WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.– The season of graduation is upon us once again. With the range of emotions that this time brings, some may be happy and some may be upset. However, I will remain thankful.
I am thankful for everything Monmouth University has given to me not only as a student, but as a person. My journey through this school has been challenging, but it has influenced me in ways I never thought possible. As I prepare to don that navy cap and gown, I’d like to review just some of the most important lessons that Monmouth has taught me.
First of all, Monmouth taught me about who I am. Any student knows that the transformation between high school and college is tough. You meet new people and adapt to a completely different environment. You are forced to step out of your comfort zone. After switching majors twice, falling behind in my curriculum, and losing the friends I thought I would always keep, I learned new things about myself. I took the good with the bad and found a middle ground between them. I became more independent, found my passion, and and built confidence in what I wanted to do professionally.
This school has also taught me about time management. Being a college student definitely tests your skills in this regard. I have always ignored people when they gave me the advice to start assignments early, but it is the best advice I could have gotten. It continues to be something I struggle with sometimes, but I now know how important it is to take at least an hour a day to do homework, regardless of whether it is reading, writing one page of a paper, or studying a handful of note cards.
Third, Monmouth taught me that nothing is permanent. I realized that my major, friends, bad days–you name it, none of it is forever. It is pointless to stress about things that are out of my control. That includes receiving a poor grade on an exam or arguing with roommates. These little mishaps of college are the basis of student stress, but I can tell you they are easier to overcome than you think.
Monmouth has also taught me about networking. Every professor I had throughout these past four year told me to keep a strong network–that building a professional network is the foundation of a career path. It is important to strike up conversations with everyone, because you never know what connections someone has. It’s led me to keep an updated resume and become active through LinkedIn. Luckily, we live in an era where technology has given me and the rest of the millennial generation a huge advantage when it comes to networking.
Finally, Monmouth taught me how to dream. From study abroad programs to helpful professors, our university offers endless opportunities for a student to take their college experience to its full potential. The one thing I love most is the endless support from peers, professors, and faculty when I wanted to achieve something. It is hard to find fear about the future when your school provides so much encouragement. I dreamed of a higher education, and was able to achieve it through Monmouth.
There are no set of words I could put together to truly thank Monmouth for what it has done for me. I hope every college student get to have a positive and successful college career. In the meantime, for those who are not graduating, I would encourage you not to waste any time or take any moment for granted. Take it from someone who knows: these years really do fly by.
https://youtu.be/agl6h5_pTOU
