We're Almost There!

By Dorothy J. Hill

We’re Almost There!

We are closing out the 9th week of school and are about to enter the 10th, with less than 7 weeks left. For many of us, we have had our mid-terms or have just a few remaining and for some others, which include me, we don’t particularly have mid-terms, so to say, but instead various quizzes, exams or projects due throughout the semester. But, guess what?! We’re almost there. Where or what is there? Well, it’s different for everyone.

For the freshman… Let’s take a moment to reminisce for a moment. Just four years ago (for the traditional freshman), you were a freshman in high school, trying to find your way through and figure out who you were as you were developing into a teenager. You were probably in a new environment and around new people, with the exception of a few friends you graduated from junior high with, if you were “lucky”. Fast forward to the present, here you are experiencing the same thing, except this time it’s a college and a slightly bigger scale. New environment, new people, and again, maybe there are a few buddies from high school that came along with you. Either way, it’s all fresh, hence freshman. J Now, you are half-way through the first year of college. You’ve become acclimated with the campus and may have learned a thing or two about yourself. Though you’re still within those teen ages, or older, you’re practically an adult.

For the sophomore… It’s year two or more of college. You are in that in-between part of college. Not quite new to things, but also not too far advanced. Now you are past the point of getting your feet wet. By now, you should be fairly well versed in how things operate academically and in life as a whole. You’re also at the point where it’s difficult for people to take you seriously. I guess it’s the age for most people. It’s like you’re still a teenager, but you’re an adult and at the same time, you’re still in-between adolescence and adulthood, so some things may be overlooked, or you may not be given as much credit as you feel you deserve.

For the juniors… You’re beyond the beginning. You have become settled in with things and have been able to manage and maintain your life. You’re at the brink of yet another point of transformation. Don’t try to jump too far ahead though. You still have some time to get things in order for that last year of college before you take that gigantic step into the real world. Enjoy these last few moments while it lasts because graduation and more responsibility will be here before you know it. There is just one year left, for most, then, you’ll be a senior preparing for graduation.

Speaking of which… To my fellow seniors… We. Are. Almost. There. For those graduating in December, it’s so close you can taste it. Some may be eager to have that degree and others may be experiencing a bittersweet moment. For those who will be graduating in May as a traditional senior, or as I have come to find, the infamously dubbed “super senior”, like me, this is one of the most exciting points in our lives. It is yet another starting point as we venture into the real world and true adulthood. Now, I must say, there are many of us who may be considered as full-fledged adults due to our responsibilities.

There is also graduate school for those who, like me, are considering to attend, and/or the actual workforce. The economy is tough, as it always has been, but it may be a little tougher for our generation. I don’t know about you, but, I don’t have any worries about my future. I believe everything happens for a reason and if something is meant for you to have, you will have it.

As I have acquired through my quest for knowledge, there are a lot of students who support themselves, with little to no assistance from family and/or friends, so I can only imagine the great deal of triumph and accomplishment felt upon graduation. For first-generation students, it is an accomplishment achieved for more than the current college student or anticipatory graduate. It is an achievement celebrated by the entire family.

For everyone, we all graduate to the next level, whether we receive a piece of paper at the end as proof that we have worked hard to earn it or if it’s just an elevation to the next grade. Either way, we all experience graduation and have a sense a relief, to an extent, that we have made it this far. Only you know what you had to go through to get to where you are. Some of us were blessed with parents or resources to provide the necessary finances to fund our education, while many others have to depend on themselves and/or the funding provided through the government or institution of post-secondary education. I fall into both of those categories. I am blessed to have people in my life to support me and assist me in funding my education, which includes my mom, who is also putting herself through school, finishing up a doctoral degree.

I’m grateful to have made it to this point, as I would think many of you are as well. We all experience different things, but we also experience the same, which is life. I am so excited for May to get here. But before that, there are a few other things I have to do, like those pesky little classes that you feel like, “why do I need to be in this class?!” You may not understand it now, but when you look back on it, you just might appreciate it a little more. Plus, for those seniors, you may have a senior seminar to complete. I have something similar to that, and it’s something that we can all participate in. On November 12, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. in McGuire Hall, here at SXU, I will be presenting my first formal vocal recital. It is FREE FOR EVERYONE. Please join me as I sing to you in French, German, Italian, and English. (Personal plug J)

Remember that we are almost there. Just a few steps away, but take your time and be patient. Your time will be here before you know it!

Dorothy J. Hill is a senior from Chicago, IL. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. Dorothy is a Student Ambassador and currently serves as the Training Coordinator at Saint Xavier.