My journey at The College of New Jersey has been a notable one. I've dealt with rigorous classes and busy semesters, and I've joined extracurricular clubs in a variety of fields. Professors and the Career Center have given me opportunities to grow professionally, and they've been invaluable in helping me with my career. I've met so many unique people at my college, and I've made a lot of great friends that care about me. My time at The College of New Jersey has been a fascinating one, but I've considered life after graduating from TCNJ.
I constantly think about entering the real world, after I leave TCNJ. College does have its fair share of responsibilities and struggles, I have a lot of freedom as well. I can sleep in and hang out with my friends as much as I want, and I have the ability to pursue my passions. I can mess around and have lots of flexibility in my schedule, but all of that will stop when I graduate. Finishing college is where adulthood truly starts, and I will have to incorporate far more responsibility and planning into my life. Leaving college comes with huge changes in my environment, and I have to consider what I will do after graduation.
Also, college goes by extremely quickly. My junior year of college is almost over, and I'm going to celebrate my 21st birthday in a couple of weeks. I'm going to be a senior next year, and I never thought that I would get this far. I'm happy with myself for accomplishing so much in my life, but I never thought that I'd get to where I am so soon. I'm shocked at how time has flown by in the process, and I'm bewildered with how my college years have gone by so quickly. I've realized that I have to make the most of my time at TCNJ before I graduate, and I should live in the moment as much as I can.
Finally, I have to think about the friends that I'm leaving behind. Even though I'm going to be a senior at TCNJ next year, several of my peers in different years than me. Some of my friends and acquaintances are freshmen or sophomores, and others are staying at TCNJ for longer than four years. My time at TCNJ will come to an end, and I won't be able to join the future adventures that my other college buddies will have. It saddens me to leave my friends behind, and I wonder what they'll do when I'm not there anymore.
Overall, graduating from college comes with a lot of mixed emotions. It means that a new chapter of my life is starting, but I will not have that spontaneity that I had in the past. College goes by at an extremely fast rate, and it's startling to think that I've done so much in such a short amount of time. I have to appreciate where I am while I can, and my graduation means that I'll have to be separated from some of my TCNJ friends. Leaving college can be a difficult moment in a person's life, but it can teach you a lot about the world.
