CONGRATS CLASS OF 2023

As the spring semester comes to a close, I have found myself with a lingering feeling of mourning for something that isn’t even over yet. While I still have another year of college, I am watching some of my very best friends live out their “lasts”: last day of classes, last time at the cafeteria, last exam, even the last time at the local bar. While I know I still have some time left, I cannot help but feel like something is ending.

But with every ending, there was once a beginning. Sometimes I think back to the girl I was freshman year of college and I both cringe and laugh. Who was I? I was so lost and I accepted so little. I wish I could go back in time and tell that girl that every single thing that happens to her will happen for a reason and that I am so proud of her for doing what she could with what she knew. These thoughts led me to wonder what some of my senior friends had to say in response to this same question. I asked them: “If you could go back in time and tell your freshman year self one thing, what would it be and why?” Here are their responses:

“I think if I could go back and tell my freshman year self one thing, I would tell myself that everything is going to be okay and you are going to make it to the end and you are going to graduate. I would tell myself that all of the little things won’t really matter and that you are going to have ups and downs but you will graduate. Everything is going to fall into place for you, you just have to let life do its course.” - Maggie Rose Trampe (Widener Nursing Class of ‘23)

“If I could tell my freshman year self one thing it would be, don’t let people take advantage of you and to believe in yourself and believe that you know what is best for you at the end of the day.” - Amaya Reed-Clark (Widener Arts & Sciences Class of ‘23)

“I would tell myself that you don’t have to get the best grades or pass every exam in order to be successful. Because you are just going to end up where everyone else is at the end of the day and when you get your degree, your grades aren’t going to matter. Your anatomy grade freshman year won’t matter. Just keep pushing!” -Juliana Sweeney (Widener Nursing Class of ‘23)

“If I could go back in time and tell my freshman year self words of advice, I would say to be more confident in myself and trust that I am smart enough to make it though. It was very intimidating as a freshman taking college level courses in the nursing path and I was very doubtful of myself that I was going to succeed especially during Covid and here I am now graduating as a nursing student. So, just to be more confident in yourself and believe in yourself and that your hard work will pay off because it did for me.” - Natalia Mecca (Widener Nursing Class of ‘23)

“Don’t be that science major you think you want to be. English is your path, maybe even add communications to it but don’t do the science. That is not your path, you are better at English, go straight to that.” - Ryley Harris (Widener Arts & Sciences Class of ‘23)

“This is a really deep question. I would say to take it all in because it goes by so fast and to not worry about all of the small stuff because in the end it doesn’t matter.” - Haley Pickett (Widener Nursing Class of ‘23)

“If i could tell my freshman year self one thing, it would be not to stress about the small things because over these past 4 years I have wasted so much of my time overthinking about things that didn’t really matter and shouldn’t matter and I think that is important because when you are young you should really just be living in the moment. College flies by and I know everyone says that but it is really true. It feels like yesterday I was just a freshman and now I am graduating in less than a month. I really think that people, you know, take it for granted but please don’t. Do as much as you can because what is important is looking back on all the memories you've made and experiences you've had and all of the little things won’t matter.” - Ashley Raspanti (Widener Business Class of ‘23)

Many of these responses brought me to tears because I longed to be able to look at my younger self, lost, in her freshman dorm and tell her all of these things. I wish I could go back in the past and let myself know not to sweat the small stuff and that I am going to graduate and that I need to soak it all in before it is gone. I wish I could tell her time will fly and that moments will pass her by and that one day she will be sitting in her room on the last day of classes of junior year and all she will want to do is go back and hug herself.

To all of the Class of 2023, you made it! Do not only congratulate yourself, but congratulate that younger version of you who never thought you’d make it here. Together, you did it. Congratulations Class of 2023. You made it here.