A Look Back on the Past Four Years of College

By Abby Kutscher on April 22, 2013

 

 

 

Well folks, in exactly two weeks from the writing of this article, I will be graduating with a degree in English from The Ohio State University. It’s been a crazy ride, to say the least. These past four years of college have included some of the best and worst times of my life. But would I trade any of it? (Well, maybe the bad times.)

I remember how scared and excited I was to be graduating high school four years ago. Those four years went by so fast and now the same feelings have resurfaced, with perhaps a bit more fear and anxiety. I started off my college career by moving 12 hours away from home to a big city where I knew no one. I had been accepted into New York University in Manhattan, the largest private university in the country. The day my parents helped me move into my dorm room in Greenwich Village, I cried. I was so scared to be all alone in a big city! However, after a few weeks, I became best friends with my roommate and another girl on my floor, and we spent the next six months having crazy adventures and exploring together all that the city and the university had to offer. I didn’t think I could ever be happier.

Then, I had to leave. Second semester rolled around and I couldn’t afford to pay the bill. After a tearful goodbye, I loaded up the car and headed back to Ohio. A month later, I was enrolled for spring quarter at The Ohio State University in Columbus. I immediately fell in love with the campus, but unfortunately had to explore it by myself; making friends so late in the school year turned out to be pretty hard. I missed New York and my friends there like crazy and consequently hated Ohio State. It was a tough ten weeks.

My second year at Ohio State wasn’t much better. Socially, I was still alone. After returning from winter break, I got stuck with a nightmare of a roommate. We had nothing in common and fought a lot; often the fights ended with me in tears. But academically, I was having a great experience. I was excelling beautifully, making the Dean’s List, scoring a 4.0 GPA, and enjoying my classes immensely.

But it was last year, my junior year of college, that things really improved. I roomed with a wonderful girl who quickly became one of my best friends. I got involved with two organizations on campus and made more friends that way. And I got an on-campus job where I got to meet new people, too. Classes were still going smoothly and I wasn’t so lonely anymore. Plus, I finally felt like I was a part of the OSU community!

I wish it hadn’t taken me so long to fall in love with my university and to feel like a part of the larger community because now I feel that it is all over too quickly. There are some aspects of college that I feel I’ve missed out on and some opportunities I wish I would have taken advantage of, but overall, my experience has been wonderful. I’ve tasted freedom, lived on my own, and made my own money. I’ve made friends and memories that will last me a lifetime. I’ve had wonderful instructors, learned a lot, and had classes that I very much enjoyed. I don’t know where I will be in another four years, but I know that because of my experiences as a college student at The Ohio State University, I will be able to handle anything life throws my way. I’m sad to be leaving, but excited to be starting the next chapter of my life. Congratulations to the Class of 2013! We made it!

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