How can you tell you had a successful college experience? Do you measure it by your GPA, your internships or your friendships? I think those are all important, but the most integral part of a successful college experience is being sad that it is over but happy that it happened.
I started my college experience a little miserable as I began marching in the sweltering summer heat with a sousaphone on my shoulder. Luckily, I persevered through my first marching band camp, and I have not looked back since.
Wanting to broaden my professional skills, I joined the Chi Mu chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional co-ed business fraternity. I did not know it at the time, but this experience would prepare me for my time with the Spectrum.
In my junior year, I realized I wanted to build my journalism and writing skills for a potential career as a sportswriter or reporter. As a result, I registered for news writing and reporting, which is one of the best decisions I made during college. Having learned how to conduct myself over email and in interviews made me feel prepared for my first interview. Through my articles, I was lucky to meet different faculty, administrators, and staff.
As my semester as a staff writer came to an end, I wanted to stay involved and help other writers, so I joined as an assistant news editor. Being able to help new writers grow and feel comfortable interviewing administrators wasrewarding, especially seeing their growth after each new article. I also wrote an editorial about the SHU Pep Band performing at a men’s basketball, women’s ice hockey, and men’s ice hockey game across three states in three days.
For my senior year, I wanted to continue with the news section, becoming one of the news editors. I was not only helping writers, but also the new assistant news editors. Accepting more responsibility was a great experience.
Outside of the Spectrum, I interned at Jomboy Media for the past eight months, learning invaluable lessons about content creation. I have balanced writers’ questions with my commute to New York City, helping to edit articles on the train.
Unfortunately, my time at Sacred Heart and the Spectrum is coming to an end, but I am happy to have been a part of it. I attended March Madness, the MAAC basketball tournament, started a podcast, and became a better leader during my time at SHU, which I will always cherish. Even if you have not fully figured it out, take your time, and experience college to its fullest extent, so you can be happy that it happened even when you are sad it is ending.
