As it comes to a close...

I can't believe graduation is right around the corner. Three years flew by and I am going through the same roller coaster of emotions that I think most other graduating seniors are going through. Although I am thrilled to be done with piles of work and stress on a daily basis, the idea of entering the real world is terrifying. In the wake of the craziness of applying to grad school and full time jobs I have been trying to calm down and try and appreciate all I've gotten from UVM. I think sometimes we get caught up in our everyday lives and tend to forget everything college gives us and how it has changed us. I didn't really notice a change in myself as the years went on, but looking back now I realize what a huge impact this school and the Environmental Science program has shaped me as a person. I think if I had stayed in Rhode Island or went somewhere less invested in environmental awareness that I would be a very different person than I am today, and I am thankful that I chose to come here. I have learned so much here about being globally responsible, and I think I am a better human for it. So although I am leaving in a few months to enter the real world, wherever that may take me, I think I have built myself a strong foundation to be a successful person in the future. That is something I don't think I could have done as well without the help and support from my friends, teachers, and classes here at UVM. It is much more than learning about the names of trees or the principles of wildlife management. I can learn those things in a book, but the way things are taught in my classes and the culture here makes it a way of life. You get a much more well-rounded education because you're always learning because it's always in your face and it becomes a part of your day-to-day life. I only hope that once I am no longer at UVM and out of Vermont that I can keep the person I've become a part of my new, post-grad life. And if I can't I guess I'll just have to move to Vermont forever, which at this point doesn't sound like a bad idea. Thanks for a great run, UVM. I'll miss you.