The End of an Era

Today was my last day of college at MCC. I've spent the last three years here, for better or worse. And for better or worse, it has shaped me into the person I am today. 

I remember on my first day of college, during orientation, there was something or someone that said "MCC can make or break you." It might sound cringey that I'm saying that now, but I think this place did both to me. 

It broke me apart in ways that I didn't know were even possible. I did face the worst kinds of betrayal and heartbreak. (Which is of course part of life, and I'm not complaining.) However, it did also give me the best people in my life. Everything I went through made me stronger and turned me into the woman that my younger self would be proud of. I feel like I used every opportunity that was available to the fullest and built my portfolio. 

I got to become an author. I am so proud of myself for publishing five books in just the last two years. I think it is a pretty big deal. It's like... I didn't just study and pass my exams, but I did something I really wanted to. If I'm being real, the reason I wanted to study English Lit was so I could one day become an author, and I did just that, which kind of justifies my joining this course. 

I got to study abroad. I spent four months in Texas, which taught me so much beyond the books. I was one of three people from my department (that I know of) to do this, which is a pretty big deal. It taught me life skills, and how to live on my own, which has set the stage for me moving away from home for my masters degree too. 

I got to set the stage on fire. Rampwalk is something that I've wanted to do since I was a child. MCC gave me the opportunity to do that both inside and out of college. I got to represent so many queens of darkness, like Maleficent, Medusa, Nyx, and Hades. Every time I set foot on the stage, I felt a rush of energy surge through me. It felt like this was something I was meant to be doing. This was meant for me. 

I became a founder of a service learning program, which now provides credits for students of the department. Now, this is what I think is my crowning jewel and the one thing I am most proud of. This program firstly comes from the root of my beliefs, and it also emphasizes serving, which is a very good thing for the community and world. 

I also made sure to keep up with academics. I managed to present 10 research papers, publish one, and even won an award for best presenter at my last conference. 

And then, there are a few other things that I can club together. I served as a global student ambassador under the office of international programs in my last semester. I coordinated a few sessions of the college Think Tank. I created a website (technically, this is something I did for an assignment, but it is still something for my portfolio). I blog regularly, and also keep up with college stuff. 

Now... I know... it kinda feels like I'm bragging, but I assure you, that's not my intent. This serves two purposes. The first is to document the things I did, and I can refer back to this in any future interview. It's a sign of what I am leaving behind and taking with me. The second is to remind myself that I did actually make good use of my time here and took advantage of every opportunity and facility available. It is a reminder to myself to make sure I do the same during my master's, and build up even more. 

This could also be proof that there is more to MCC than just classes, and might be someone's inspiration to do more and achieve all that they are capable of. 

Again, I think what I heard on the day of orientation is true. I didn't break, but stood strong against it all, so I could celebrate today. It is bittersweet to leave, but I'm satisfied in knowing I did all I could.

It seems a little anticlimactic, but the next time I enter the college, I won't be a student anymore. I'm not a student of BA English anymore. It's like a huge shift in identity that I'm trying to process.