This is a column that I never realized I’d have to write. My time at OCU is coming to an end, as I’m graduating in December. While I’ve been mostly excited to be done with my undergraduate education, I am sad to leave my peers at Student Publications, and I’m sad to leave the friends and family that I’ve made the last three and a half years.
OCU is in a transition stage. Buildings are being remodeled, majors are being changed or removed, there is a new president and a new chief of police, and a lot of faculty are transitioning. It’s a difficult time.
I’ve had many issues with this private university since stepping foot on campus in mid-2015. Walker Hall was difficult to live in, Gold Star Memorial Building was in bad shape and Student Government Association has been difficult to deal with.
On the flip side, I spent some of the most exciting years of my life on this campus. Everyone on OCU’s campus has their own agenda—it’s a performing arts college, and many performers tend to be internally focused—but most everyone is ready to greet you with a smile and a warm embrace.
I often joke with peers and professors about hating Oklahoma. The weather is disagreeable, the politics are complicated and the roads are treacherous. None of that seems to matter when you meet the people. Oklahomans may be traditional and of a certain breed, but it’s a breed I am proud to say I was a part of for four years. While Las Vegas is a great place to be from, I’ve never met nicer folk than those I’ve met here. Oklahoma isn’t just another of the 50 states—it’s a home. And, while I miss the Las Vegas nightlife, I will miss the day life in Oklahoma when I leave. Boomer!
Dropping out is something I know a lot of students want to do. It’s something I wanted to do many times. Now that the finish line is in sight, it’s worth it. To anyone having second thoughts about college or OCU, I encourage you to stay. It’s tough, and it’s scary, but I’ve learned so much from working through these times. We all make mistakes, but learning from them and moving forward is what makes graduation that much more satisfying. When the assignments pile up, the commitments seem overbearing, the friends aren’t who you thought they were, you miss your parents and your home, you don’t think the professor likes you, and the days feel longer, don’t give up. The point of college is learning how to become independent and how to deal with the problems adult life is inevitably going to throw at you. Now is the time to laugh at those problems and show them how tough we truly are, and how prepared we are to face every difficult task with knowledge and strength.
At this point, I’m faced with a perplexing task—figuring out what I’m going to do with my undergraduate degree. I’m also faced with setting goals for my future and discovering how I’ll achieve them. I’m thankful for the many possible futures that OCU has created. To those who helped me realize those goals, thank you. To those who tested me and made me want to quit, thank you. To those who read my columns and told me you liked them or agreed, thank you. To those who hated my columns and disagreed loudly, thank you. And, to those who made my life that much sweeter in Oklahoma City, thank you.
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