By: Alyssa Tippens
To say, “time flies in college,” is a colossal understatement. One moment, it’s your first day of college. You’re strolling across campus with a pit of nervousness and anticipation in your stomach, praying you manage to find your classes in what feels like a jungle of longboards and Vera Bradly backpacks. Everything is new-- scary, in a way, but liberating. The next moment, it seems, you’re slapped with a jarring realization that not only are you a second-semester senior, on the brink of being ripped away from the place that has become your home, but it’s time to start looking for real-life jobs. Goodbye, perfectly curated list of take-out establishments. So-long, friends and mentors who have guided you along the way. You’ve always known that this day would come, but never dreamed it would arrive so soon.
Personally, I thought I would feel far more prepared than I do. The biggest challenge, for me, has been accepting that I am indeed ready to enter the “real world.” It seems I’m not alone, as I’ve yet to meet a fellow senior who has zero qualms about life after college. So, if you can relate to these feelings, I hope my perspective will provide some comfort amidst this time of anguish and great anticipation.
You’ve learned a lot more than you realize. These past four or five years have equipped you with a strong foundation of necessary skills knowledge. You’ve made it this far, so you have undoubtedly learned perseverance and determination. You’ve dealt with challenging group project members, reasoned with more than the occasional ornery professor and survived your fair share of eccentric roommates. Your resume is perfected, the applications have been sent and the imperative LinkedIn connections have been made. So, have some faith, and accept that you’re ready for your post-grad journey.
To those lucky enough to call yourselves underclassmen, please make the most of your experience at Central. Work hard, but take time to embrace this time in your life. In the blink of an eye, you’ll move moving your tassel from right to left