Hi! I wrote the following article for a new online newspaper, of which the name escapes me! I'll post it when I remember/find out! Enjoy!
GRADUATION
Cap- check. Gown-check. Ropes-check. In a few short months thousands of college seniors across the nation will participate in the age-old tradition of graduation. What does it all mean? To me it means leaving the safety and comfort of Immaculata University (IU), my home for the past four years. It means putting all my hard work into practice. It means ending one chapter of my life, and beginning another.
Four years ago graduation was nothing but a small light on my horizon. Now that the light is shining brighter, my thoughts have turned in another direction: concern about the unknown. Yes, there is the possibility of securing a job. Yes, there is an acceptance to graduate school. But, the fear comes from knowing that each of those things is short-term. What if the job falls through? What if graduate school isn’t for me? Thoughts like this have been frequenting my mind lately, and all I can do is pray that Immaculata has prepared me for possibly the biggest transition of my young life.
As a soon-to-be college graduate, I realize my thoughts should be with healthcare, the current financial crisis or even the job market. Surprisingly, they are not. My biggest concerns are on more intimate level. Do I move back home or stay in Pennsylvania? Is graduate school what I want to pursue following college? Am I accepting a job offer that matches my values? What do I really want to pursue for the next few years in my life? As I embark in my final semester of college, I am focusing on myself, rather than the larger society.
At Immaculata, my experience has been nothing short of fantastic. I have done things I never thought I would, and I have achieved honors and recognition that I presumed unreachable. The support of the IU community is wonderful. My peers have become my family and my teachers my mentors. While Immaculata has prepared me well, through challenging courses and teachers who push students to do their best, I am still concerned. Did I take all the right classes? Have I utilized all the resources available to me?
Well, I would say yes. I took eighteen credits for most of my time at Immaculata. I will be taking twelve credits in the spring, and can focus a majority of my time and energy on my internship, finding a job, applying to graduate school and enjoying my senior year.
I was also able to develop myself outside of the academic arena. I played sports, got involved in student government, went to New Orleans to help rebuild, and wrote for the newspaper. Each experience led to my development, not only a leader, but as an individual. It was at Immaculata that I truly found myself, and molded myself into the young women I only imagined to become. I can only hope that I will be able to exhibit all that I have learned to a future employer.
Despite all of the concerns that have been frequenting my brain for the last four months, I believe that I have been fully prepared by Immaculata to enter the workforce, or at least pursue some form of higher education. My father gave me great advice, and this is what I would like to share with graduating high school seniors: the only thing that matters is that you are able to look in the mirror at the end of the day and be happy with your decisions and actions. Along with that, make positive decisions, find your passion and don’t be afraid to try something new.
