Going to UCLA was always a dream I never knew I had. I always knew I wanted to go away to college, but I never pictured myself in a place as great as this one. Because I am a transfer student, all of my experiences felt fleeting. And as senior year approached, I began to feel nostalgic about my time spent here. I spent my last quarters at UCLA trying to embrace and enjoy every moment so that I could truly appreciate each experience. In doing so, I came to many realizations. Here are 5 things I learned during my senior year of college:
- Time Flies
-
As a transfer student, my time here at UCLA has come and gone with the blink of an eye. Being in school has always made time go by faster, but senior year really went by in a flash. Thinking back on my major senioritis in high school made me want to try to make time slow down during college. But, it still feels like I first visited campus just yesterday.
- You Don’t Have To Have It All Figured Out Yet
-
“What are you going to do after graduation?” and “What job do you have lined up?” are two phrases that are too often asked of graduating students. Not everyone knows what their life is going to look like now that they have a degree, and graduating college while still being unsure of where you’re headed is okay. Not everyone has it all figured out, and trust me, you’re not the only one who is still wondering what their life after college looks like.
- I Am So Much More Than My GPA
-
When I first started UCLA, I was so worried about my GPA and keeping my grades up that I didn’t really have anything else going on in my life. It was actually when I began to let that mindset go a little that I found more ease in my classes. Putting that extra weight on myself actually made me more stressed. Once I relieved myself of that extra expectation, I realized that it’s okay to get a B (or sometimes an occasional C) in a class as long as you are maintaining your mental health. You’re GPA is just a number, and it doesn’t define you.
- Enjoy The Little Moments
-
One day during fall quarter, I looked around at our school, took in a deep breath and just felt for a moment what it’s like to be in such a beautiful and extraordinary place. You don’t always get to have those moments and being a senior means that there isn’t much more time to have them.
- I Am Proud Of What I Have Accomplished Here
-
The thought of graduating college may be scary and overwhelming at times. But thinking back on it, I have grown in so many ways, and I really did have some important moments at UCLA. I am proud of what I have accomplished here no matter what happens. This part of my life is fundamental to who I am, and I’ll always carry that with me.
I will continue to look back on these lessons to remind myself of what I got to experience at UCLA. It’s because of this extraordinary school that I will be able to thrive in the real world, and senior year was instrumental to that realization.