This has been a long time coming. As I’m writing this, I can feel the finality in my words. I’m at the home stretch now. I’m going to be graduating from Oswego in less than a week.
I’ve dedicated four years of my life to SUNY Oswego and I couldn’t have been happier with my decision. This was a crucial transitional period for me as a person academically, professionally, and socially. Initially, I thought of Oswego as a college that is far away enough from home and within New York State borders. I wanted to get a taste of a world outside of my hometown bubble. Never did I realize it would become my second home and, at times, my preferred home.
Oswego has helped me find new sides of me I never thought of exploring, or better yet, underestimated myself on.
I’m an activist – I’ve stood up for gender equality, voting rights, and sustainability issues.
I’m bisexual – ha, that’s weird to say in written form. But I’m growing with it.
I’m an actual disaster – stress makes you do weird things you never thought you would see yourself doing.
I’m a leader – I really thought of myself as a follower or something more passive but now I know what I’m capable of doing.
That I can be forgiven and accepted. That was a big one for me.
Oswego has seen me fall in love and become emotionally devastated in an instant. It’s made me equally strong and weak while showing me it’s okay to be both.
I’m an emotional person; don’t let my deadpan humor and sarcastic tone fool you. This is my biggest moment and I’m living in it. I couldn’t be happier for my success and all those who cheered for me since the beginning. So before I end this, I want to thank the ones who got me here in the first place.
This one is for my day ones – the Johnson babies who claimed the fourth floor as our own and let no one else in. We don’t refer to ourselves as Johnson babies but ya know, some things just stick. The ones I never seem to live without and can always come back to. The ones that helped me see a side of myself that I’ve been suppressing for years, as well as making me realize all the successes I’ve had. Thank you for making me feel complete, y’all are the real ones.
This is one for the hometown fam – we all went to different schools and went on to achieve our individual success but that never stopped our connection. We’re as dysfunctional as they come and just as reckless. I remember high school in all of us – the good, the bad, and the ugly. I can see we’ve all moved passed our Valley Days and matured to become better people (AND THANK GOD). Y’all keep me grounded. Here’s to more times post-college and to keep each other in our lives. Thanks for being my chosen family.
This one is for my HCOZ girls – I’ve been with this organization for over two and a half years and couldn’t picture my college career without Her Campus. I was able to go back on my escape outlet and thrive in it. I believed in my writing again. I got my girl gang that will never stop encouraging me to be my best and vice versa. I got a support system that will live on for years (I better be all of your bridesmaids!!!!).
This one is for my mom – not only is she one who brought me into this world (and has the power to take me out – her words) but she also gave me the confidence to pursue anything I wanted to. She never stopped believing in me even when I thought I couldn’t for myself. Thanks for instilling dreams into me. I’ll never stop having them. I’ll never stop progressing.
God, being sentimental is annoying, but it’s these moments where you truly appreciate all that’s around you with great intensity. My tears are for happiness and never for pain. Our time is never truly up. This is not the end, but the start of a new chapter. Peace out, Oswego. You’ve always been so good to me.
Except for the weather. You gave me new anxiety about rain, snow, and winds.