With the end of the semester swiftly approaching, and commencement day in sight, questions of will I miss this place and what will I do after UB have lately been the topic of my conversations.
A quick no and I'll manage without this place, is usually my response.
And it's true. I will not miss hour-long lectures with boring professors, cafeteria food, and living in cramped quarters provided by University Residence Halls & Apartments.
But one thing I can honestly say that I will miss is the experiences and life lessons learned along the journey.
One of my most valuable lessons learned is the importance of taking it easy.
My approach to college when I first began was that of an Olympic sprinter. I was sure that when the gun sound I was going to go as fast as I could in order to get my degree.
I took the maximum amount of credits allowed and registered for night classes, anything I could do to finish timely.
But it wasn't until I became burned out and extremely sick, that I realized my approach was all wrong.
College is in no way a race; it is more of a marathon.
Races are about speed and how fast can you get to the finish line, while marathons are about pacing yourself and enduring to the end.
As students, it is sometimes important to slow down our busy lives in order to fully enjoy the process of becoming a college grad.
Take a Gatorade break once and a while.
By pacing myself and reducing my workload, I have been able to do new and exciting things such as join clubs, travel and form friendships that will last far beyond my time here at UB.
Maybe the biggest benefit of slowing down, for me, was that it helped me figure out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, which is journalism.
Those close to me know that I love helping others and love to make people smile. Journalism has allowed me to do both by spreading valuable information to readers, and also by entertaining them through columns and features.
But had it not been for me sitting down with advisers who led me to The Spectrum, I might have overlooked news writing as a possible career.
Think about Aesop's fable "The Tortoise and the Hare." The hare in no form or fashion should have lost the race versus the tortoise; but the slow little turtle determined that he was going to finish the race, and he eventually won it.
I know. Out of all the other examples I could have used to back me up, I chose the cheesiest one ever, but it works.
For those who are not graduating this May, don't rush the process of earning your degree. Instead, enjoy.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
