Graduation: a time for liberation

As graduation time is upon us, I realized that this year is 10 years since my graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

One thing I’ve noticed since I’ve moved here is that most people refer to a four-year school as a university and a two-year school as a college. I went to a four year, but I’m just going to say college. If I say I went to Uni, I’m going to feel British.

I always knew I would go to college. It really wasn’t even a question. I originally planned to go to UW-La Crosse for physical therapy but after a job shadow, I realized it wasn’t for me.

I ended up choosing UW-Eau Claire because I liked their cross country/track and field program. It’s ironic because I ended up quitting the program my freshman year. Though I loved running, I needed to have a job to get by, and between classes, work, homework, sleeping, eating and athletics, something had to give.

I definitely don’t regret dropping athletics. My college experience was stressful enough without it. I still look back and am in awe of how I managed it all. College prepared me for the “real world” in so many ways.

I originally went to school to become a Spanish teacher. I think I liked the idea that every area has a school and every school needs a Spanish teacher. Boom, job security.

I decided, on a whim, to make communications and journalism my minor when I saw it was an option during orientation.

My first semester, my Spanish professor was a native Spanish speaker. I’ve learned that I have a very hard time learning from native speakers. I know it’s a me problem, but it simply didn’t work for me. I switched Spanish to be my minor and journalism to be my major.

My second semester, I signed up to be with the other teacher. Problem solved. Problem not solved, they switched classes on us. I got stuck with the same professor a second semester in a row and by that point, I felt I had lost so much of my speaking ability, I dropped Spanish completely from my degree.

I was now pursuing journalism with a minor in political science, the degree I ended up receiving.

I think part of the beauty of college is being able to try and fail -— being able to change your mind.

The second semester of my freshman year was also really difficult for me because my boyfriend (now husband) was at basic training for the Marines Corps in San Diego. It was 88 days without talking to him except via letter. I still have most of those letters.

I considered transferring to UW-Platteville where he and most of my friends were attending. They didn’t have a journalism program, but I’d figure something out.

That’s when I received an email saying I had qualified to be a part of the University Honors Program based on my grades. After looking into the program, I realized it would be really beneficial for me and my degree. It’s what ultimately kept me at Eau Claire.

I ended up completing my bachelor’s degree in three years. I viewed the academic requirements and the class sign-up as a puzzle I could solve. If I need nine credits of science, I’m not going to take three three-credit classes; I’m going to take a four-credit class and a five-credit class. This saved me time and money.

By my second year, I was working around 22 hours per week at Tradehome Shoes at the mall and 15 hours a week at the Chippewa Herald as a news reporter.

I had originally started as a helper for the sports staff, staying late on Fridays to answer the phones as football coaches or assistants called in their box scores. Apparently emailing or texting a picture hadn’t been discovered yet in 2016? I digress.

From there, I transitioned to part-time help in the news room, cleaning up press releases, reading the famous “Ask Amy” column and picking stories from AP to put on the page. My major contribution was putting together the entire Sunday paper on Saturdays as the full-time news staff took the day off.

I did miss out on things because I worked basically full time while also getting my degree in a shorter time, but I still found a way to make friends I still have to this day. I got to stand up by their sides as they got married and they stood by mine when I did.

College is such a trying and yet wonderful time of self-discovery and discipline as you’re on your own for the first time. Every time I get to visit Eau Claire, I feel so nostalgic for the time I spent there.

Graduation is a time of change that can be so liberating. Often we feel more than ready to take that next step in life. For some people, it’s straight into the workforce. For others it’s a long path of education ahead. No matter what comes next, know it’s OK to fail or change your mind. Things rarely work as planned.

After I graduated, it was six years before I got a job in journalism, and I was OK with that. I liked my life how it was. There are no rules, and I think that’s the coolest part of all.