Here I am, a college senior at SUNY Oswego and a mere seven months from graduating and moving on to something else. Some people might want to spend their last year living it up, partying while they can and taking those 100-level courses just to get the credits they need to graduate. I admit that’s what sounded good to me when school work started getting more difficult as a sophomore.
But that is not what my final year is like however. I figured out very soon after my sophomore year that college is not just the pain of work, no sleep, and spending thousands of dollars. College is a gift. And it’s a gift that comes and goes all too quickly. So I decided I was not going to take those 100-level courses and sleep in all day. I’ve come to realize that those that do nothing in college get nothing out of it. Those that take advantage of the opportunities that college provides at least have a fighting chance in the real world.
I keep myself busy. Mondays I’m in class 10:20-12:25, then go to my internship at the Oswego Alumni Office from 1-4:30, followed by a three-hour American History Seminar from 5:30-8:15, then meetings with the campus media organizations from 8:30-10:30. Tuesdays I have one class, attend the Student Association meeting at 6 to write a weekly column on it, and go to History Club, of which I am the secretary of, from 8:30-9:30. Wednesdays I have class and my internship again and then edit the news articles and start designing the news section of The Oswegonian. I’m usually in that office until 2 or 3 in the morning. Sometimes later. Thursdays, I’m in The Oswegonian office from about 10 a.m. until 9 or 10 p.m., minus my one class. Fridays I have two classes and a meeting at 3. So let’s just say I enjoy my weekends.
On top of that, I write one, two, or sometimes three news article a weeks for The Oswegonian and Alumni Office, opinion editorials, and when I can, write something for this blog. Oh, and of course homework. Can’t forget the homework for three 400-level courses.
Some people will ask why I kill myself with all this work. At times it is stressful and I don’t get to sit down and relax very often, but whenever I think about how tiring it is, I remember that I love it.
Keeping busy keeps me from being bored. I’ve learned that you don’t learn anything by standing still, nor do you get where you want to go.
I can’t even describe the amount I have learned from my time at SUNY Oswego by being active. And all that I have right now comes from all that I’ve done and who I’ve known. The classes, the professors, the newspaper, the clubs, the friends, colleagues, this very blog, have all in some sort, given me something to help propel myself into my future.
And I want to do more. A lot of the enormous opportunities and resources offered in college disappear when you walk down that aisle in that graduation gown. And I want to take advantage of all those that I can in my remaining time here.
I’ve got seven months left. That’s seven months left to paint my image that will stick for the rest of my life. When I walk down that aisle myself, I want to be assured I did all that I could and that I did it the best I could.
I’ve come to find out that in college, the more you give, the more you take away.
That’s how you want to do it! If my experience in your shoes was any indication, college really is all about what you put into it. My only advice would be to loosen up your schedule for your last semester so you can focus on perfecting your resume and applying for jobs. Trust me, you will need extra time for that. It’s like a job in itself.