting. Conclusions are inevitable and often outside of our control. However, what I can control is how I choose to frame what this conclusion means for me. It’s easy to succumb to a spiral of existential panic about any major life change, but I am finding comfort in knowing that I will still be me at the end of it all. In other words, while I must navigate the unfamiliar reality of not being a student, the amazing educational experiences that I am grateful to have had will not be ripped away from me.
It can be scary to know that the only true constant in life is yourself, but it can also be beautiful. I may not be diving headfirst into this upcoming chapter the way I have with past transitions, but I do know that I have survived every change that came before this one. Resilience is in the evidence. Most people don’t give themselves enough credit for their ability to adapt. Change is a universal human experience, even if it feels novel and isolating in the moment. The truth is, everyone has endured change, and we all will have to encounter those moments again.
For every part of this experience that feels like a loss, I am also slowly realizing that there is so much more to gain. My education may no longer be structured, but my learning is far from over. At the end of the day, I will always have a thirst for knowledge. New books, hobbies and adventures are limitless and will undoubtedly broaden my horizons. The path of this new journey may not be clear right now, but that doesn’t mean it will never appear. For now, cheers to the beautiful uncertainty of a new chapter!