My final semester is coming to a close here at USF and in between the final papers, assignments, and everything in between, I find myself reflecting on my college experience. I had a different college experience than most people I spoke to. I lived at home, commuted twice a week, I wasn’t active in any clubs (until Her Campus in my senior year), and took a semester and a half off. College was more of a background experience for me. It wasn’t something that I spent a lot of time thinking about; I went to class, then went home.
It felt so different from everything I saw other people doing—joining sororities, in clubs, going to parties. It was really hard to go through college, talk about college, without feeling like I ever truly had the college experience. I watched my friends go clubbing on Wednesday nights while I closed at work. It sucked to be honest, I could feel myself missing out on what are supposed to be the best years of my life.
The only thing that ever felt like the college experience everyone else experienced was my summer abroad. I did the 12 week summer in Florence program from USF and it was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. To clarify, this is not an ad or promotion for the program, but if you have the chance to do it, absolutely do. I got to experience everything I ever imagined I would have from four years of college in 12 weeks. I spent an obscene amount of money, drinking horrifying amounts of alcohol, but made the most amazing friends and had life-changing experiences. I couldn’t imagine spending my summer in any other way.
So to be honest, my college experience was not exciting. I wasn’t in a sorority, I didn’t go to darties every weekend, I’ve never even been in a frat house. But overall, I feel accomplished. I struggled with anxiety and depression, I didn’t make many friends, basically went between work, school, and home and that was it. But I did it. I graduated, I made it out alive, and I get to walk the stage and say I finished four grueling years. So to me, it’s something to be proud of.