I am writing this, my final Her Campus UFL article, with 11 days until graduation and only a few more until my last assignment is due. Soon, I will be a University of Florida alumni.
A natural thought of many in my shoes, I can’t help but ask: Where has the time gone?
It seems like yesterday I peered out of my hometown bedroom to see all my supplies stacked up in a corner, ready to be packed into the car and taken to my first apartment in Gainesville. And it feels like just the other day I placed a Gator sticker on my cheek and slid on a bright orange shirt to walk into the stadium for the first time as a student on game day. The days of joyous dates with friends, laughing about both the highlights and complexities of life, have flown by all too fast.
However, there are some memories that make me remember just how long of a journey college has actually been.
I can remember battling through the height of sophomore midterm season impatiently waiting for the next time I could return home, questioning my major and interests each second of every day. The uneasy feeling of shifting from one growing pain to another is something I remember all too well.
Like many people, I’m sure, I look back on my years in college and can recall both the sour and sweet memories. Throughout moments of both joy and pain in my life, I’ve always turned to writing to express what I’m feeling.
During my confusing and stressful sophomore year in 2019, I joined Her Campus UFL, eager to share my thoughts, get creative and write.
Throughout the years of writing for Her Campus UFL, I’ve written articles that reflect the stages of my life I was living through. When drafting up pitches every week, I often came up with ideas that displayed my present thoughts or what was going on in my life at the time. I’ve written articles about many topics, such as learning to live with roommates, contemplating your major, embracing change and even dealing with grief. Some of my favorite articles I’ve written come from a series I started called “Light of My Life,” in which I interviewed people on what brings them joy in life.
While I was writing these articles, I didn’t even realize I was documenting what was going on in my head and in my life. It’s nice to have these to look back on. As I move on to my next step in life, they’re ways for me to get a glimpse back into my head and thought process during that time. Looking back on my articles and experiences throughout college show me just how much I have grown. As my time as a student is coming to an end, I’m beginning to feel all the bittersweetness that comes with graduating.
I’ll dearly miss my strolls around the beautiful brick campus filled with greenery and my coffee runs to study and laugh with friends. I’ll fondly look back on my memories of roaming around Gainesville, finding new hangout spots, and the cheers of people piling into the Swamp on Saturdays. I’ll oddly miss rushing to catch the bus or late nights on campus, as in those moments, I remember feeling like a true college student. I would think to myself, “Wow, I can’t believe I’m here.” Now, those moments are quickly coming to an end.
Riding the wave of bittersweet emotions pulls at my heartstrings. It’s a melancholy feeling when you have to let go of certain things you’ve had for so long, but there’s always a sweet spot. It’s like the chocolate chunk waiting for you at the end of your ice cream cone; the snack is nearly gone, but there’s still something waiting for you at the end.
Graduating college leaves you to enter a new, exciting phase of life full of potential.
I’m ready for this new chapter. Of course, I’m nervous and fearful to venture into post-graduate life, but I’m more excited than worried. I can take what I’ve learned over the years, both academically and personally, and put that knowledge to use, learning more with each step of the way.
And just like that, I’m wrapping up my last article. I’ll soon take my final steps on campus as a student. As I enter the new year as a UF alumni, I hope to always carry with me the memories and lessons I’ve been granted through Her Campus UFL and UF. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in college, it’s that things don’t typically end up how you think they will. I hope life surprises me more. I welcome the journey rather than being fixated on a destination.
Thank you, Her Campus UFL and UF. I’ll miss you.