It has been a long and grueling four years of Undergrad here at SUNY Oswego. There’s been a mixture of great memories and awful times, but, in the end, it was all worth it. A lot of work has gone into my degree and it’s something that I am rather proud of myself for doing. I figured I would share what the past four years have been like for me.
My First Year as a SUNY Oswego Student
Going into Freshman year, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do in the future. My original plans were to be an art teacher… although that changed rather quickly. I didn’t want to turn my passion for art into a job that I felt I was required to do. I was afraid I would end up hating it somehow. So, I decided to come in as an undecided major with a creative writing minor, just to give me something to do. I’ve always loved writing, so it seemed like the best option. I wanted to get my Gen-Ed classes over with so I could work on figuring out my future plans. With this being the first time away from my mom, it was a real challenge that I had to work through. Although, I was fortunate enough to have my sister-in-law who worked at Oswego if I ever needed help or even to just hang out.
This was the semester I joined Her Campus. It was so inviting to be hanging out with such strong intelligent women and getting to know them better. Joining Her Campus made me feel like I belonged and gave me something to look forward to every week.
Jump Ahead to Sophomore Year
Sophomore year was probably my best year at Oswego. I finally figured out the major I wanted to do, Biology, and was able to start taking classes I really cared about. With Biology being such a broad range of future endeavors, I knew it was setting me up well for the rest of my life. The only thing I knew for sure, was that I wanted to work with animals, and Biology felt like the first step to that.
This was the year that I also met my best friend. We roomed together and it was the best decision I ever made. There were so many laughs and great memories made in Seneca Hall, 4th floor lounge. Although this was the hardest year for me grade-wise, the memories we made made it all worth it.
This year in Her Campus was such an important part of shaping my college experience. This was the year we all got so close and became lifelong friends. We were able to attend College Fashion Week in the Fall, and then I became Co-Campus Correspondent in the Spring. It really felt like a little family and I will forever be grateful for the girls I met and the impact they’ve had on my life.
Junior Year
The first semester of junior year was a perfectly normal semester. Although my classes were getting progressively harder, I was starting to enjoy them more. I was taking classes focused on animals and, even though it was only invertebrates, I was really interested in the subject and was able to learn so much from it. I was also able to dive further into my Creative Writing Minor with Fiction Writing. Although I’m not the best at fiction writing, this class was genuinely great and I met a lot of amazing people through it.
The second semester is when things started to change. Although it started out as a perfectly normal one, word started to spread about COVID and how it was making its way to the United States. The school sent us home and moved us to completely virtual learning. I looked at this as a blessing to start with… Not having to go to class? Incredible! But I quickly learned that virtual learning is so difficult for me. I have concentration problems already, so being in my bedroom surrounded by distractions made doing my work and listening to classes impossible.
It also really took a toll on Her Campus. Although we are a virtual organization, we really thrived off of the face-to-face meetings and events we were holding. The transition to solely online was really hard for us and it made things very challenging. Holding events online just wasn’t the same. But, we got through it and we persisted.
My final year
The past two semesters have been life changing for me. Moving into the village changed my perspective on so many things. I was able to have the independence I had been craving for so long. I could cook for myself, clean, and decorate my house all on my own. It was such a freeing thing to start being responsible for my life. Although our classes were still virtual, I was finally able to figure out what worked best for me and was able to thrive in my classes. This was also the year I met so many people who I now consider my best friends. Although it sucks that it took this long to find them, I’m so grateful that I did.
My classes were the hardest they’ve ever been, especially with my senior capstone. I somehow managed to pull through with pretty decent grades. Mentally, however, this year was very taxing on me. It was incredibly challenging every single day. Having to work for thirteen weeks straight with no breaks in the spring semester was not ideal at all. It was grueling and took so much energy to just drag myself through. In the end, I did it though, and that’s what counts.
The last four years of my life have been so hard, but incredibly rewarding. I wouldn’t change a single thing about the events of my college career, because then I wouldn’t have met the amazing people I have in my life today. Every single person that I consider a friend is a genuinely good person and I couldn’t be more grateful for the memories we’ve shared. I’ve learned so many things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I’m so thankful for the last four years, even through all the hardships. Although I’m sad to see it all go, I’m glad it was able to happen at all.
Thank you to my Her Campus girls for teaching me so much about myself and helping me make the last four years worth it. I couldn’t have gotten through it without you guys. I am so proud of every single person that has been with us, past and present, and the amount of articles we have done over the years. You continue to make this all worth it. I love you guys lots and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for you. <3
Now, into the real world I go.