As insane as it seems to me, I must face the fact that this is my final semester as a Penn State student. My time here in Happy Valley has been nothing short of amazing and if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t change a thing. I know this might seem like just another sappy senior post, but I feel it’s important to reflect on my time here and set certain goals for my remaining time here. Looking back, I want to go year by year and highlight some key points.
Freshman Year
- First full year in the United States since I was a toddler and I transitioned really well
- Landed an internship with the football team
- Got accepted into the PLA
- Made some amazing friendships that will last my entire life
- Dated a girl and learned a lot about relationships and how to deal with sad / hard times
- Learned what it takes to perform well in college after a tough first semester
Sophomore Year
- Made the club volleyball team after failing to do so my freshman year
- Began dating my current girlfriend
- Made the Dean’s list both semesters
- Decided on a major
- Got to travel to Chicago thanks to the PLA
- Got a job at the Intramural Building
Junior Year
- Won a national championship with the club team in Denver
- Landed an internship with the State College Spikes
- Made the Dean’s list both semesters
- Got to travel to LA thanks to the PLA
- Started the social media accounts for the Club Volleyball team
Senior Year
- Made the Dean’s list first semester
- Represented Bleacher Report on campus as an influencer
- Secured a full time job in Boston with Oracle
- Got a lot closer with the younger people on Club Volleyball
Looking forward to the rest of this semester, I really have two main goals. The first is to graduate, which I should be able to accomplish without too many problems. The second is to end my time here well and to say my goodbyes to the people I need to. I’m no stranger to transition especially in terms of moving around from place to place and one thing that I’ve learned through my experiences is the importance of saying goodbye to the people that I’m close to. I don’t just mean giving someone a hug and saying goodbye, but rather making a conscious effort to transition away from the people that you know and love. This is something that helped me a lot through my transitions in high school (I went to 3 high schools between freshman and sophomore year). There are so many people I have gotten to know and love and it’s sad that I have to leave but I know there are bigger and better things waiting for me in Boston!
Hey, Jason!
Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. I also moved frequently throughout my childhood; I moved nine times and lived in seven different states. This experience has made me grow a lot stronger with wishing people goodbye. On another note, I personally feel that reflecting is incredibly important and something that must be done frequently.
Also, I loved seeing your development with sports — whether that be your role playing on a team or interning with various athletic entities. I have always believed that playing and watching sports provides valuable lessons that cannot be learned elsewhere. I hope that you continue to incorporate sports into your daily life, as I can see it is one of your greatest passions. Maybe one day you will pursue it as your profession!
Best of luck and enjoy Boston. I am a huge Celtics fan so I will be up to visit for a game.
Best,
Jake
Hi Jason!
I can’t believe we are both in our final semesters. Reading through your post made me think about some of the transitions, challenges, and accomplishments I have been through over the last four years. This community, both in an academic and social sense has expanded our own abilities to the learn and grow as people, and will always be a place we can come back to. That said, I wish you all the best as you move to Boston and begin the next phase of your life. As a Mass girl, I might be a bit biased, but Boston such a fun and young city to be in. I have no doubt you will do big things there! Lastly, in reflecting on the people that have made an impact on me, I want to thank you for being one of them. This amazing academy brings together people of all backgrounds, and I have loved getting to know you and lucky to call you a close friend. I wish you all the best moving forward, and look forward to hear about everything you accomplish. Finish off the semester strong!
Best,
Emma