When I started at Binghamton University three years ago, I was somewhat disappointed. I went to Vestal High School and was hoping I’d end up somewhere more — how do I put this — glamorous. I wasn’t too thrilled about staying in the 607, so that, coupled with my social ineptitude, made me nervous about starting college.
Yet, BU ended up being so much more than I imagined. I had fantastic academic experiences, made lovely friends and got a little too familiar with Tom and Marty’s. I do wonder if my college experience would have been different if I had gone to a completely new place, leaving behind the safety blanket of family and high school friends. But despite that, I am happy I chose BU, and wouldn’t have it any other way.
I wish I could write the rest of this column on my friends and State Street and end on a purely happy note. I would love to write about how I grew as a person, got involved on-campus and made unforgettable memories. Not to say that I did none of those things, but when I look back on my time at BU I feel not so much sadness, but a tinge of regret.
I regret the friendships I let wither, I regret dedicating myself to people that I shouldn’t have and I regret being too flippant or uncomfortable to get involved in some aspects of campus. When I was a freshman I thought college was a chance to start over, meet new people and mold myself into the person I always wanted to be. Now, I’m not sure if you can ever really “start over,” but accepting that has been a valuable lesson for me.
Every experience helps you grow and I’m sure I’ve grown during my time at BU. I’ve become more comfortable with myself, more willing to let things go and less worried about what others think of me. Perhaps that’s just growing up, but I do think BU has cultivated who I am, for better or worse. I don’t know if I achieved everything I set out to when I started BU as a freshman, but I certainly had immeasurable experiences.
As I move into the next chapter of my life, I am thankful for what BU has offered me. College is so unique, so for all of you guys with more of it left: don’t take it for granted, and seize these opportunities that you won’t ever have again.
Sitting here, writing this column, I wonder if freshman me would have expected senior me to be where she is. If I’m being honest, probably not. I ended up in a rather different place than I thought I would, but maybe that’s for the best.
To all my professors at BU that have helped me figure out my future and taught me so much about life and literature: I want to say thank you. I admire you all so much, and can only hope to be as knowledgeable and patient as you are.
To my high school friends: I appreciate all you have done for me as I have, somewhat awkwardly, grown up.
To my BU friends: thank you for making my time here fun and exploratory.
To my friends that I’ve grown apart from: I apologize, and hope that you know I tried my best to make things work.
To my family: thank you for supporting me in a multitude of ways and always being there when nobody else could.
To Pipe Dream: thank you for giving me an outlet for writing that didn’t need to be in MLA format.
And to BU: thank you for giving me the academic experience I needed, but didn’t know I wanted.