Spring of 2017 was my senior year of high school. It was getting close to Decision Day (May 1st) and I was still not sure where I was going to be attending college. There were financial factors as well as academic programs to think about when deciding which school would be right for me. Ultimately, it came down to my parents and I having a long conversation ending with the words, “go pay for your deposit for Rutgers— Camden”. Just like that, the next four years were decided and I was going to Rutgers. Now, I am sitting here in Spring of 2021 and I cannot believe that those four years are coming to end.
I am not going to lie, I did not picture myself growing such an attachment to a school, but I did. Rutgers gave me the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to change. I am now at the point where I have completed almost all of my classes for my Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry. I was given the opportunity to learn everything from the basic structure of an atom to the quantum theory of how molecules interact with each other at a molecular level. I went from being able to handle basic trigonometry to being able to triple integrate a function. I also was given the chance to work hands on, not just in my lab courses but also in performing research first hand. I was able to see start to finish what a research project looks like and how much work goes into it. Not only was I able to get a strong education but I was able to make friends in the process.
There were people that I thought I would have one class with and then never see again. Well, one class turned into two, and before I knew it I had a whole friend group that helped me survive college. They have been with me for all of the highs and lows of college and have been my support system the whole time. I honestly say I would not be graduating this semester without them. Not just in class did I find these people but in the clubs and jobs I had on campus. My fellow Ambassadors are some of the best people I know and I am so thankful today and everyday that I joined this program. My fellow Resident Assistants have been through some of the craziest things together and we have become closer because of that. Living on campus has given me the chance to experience some of the most memorable times of my college life, from sledding at the waterfront, to breaking up parties where people hide in closets, and everything in between. I am sad to leave all of this behind but I know it is my time to move on to bigger and better things.
Rutgers has given me the opportunity to work on my Masters degree while still in my undergraduate years of study. I will continue my education at Thomas Jefferson University where I am pursuing my Masters in Public Health (MPH). My relationships with my professors and the things I have learned in and out of the classroom have helped prepare me for this next chapter in my life, but I cannot help but feel a strange nostalgia about graduating.
For all my future Raptors out there, please give Rutgers your all. Do your best in your classes, try to get involved, try to branch out and meet new people and try new things. Always go to your professors if you are struggling or even if you just want to talk — they are people too, don’t forget that. Lastly, find yourself, see what you are interested in, what you like, what don’t you like, what is something you wanted to try and never did. College is the perfect time for personal growth, so let Rutgers help you with that. Good luck! And don’t take a moment for granted because you never know what global crisis could strike during your college experience!
Written by Emily M., a Rutgers—Camden Undergraduate Student and Raptor Ambassador.