In case you haven’t heard, college is hard. From the classes, to everyone trying to figure out where they fit in and who they want to be, the road to higher education is a long and strenuous road. Don’t get me wrong though, life as a college student can be pretty cool, too. It’s like, we’re the group of adults that are too young to be called “grown-ups”, but too old to watch Spongebob Squarepants in our jammies on Saturday mornings, without being judged by our elders. NEWFLASH: we are adults, and we deserve to be held to the same standards as every other adult in our lives. Some students may not necessarily agree with this, but from someone who’s been in this stage far longer than they should have been, it’s time to grow up. I want to be a grown up. I want to pursue my goals, do what’s best for me, and live my life without nay-sayers exclaiming, “she’s too young to know what she wants!”

Here at Manchester, President Dave McFadden, along with the faculty and staff, encourage us to be our best selves; they want us to succeed. After all, we are the future. Think about it: 10 years from now, your college roommate could be a State Senator, and that kid that sits next to you in your Biology class could be a Surgical Resident at one of the best hospitals in the country. It’s insane, I know, but yet it’s so true. Life is a crazy, wonderful journey, but it’s whatever crazy, wonderful journey we make it.

With all of this said, here’s some food for thought: what did you set out to accomplish in college? How can you make those dreams become a reality? If you can answer these questions, with confidence, then perhaps finding yourself will not be so hard, after all. For me, it took flying across the pond and spending four months in Europe to figure out what exactly I want out of college, and who I wanted to be. After coming back, and thinking about all that I had learned, seen, and done, I know that I’m “the Sun”, and anyone who thinks differently is not worth my time; thank you, Shonda Rhimes, for that awesome quote. I can do whatever, and be whoever, I choose. I choose to be happy, to love a wonderful man, to pursue a degree in Spanish Secondary Education, and to never let anything/anyone change me. Life is like a great balancing act, but ya know, I have a feeling that it is so worth all of the struggles you may or may not be going through right now.
Until next time
– B.

Becca Kaplan ’19, is a Spanish Secondary Education major with minors in TESOL and Business. As a commuter student, she spends most of her time on campus either studying, watching Netflix, or writing her next blog post. When classes are not in session, Becca usually travels, either visiting her parents in Florida, or her extended family in St. Louis.