Pieces of BGSU

With the official countdown until graduation written on each page of my planner, it’s safe to say that I may have come down with a severe case of senioritis, as I’m sure many of my colleagues could also attest to.

However, with those numbers dwindling, it is becoming all too real that my time here is quickly coming to an end.

The feelings associated with graduating are so difficult to put into words. Tt’s overwhelming, nerve-racking, exciting and bittersweet all at the same time.

While I am anxious to start a new career and chapter in my life, I will be extremely sad to leave the place I have called my home for the past five years.

Looking back on my time here, it truly has gone by quickly. The opportunities and experiences I have been given and the people I have met have each had an impact on me in a unique way.

Through study abroad, internships and student organizations, I feel BGSU really has prepared me for my professional life after graduation.

Some of my most unforgettable memories include late nights spent with friends in Kohl Hall during my freshman year and the countless all-nighters in the Interior Design Lab.

Until I walk across that stage in the Stroh on May 4th and don’t return for classes with all the other students in the fall, I truly don’t think it will sink in that my undergraduate college career at BGSU is finished.

As much excitement as there is associated with college graduation, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit how nervous I am.

For the past 19 years of my life, I’ve been attending school to prepare myself for a career and now, the time has come to put all of that knowledge to the test.

The idea of a job search is daunting. Add in the factor of paying student loans six months after graduation, it becomes even more intimidating. I know that everything will work itself out eventually, but the unknown is so scary. I sometimes wish I could just fast-forward.

I have so many individuals to thank for enabling me to grow both intellectually and personally. From family and friends to the faculty and campus community, each person I have met has had an impact on me in some way and has helped me to become a better person.

These are lessons and experiences that I will take with me into all of my future endeavors and will be an invaluable factor to my success after graduation.

I cannot imagine attending college anywhere else and would not trade my time here for anything! I truly owe my friendships and the relationships I have built to this university, and cannot wait to give back to the university and share my experiences with students in the future.
If I had to leave one piece of advice for underclassmen and future falcons of BGSU, it would be to enjoy every last minute of your time here. If an opportunity arises, seize it! Join a student organization that sparks your interest, even if your friends don’t go along with you … hop on that plane and study abroad … get to know your advisors and professors … go after your dream job.

The possibilities are truly endless! BG has so much to offer if you just put yourself out there and are willing to try new things — after all isn’t that what college is all about?