This is a call to all Seniors. It can be challenging to start off your final semester on the right foot. Not only are you accomplishing your final classes, projects, and school activities but also behind the scenes, your working towards your professional career. That means that after you've finished studying, working on that paper, going to your job, whatever it may be, your also focusing on and pursuing: job leads, phone interviews, emails with future employers, editing your resumé, re-editing your resumé, writing cover letters (gross!), and in general, trying to not to stress yourself out behind belief. Honestly, there are plenty of moments when your sitting in a class wondering, "what is the point?".

I'm writing this because that's where I'm at right now. Even though I'm part of a program and degree that I love, this is still a hard place to live in. A person feels torn. Of course, we all are striving to live in the moment. However, that is very challenging when every night last week I talked to possible future-bosses who live on the opposite side of the country. It's not impossible but it is hard to focus on completing your education with excellence when you feel torn in two different directions, 100% of the time.

Maybe this struggle seems simple to some people. Maybe it seems like I'm complaining. Maybe I am. I'm in the middle of this struggle myself. All I know though is that I want to finish strong. Regardless of what happens in my professional career, I don't want to be the person who started slacking when the finish line was finally in sight.

From my perspective, the opportunity to be a Natural Horsemanship major at UMW is such a gift. Higher-education is a privilege that plenty of individuals never get to experience. I want to do justice to all my friends, family, and faculty who have invested in me throughout these four years. As seniors I think we need to remember how important it is to finish strong.

“No matter who you are or what you do, embrace the challenge to first start with the goal to finish strong.” – Andy Andrews

Don't give up on excellence!