Bridgewater, Va.  – As a graduating senior, I can attest to the numerous sleepless nights I’ve had while attempting to find the balance between my work, social, academic and athletic lives.

In the last three-and-a-half years, a lot has happened. There’s only so much we can say about our experiences up to this point.

Our entire college career is focused on finding a job prior to graduation, attending graduate school and maintaining good grades; but there is an underlying fact college is all about having new experiences and doing everything possible to make it truly memorable.

I’ve had plenty of opportunities to meet new people, make mistakes and create memories. There isn’t a single person in college who hasn’t made a mistake or done something that they now laugh about, but the idea is to always be learning.

Over my course of time at Bridgewater, I’ve discovered that my greatest memories were made when I wasn’t isolated on campus or my dorm room. The essence of the college experience is getting outside of our comfort zones and exploring other cultures, ideologies and passions.

My biggest regret is that I did not take a travel abroad course during May term.

COVID and virtual learning had undeniable impacts on the college experience and the chemistry of our campus. I was fortunate to have experienced Bridgewater prior to Covid, and I hope that others who come after me have the opportunity to see what drew me to Bridgewater in the first place.

I remember being a first-year student and having that “I’m finally grown up” attitude, where I was going to parties, falling in and out of love, doing weekend road trips and just living in the moment without thinking about college ever ending. It’s incredible how four years can feel like four months. 

That 18-year-old girl has grown up to become an educated young woman. 

The things that I have learned, the memories that I have made and the people I have met have created the woman I am today.

I have learned to advocate for myself.

I have learned that my voice matters.

I have learned that no one can stop my progress but me.

No matter the good, the bad or the ugly I have faced, everything happens for a reason and I plan to utilize everything that Bridgewater has taught me, whether objectively or subjectively. 

Now with less than a month left of my undergraduate career, the idea of entering the “real world” is terrifying, but exhilarating. 

For the past three-and-a-half years, my academic experience has been influenced by a multitude of difficulties and experiences. At Bridgewater, I was pushed to the limit of my intellectual and mental capabilities, and I’ve grown so dramatically that my family is amazed at how much I’ve changed.

I’m beginning to feel proud of and content with who I am and who I’m becoming as a young adult.

I entered Bridgewater with no real identity or goal in mind for my degree.

As the years passed, I made sure that my post-graduation efforts became more focused.

I’ve begun to learn the ins and outs of what it means and what it will take to be the next Black female journalist who continues to defy societal norms and expectations by breaking into a white male dominated media field. My personal experiences, an internship with Bridgewater’s Athletic Media Relations Office and every professor I’ve had have prepared me for this future. 

As a digital media major, I have also learned that I want my art to be forward-thinking, socially conscious and dedicated to the improvement of marginalized communities with whom I identify.

All of these experiences have assisted me in piecing together my narrative, and I’ve discovered more about myself than I ever have before. As a first-generation college graduate, I’ll look back on these years as the most formative years of my life. 

Due to my awareness and dedication to authoring my own narrative, these last college years have been nothing short of amazing. I believe I can now conclude by stating that, come May 2022, I will be a Bridgewater alumna and will be entering graduate school in the fall with nothing holding me back from succeeding.