In 13 days I will be walking up on that stage to finally get my diploma. Lately I’ve really been thinking about my time here at Stockton and how much I have changed since I first came here in 2011. Some people are scared when they first come to college because they are in a new place and don’t know anybody. Luckily for me I dormmed with my best friend from home who I’ve known since I was 14, so I felt more confident about going into this new situation. I have to admit that when I first came here classes and school work were pretty much the last thing on my mind. I came from a small town where you see the same people every day and nothing ever really changes, so I guess you could say I was overwhelmed with this new feeling of independence and freedom. When you live at college it’s kind of like living at a place rent free (even though you pay for it later), without your parents, and your neighbors are all people your age, so of course there’s always trouble to get into.
My roommate’s boyfriend at the time was in a fraternity, so we were at the fraternity house almost every night. At 19 years old I loved to drink and party, you wouldn’t catch me after 10pm without a flask of Jack Daniels in my left hand and a bottle of coke in my right. I ordered a fake ID online, so even though I was underage getting alcohol was never a problem for me (sorry underager’s but ID chief was shut down a few years ago). As you can imagine constant partying really affected my grades. You really think after drinking till 6am I was going to drag myself to class? My first semester my G.P.A dropped from a 2.6 to a 1.8 and I was placed on probation meaning that if I didn’t get my G.P.A up to at least a 2.0 I would be dismissed from school. This still didn’t wake me up I continued to do what I wanted and put school on the backburner for another semester.
The following semester I had to sign up for a math class which required you to email the professor to get permission to register. I did so, and got an email back from him saying that I couldn’t register for the class because I was dismissed from the college. As soon as I hung up the phone my boyfriend threw me in his car and drove me to the school, so I could talk to academic advising and beg them for a second chance. On the drive there I just remember thinking “wow I’ve been so preoccupied with things that are so unimportant I didn’t even realize that I was dismissed from the school”. You know you’re on your way to being a mess when you don’t even know the college kicked you out. I was devastated and ashamed that I was wasting an opportunity that many people would kill for. Many people probably expected this from me since I made a party girl reputation for myself. I thought about how angry my mom would be as she told me “college is not just an expensive party”. When we arrived at the school I cried and begged the woman academic advisor for a second chance and luckily for me Stockton gave those. I had to write a letter stating why they should let me back in, and it worked I was readmitted. I had one more chance but if I messed up again I was done.
Class became my number one priority and what do you know my grades shot up. Who knew by just actually going to class your grades improve by like 90 percent?! That semester I got all A’s and was on the dean’s list. I even got a special award in my degree program for one of my assignments being published in a newspaper. Many people are probably wondering if I regret the decisions I made wasting 2 semesters and a couple thousand dollars on a good time. I can honestly say no that I don’t regret it at all. As cliché as it sounds everything happens for a reason. During my party years I learned valuable lessons that I could have never learned in a classroom. In the professional world not only is there work but there’s also after work happy hours and office holiday parties. You don’t want to be that guy who never learned how to drink in college, doesn’t know their limit, and makes a fool out of themselves in front of their boss. It’s not cute anymore when you’re a “real grownup”. You learn who your real friends are, the people that still want to be around you even when you’re not funneling a Four Loko. You meet so many different people from all walks of life at college parties. Each person has their own story and their own struggle and I think it’s important to meet as many different kinds of people that you can. You never know what you can learn from others. If I didn’t have those wild years I never would have met my boyfriend of almost 5 years who has always stood by me and believed in me. I would have never met people that, even though I haven’t seen them in years, will forever cherish our memories we all made together when we were old enough to know better but too young to care. Most importantly those years taught me about myself. I learned that if I put my mind to it I can accomplish anything. Even though you learn that all your life, I didn’t really believe it. I thought I was just an average student, you know one that skates by with just B’s and C’s. I never thought I would be able to make it on to the dean’s list but I did. Sometimes you have to hit the bottom so you can realize your full potential. Future college freshmen who may be reading this just know that even if you think you’re a mess you can always be better. No one thought I could and now in less than 2 weeks I’ll be in my cap and gown finally getting that diploma I worked so hard for. There’s nothing wrong with having a good time just don’t let it be your priority you can’t put “beer pong champ” on your resume.
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