The Best Years of Our Lives

Time passes by and in the blink of an eye, something you’re so used to is over.

These past five years at Green Bay have really helped to shape me into the person that I want to be, but it is time that I spread my wings (get it… Phoenix…) and move on. But not before reflecting on the things that these past ~almost ~ five years have taught me.

There was always a lot of doubt about what I was doing and where I would end up come commencement time. For the first half of my collegiate journey I was struggling with balancing the things that were going on in my personal/familial life and the things that I was at college for. This caused me to put academics on the backburner because I was taught that family comes first. This leads me to the first lesson: I learned to begin to put myself first. I started focusing on the things that I set out to accomplish in my years at Green Bay and ultimately figured out what I want for my degree path. It may have taken me four years, but I know now.

Going back to the last point: family. Family has been something that I have had to hit the brakes on at times because things are too overwhelming to deal with at the time that they happen. This doesn’t mean that I don’t value family and all that they are… this means that I am learning to create a good relationship with those involved. I talk to my brother, my mom, and the rest of the family when I have time. I take breathers when I need to - mostly when dealing with things during the academic year. I learned that yes, family is so important, but so am I.

Friends are one of the most important things that are going to get you through the hard parts of college. Sometimes, especially as a first generation student, it can be hard to go to your family about the things that I am struggling with when it comes to college. I know that they can try to understand, but it helps when you are currently going through the situation yourself. Friends have become such a pivotal part of my collegiate journey. Not just because they understand the frustrations, but because they are there to celebrate the good with me as well. I am so lucky to have friends that turned into family in such a short amount of time here.

I sell myself short on far too much. In the time that I have been here I have done some pretty amazing things. I was (am?) a founding member of a sorority that advocates for domestic violence victims - something that I hold close to my heart. I have been on the executive board of nearly all the orgs that I have been part of minus two. I have begun a mission to recognize first generation students at commencement, and I am planning to graduate a semester earlier than projected. I got the job that I have wanted since I first stepped foot on campus as a student, I have been able to work with some amazing people on some even better projects, and I started to take my mental health far more seriously. I often find myself hiding in the shadows of those that I surround myself with because I feel like my accomplishments do not measure up by any means. They do, and I need to see that more. I’m working on it… I swear.

Through all the rough patches, all the trials, all the bad, I have come out with some amazing experiences, crazy stories, stellar roommates (except the one.. If you know you know), and even better memories.

Time passes by and in the blink of an eye, something you are so used to is over. These are supposed to be the best years of our lives and I am ready to make this last year one that is more than memorable.