I still remember my family helping me move into Merton Hall freshman year, the excitement of being in college, getting ready to live on my own for the first time and meeting new people in a new state. I could not be happier to go to college.
It’s now three years later, and I’m halfway through my senior year.
Thinking about what I’m doing after graduation scares me so much because I did not know college was going to fly right by. I have made great memories and made friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime. I’ve been involved with a few things at SHU that I am proud to be a part of: being a member of the club soccer team, being on the executive board of my fraternity and the Interfraternity Council, and of course, being an assistant editor on the Spectrum.
Being on the club soccer team has been amazing. I’ve met great people and gone on road trips to schools I have never been to, as well as gone to the club soccer regional tournament in Philadelphia, PA. All amazing experiences. I can still remember being a freshman going to my first practice with the team, trying to introduce myself to all of the older players, trying to make as many friends as possible. I still remember the older players giving us advice on how to play against certain teams because they’ve played against them so many times. In the seasons since then, eager and nervous freshmen have come up to me introducing themselves, and I’ve gotten asked how other teams play, as well as given advice on how to be most effective on the team.
Being a senior and walking around campus seeing all the new faces makes me feel old, but what I am experiencing in my fraternity now shows how much my time as a college student really flew by. Imagine you are a freshman general member in a fraternity, looking at the seniors in the organization. They are stressed out because they are graduating soon and trying to make sure they secure a job when they get their degree. But, at the same time, they are helping you become the best person you can be and giving you advice on situations that you are going through. They are sharing their experiences as a college student to help you avoid the mistakes that they made and point you in the right direction to be successful.
Being a freshman, I was overwhelmed with everything they told me, and I can feel that they were overwhelmed giving me advice because of everything they were going through as well. Whenever they talked to me, I always said to myself, “Is that how I’m going to be when I’m a senior?” I really looked up to these guys, not only considering them brothers, but also role models.
Three years later, I’m stressing out because I will be getting my degree soon, trying to send as many job applications as possible so I can start my career. The younger guys in the fraternity now look to me and the other brothers I will be graduating with for advice with what they are going through as a freshman or sophomore. Now I’m their role model, I am the person stressed out because of graduating but also making sure that these guys do not have mental breakdowns and drop out.
All I am trying to say is this: going from looking up to seniors as a clueless freshman to giving advice to freshmen and sophomores on how to be successful at SHU in what feels like a snap of my fingers is mind-blowing to me.
