Meghan Harmening | Staff Writer

To all of the underclassmen out there, pay attention. These four years will fly by in the blink of an eye, and soon you’ll be walking back through the arch ready to receive your diploma.

I specifically remember coming back from my J-term trip sophomore year and thinking, “Wow, in just a semester I’ll be half done with my college career.” And now in a matter of two weeks I’ll actually be finished. It doesn’t seem real sometimes, but I can still remember events that happened during my freshmen and sophomore years – events that shaped who I am today.

College is a place where we have the opportunity to find ourselves. Some of us go through bad relationships, or change our major eight times, some travel abroad, or become president of a club on campus. No matter what it is, positive or negative, our experiences shape who we are, who we will become on the other side of that arch. It’s this concept of the “butterfly effect” that leads my life of living with no regrets. We all make mistakes, but simply need to recognize that is a part of our internal growth.

Every choice we make, it goes with us. That’s not to scare you, no, but encourage you to learn from all the choices you make. Set goals for yourself, and stick to them. Make memories with your friends, and look back on them. Don’t hold grudges, because you’ll just regret them. Set your sights high, because with passion comes a lifetime of opportunities. Rarely will the door open for you, but simply be ready when you see a door. Walk through it and make something for yourself. You control your life, and no one else. Build opportunities for yourself and then take them.

This university is unlike any other. Rarely will you find a campus where professors truly care about you, so many are friendly, and opportunities are endless. I will truly miss this place after I leave. I’ll miss living less than a five minute walk away from any of my friends. I’ll miss going into professors’ offices to chat. I’ll miss playing lawn golf on a sunny day. I’ll miss having conversations until 2 in the morning with my best friends. I’ll miss eating lunch with my crew every day. I’ll miss being a part of this great community.

But I also know that once I leave, I become an alumni, an advocate, a partner, for this university. And that part excites me. I can share my experience with others, and so can you. We will always be a family no matter where we go in life or what we do. So here’s to the freshmen, the seniors, and everyone in between. Go out and do great things, make memories, and be the best a Beaver can be.

Photo by Stephanie Steiner