Embrace your college bonds and experiences

Hello fellow Vikings, and congratulations on making it through another semester. 

Another academic year is about to pass and many of you will be moving on to the next step toward a new tomorrow. 

Then there’s me and others like me, who just can’t seem to get through college algebra without feeling the need to flip a table every time we forget how to solve a quadradic equation. Still, failure is not an option and we must power through because everyone deserves success — no matter how long it takes to get there.

Through our times here at Del Mar, we come across really good people. Through group projects or, in my case, student publications, we bond through teamwork and common goals. We make these connections through laughter and through the frustrations of problem solving, ultimately creating a final product together as a team. 

For some, the bonds created here in college will go on to be lasting friendships and maybe even work relationships. Unfortunately, for others, the chance of seeing each other again is pretty slim, except for random social media interactions. It is what it is, I guess, but can we really complain? After all, life is filled with temporary interactions. Nothing is permanent.   

In my lifetime, I’ve had so many interactions with people who have made a lasting impact in one form or another. Even now, those impactful moments continue to emerge from people half my age, many times because there is a sense of pride watching these people grow right before my eyes. It’s the same pride a parent has watching their children progress through life. 

This crew that I’ve worked with these past two semesters has grown tremendously from being brand new to the ins and outs of student publications to winning a statewide award for Overall Excellence. To be able to say that I am part of this team is a good feeling but it’s bittersweet. 

There is a realization that my peers will go on and be successful in an industry that continues to change and evolve while I will be happy to just finally finish to show my own kids how important perseverance is and the need for a good solid education whether it be a doctorate or a certification, as long as it betters your future in the long run. 

As I watch my peers prepare for the next step, I am also motivated to believe that no matter how old I get or how long it takes, there is a brighter future for everyone just waiting for each of us to reach out and grab it. We are all capable of achieving our goals if we really truly want to. All it takes is desire, dedication and determination. 

So, I say to all my younger peers, “Congrats!” Don’t stop there. Continue to do great things because as cheesy as it sounds, you are the future of our world. Now it’s up to you to repair the world. No pressure but don’t blow it. In the meantime, I’ll just work on finally destroying my algebraic kryptonite and y’all can say, “Old dude finally did it.”

3 thoughts on “Embrace your college bonds and experiences

  1. As one of the younger students I don’t feel the same about starting my college career. But this article, and the comments under it, did help me understand where the uncomfortable feeling and uneasiness comes from. I also really enjoy the illustration, it’s quite entertaining.

  2. I just started college at 25, is really intimidating to be here since I feel like I am a little old to starts at my age I keep telling myself “What am I doing here” but reading this article gave me a little bit of confidence to keep going even with all my struggles. something good will come out of it, I am sure.

  3. I really liked this article! As this is my first year in college reading your article gave me some reassurance that I’ll meet really cool individuals that can impact my academic career. Sometimes those peers can help , or even guide you through something you may not understand, etc!

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