A Senior's Reflection on College

 By Dri Sotolongo
@YCdris​

When people say that college will be the quickest 4 years of your life, they’re not wrong. My time at YC has flown by, but there have been so many lessons along the way that made me who I am today. I have learned what it means to be a community, that there is a greater plan for me, and that change can be good. It’s only now as I’m getting ready to walk across the stage for graduation that I realize how much I have changed for the better--and how much of that is because of my experiences at York College. 

​So... here are some lessons I’ve learned that might be helpful for other students to know: 

As a high-schooler, the idea of going to college out-of-state was terrifying. Especially when the closest thing I had to a campus visit was googling pictures of York College and trying my best to memorize the map that came in the mail. Although it was terrifying at the time, it was totally worth the big move!

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Feeling homesick is very common and it’s okay, I promise. Every student goes through it at some point,and sometimes it doesn’t hit until sophomore year. What I call anti-homesickness  happens to some people as well and that’s okay too. No one said it would be easy moving away from home, especially when it seems so fast and for so long. My advice for homesickness...ask for help. At York College you can go to a faculty or staff member to talk about any issues you have, and oftentimes they will cook you a homemade meal to make you feel a little better. The power of a long meaningful phone call home is important too. Plus, if you keep in mind the next time you get to go home, the time will fly by. If all else fails, there are tons of people who know exactly how you are feeling and know how to help. ​

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​Ask for help. If you are anything like me, I grew up always trying to do things by myself... even if the task seemed almost impossible. Asking for help is still hard for me now. But I am getting better at it thanks to my experiences here. It took me a long time to realize that the people here want to help you. They don’t expect anything in return, they just genuinely care. Here at YC, if people can help you they will, and if they specifically can’t, they will help you find the person that can. Whether it is asking for help on a study guide or asking for a ride to the airport, someone will help you. 

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​Stress is a thing. As you get into the semester, it can seem like all of your professors are plotting against you, having every assignment due on the same day. That can get stressful. And, although there is no real hack to fix this (besides just buckling down and doing the work), there are some things that can help you de-stress. 

Take the time to be by yourself and do what you want to do, not what you have to to do. I will personally either sit and watch a movie that I know will make me happy, or take a trip to Starbucks with a good book. Schoolwork is important in college, but so is your mental health. 

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Whether you notice it or not, you will change. You may only realize this when you are a senior like me, but it’s an important part of your journey. I have so many memories ranging from eating ice cream after every meal merely because I could, to staying up late in the dorms even though I had a test the next day. It’s always great to look back on the fun memories, but the reality is that I changed in college. And I changed for the better thanks to the people here. There were a lot of rough times that made me feel as though I was drowning. I look back at those times often because it reminds me of how far I’ve come. Thanks to this crazy roller-coaster ride that is college, I’ve grown in so many ways from my confidence to my spirituality. The change was hard, but it was also VERY necessary. ​

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​Taking that leap of faith to pick the college you are going to attend can be terrifying. I was (and still am) afraid of making a wrong decision. I totally get it, but know that it’s okay to make mistakes. This choice is a big one, but keep in mind that it’s entirely your decision. York College has some great opportunities to get involved and find yourself. But none of that will matter if you don’t apply and invest in the opportunity. Just remember, your experience is what you make of it.