By Jenna Sands Forum editor
A few days ago, my mom admitted to me that when I was about to go to college she was worried I would not be able to stick it out because I was so shy in high school. But here I am, about to graduate, and I have accomplished so much more than I ever thought I would.
I never thought I would keep dancing after high school, and yet I just gave my final bow. I never thought I would study abroad, but I spent a whole semester in a different country. I never thought I would be a section editor for the newspaper, but here I am passing my position on to someone else.
If there’s anyone I can thank and say I am truly grateful for, it’s my family. No matter how many different friends and friend groups I went through, the one thing that never changed was the support from my parents and siblings.
My parents have been here every step of the way, from dropping me off on move-in day my first year to driving three and a half hours every year to watch me dance in the Susquehanna University Dance Corps showcase. As the youngest of four, I know that my parents will be there to take pictures of me in my cap and gown next to my siblings.
I know my sister will be proud of me as I join her in the journey of figuring out the real world.
My oldest brother is flying all the way from his home in Alaska just to see me receive my diploma.
My other brother has always been there for me and we have grown closer than I ever would have imagined years ago, which I am so grateful for.
Even though my family members range from about 180 miles away to about 4,000 miles away, I always know that no matter what happens here at school they will always be there for me.
While I may not have fit in with or kept some of the friends I have made here, I would still say that Susquehanna was a good fit for me. I sometimes think back to how I made the decision to come here.
I had my heart set on Elizabethtown, and did not think much of my tour here at Susquehanna. My parents made me do an overnight visit at Elizabethtown to make sure I really liked it before making my final decision, and I ended up hating it. I decided to do an overnight visit here to see if I liked it better, and it turned out I loved it.
That was how I knew Susquehanna would be the right school for me, and I still believe it is much better for me than Elizabethtown would have been.
Thinking back on my time here, the only thing I regret is not doing more. If I can leave anyone with advice for college, it is to do an overnight visit before choosing a school and to do as much as you can during the short four years that you have.
The editorials of The Quill reflect the views of individual members of the editorial board. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire editorial board or of the university. The content of the Forum page is the responsibility of the editor in chief and the Forum editor.
