Never
say ‘eventually,’ eventually
you will plain miss out
Jennifer Frehn
Leaving college is very different from leaving high school. In high school, many
people have a set course ahead: college. You are sad to leave friends, but know
what awaits you in college will not even compare to what you experienced in high
school in terms of education, friendship, love, hate and possibly all other emotions
and experiences. You have had enough as a teenager and are anxious and ready
to see what waits around the corner.
In college, leaving is different. Though it has been only four years (or more
if you’re on the 10-year plan), it feels like much more.
You have taken at least double the amount of classes as in high school. You have
probably had many more all-nighters, either for schoolwork, partying or those
invaluable philosophical discussions with friends. You have lived on your own,
or at the very least, experienced more freedom than you did as a highschooler.
Unless you are going to graduate school or have already secured a job, what lies
ahead is uncertain. At this time in your life you are free to travel to another
country, join the Peace Corps, take a cross-country road trip, move back in with
your parents until they force you to find a job or any other number of alternatives.
This freedom both scares and excites me. And, I must admit, I am 100 times sadder
to leave this university than I ever was when I left high school. The bonds I
made with friends here have been deeper and I hope they will last longer than
some of the bonds from high school lasted.
Working at Dig and the Daily Forty-Niner have been interesting experiences to
say the least. In the “real world,” I can only hope to encounter
the same level of commitment to hard work, the same sense of humor and the same
talent I have had the pleasure of experiencing with the people at these publications.
On that same note, thank you to all the teachers who went the extra mile to put
students first. You are the reason we are successful. You help inspire us when
we are discouraged. A million times, thank you.
I believe there are, however, a few things I and the other graduating seniors
will not miss. I won’t miss the people at Brotman Hall who, even during
your very last days on campus, insist on putting as much red tape as possible
in front of you. I won’t miss those students who feel it is their duty
to take the discussion so far off topic that you wonder why you bother going
to class. Lastly, I for sure will not miss the fact that Parking Services is
looming around every nook and cranny of this campus.
That said, if I could offer one piece of advice to any underclassmen, it is to
not wait to conquer your goals. The word “eventually” has no place
in college (unless, of course, it applies to doing homework).
Do not say you will eventually study abroad: Make plans now. Do not say you will
eventually get involved on campus: Get involved now. Do not say you will eventually
get to know those people: Talk to them today.
College will pass faster than you can imagine, and it is these opportunities
you will miss once they are gone.
And if you haven’t heard it by now: have some school pride, Beach Pride.
According to U.S. News & World Report, this is the third best “bang
for your buck” public university in the West.
Go Beach or go home!
Jennifer Frehn is a graduating senior journalism major, the managing editor
of Dig magazine and a copy editor for the Daily Forty-Niner.
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