When I started my first day of freshman year at UCF, I was a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed freshman who could not wait to graduate. Still living at home in the same city, I graduated from high school seemed so boring. While others were gaining the infamous “college experience,” it felt like I was still stuck in one place. I was so motivated to rush through school and GET OUT. I took four classes every summer, switched to downtown UCF so that I wasn’t wasting time commuting, and took classes online to get school over with.
Now I don’t necessarily regret any of these decisions. Taking four summer classes helped me graduate earlier, in three years this April, saving an extra year of tuition and textbook fees. Without the downtown campus, I wouldn’t have the friends, communities, and opportunities I hold very dear to my heart today. Finally, taking most of my classes online allowed me to focus on career opportunities that I otherwise wouldn’t have had time to focus on.
Attending UCF has provided me with opportunities of a lifetime, and I’m extremely thankful for these experiences. However, I regret not enjoying it more. I was so desperate to rush everything and do things as fast as possible that I never thought about what I actually wanted out of college. Now that I’m closer to my graduating semester, it’s very normal for people to ask what I want to do after school — what careers and jobs I’m looking at. When I’m asked that, I just draw a blank.
What am I looking forward to? In my head, nothing, honestly. The future after graduation seems so overwhelming that I don’t even want to think about it. Do I go to grad school? Do I get a job? How am I going to move out? When can I move out?
Not only that, I think I’m going to miss college. I’m going to miss the communities that I’ve made, the teachers who have given me advice, and the opportunities I could explore. Going to school allows you to have a cushion in life that the “real world” doesn’t have. Here, you’re allowed to make mistakes, you’re allowed to have fun, and you’re allowed to not know things. Whereas, in my opinion, once you graduate, you’re on your own.
Some advice I have for upcoming freshmen and sophomores is not to take college for granted. Not only should you enjoy it, but you should also think about what it means for you. Are you just getting a degree to get a degree? Or do you hope to get something out of that degree? When you graduate, are you going to be happy with where you are?
For most people, attending college is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Savor the time that you are here and use that time wisely to not only think about what the future holds, but also who you are as a person. Understanding yourself is the first step; the rest will come naturally.