JaclynOConnor_picIn less than two weeks I will be a college graduate. It feels like just yesterday that I was moving into my freshman dorm with my new roommate (my current best friend who I still live with to this day) trying to figure out the best place for our TV. And just like that, four years have flown by.

It is hard to wrap my head around the fact that all of this is coming to an end. All of the late nights out with friends and the all-nighters spent in the library studying for exams.

The minute I walk across that graduation stage, receive my diploma, and flip my tassel to the left of my cap, it’s over. That is the end of an amazing chapter in my life and the beginning of a new one. Penn State has given me a life that I could’ve never imagined for myself before I got here. I’ve made lifelong friends that will be my future bridesmaids. I’ve had professors that believed in me more than I had ever believed in myself. I’ve gained passions for things that never even crossed my mind. I found myself.

All of the great experiences I have had are what make college graduation so bittersweet. Although I will be leaving a lot behind, I am taking so much with me. The memories I have made in college are memories that I will forever have with me in everything I do in the future.

College graduation is an incredible milestone and I should be proud that I have made it this far. Now is the time to live in the moment and take advantage of the days I have left. It is time to look forward to my future rather than dreading it. It is time to reflect on all of the ups and let go of all of the downs. I have made it this far for a reason, and even if I don’t know what to expect yet, the time will come.

As hard as it is to accept, I know it is time to move on to bigger and better things, even if those things do not seem existent right now. So, for now, farewell to Penn State and my unforgettable college years; I will be back soon.

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