T-shirts and shorts have retuned to campus, which can only mean one thing at Binghamton University: the spring semester is nearly over. This season has a special significance to me this year, because it means that we’re getting closer to the dreaded graduation day that our parents and relatives have constantly reminded us about.
As this is my last semester at BU, I often find myself thinking about how I got here in the first place. The reality is that I, like many others here, almost ended up at another school. In fact, as a high school senior, I was not sure if I wanted to go to BU but eventually made the decision to attend. Forgive me for this cliché, but looking back, I’m glad that I did.
From the moment I stepped on campus, Binghamton surpassed my expectations. My fears about my randomly assigned international roommate quickly melted away as we clicked from our very first interaction and instantly became close friends. We befriended nearly our entire hall together, which made for an entertaining freshman year.
It may sound ironic, but one of the most important lessons I learned at college wasn’t taught to me in a classroom. I taught it to myself while changing majors. When it came to choosing a major, I changed my mind more often than Binghamton’s weather changes in a day.
I, like many incoming freshmen, didn’t know what I wanted to study at first. I thought business was a safe default option, but realized a few weeks into ECON 162 that math and graphs weren’t my strong suit and that transferring into the School of Management probably wasn’t the best idea. At first, I resisted change and stuck with the business-oriented courses. The problem was that I was not ready to admit that I didn’t know which major to choose. As a result, I stuck with classes that pushed me towards SOM until I took a political science course my second semester.
Whereas work in business-oriented courses was tedious and difficult, writing papers, reading and participating in my political science courses didn’t really feel like work to me. I was passionate about the coursework, and it showed. This experience taught me the value of pursuing passions, which is exactly what college is about — finding yourself both socially and academically. I learned that studying what you enjoy, as opposed to what you think will get you the best job, is the best way to spend college.
While learning this lesson, along with many others, I accomplished great things. I met great friends and convinced myself that I wanted a life in politics, only to realize later that it wasn’t for me. I spent countless nights on State Street and also enjoyed nights in with a few close friends. Through it all, I learned a lot about myself and made countless memories with people I will never forget. For these things, and for so much more, I thank you, Binghamton.
Congrats, seniors, but remember that our best days are ahead of us. To those who have yet to start their journey at BU, remember that Binghamton is what you make of it. If there is one thing I learned here, it is to go into situations with an open mind, because the reality may be better than you could have imagined.