The Juniors Edition

We are now onto the third installment of our changing perspectives series. And it is time to talk to the juniors.

Answering These Questions

If you have not had a chance to read my previous articles, I really encourage you to check them out. I have been curious to see how perspectives on school and life change throughout your college experience. Does your idea of what or who you want to be change as you progress throughout college?

Who Am I?

I am graduating a year early (May 2021) and wondered if my outlook on life is shortchanged because I will have been attending college for only three years instead of four. I was curious to see if my outlook aligns more closely with the juniors or seniors, but I was also curious to see how our freshmen and sophomores are doing as well. Hence this series.

I explain more fully in part one the reason behind my shorter college experience, but basically, I took enough dual enrollment in high school to transfer into college as a sophomore. For a variety of reasons I did not, so now I am graduating as a junior.

Now Let’s See What Other Juniors Had To Say!

Keaghan Gray is a junior Political Science major with a National Security minor. Her original job goal was to be an Intelligence Analyst for an agency like the CIA or FBI. Now, three years in, she told me her ideas have shifted slightly and she would rather work in a thinktank under a foreign policy or national security field, and she is debating about graduate school. She has also been pleasantly surprised by the college experience. Education has taught her many lessons and forced her to grow in many ways. And finally she says that she, “would take more chances and push myself further out of my comfort zone.”

Next I talked to Junior English major with Communications and Writing minors, Lydia Barth. She feels like she has grown and changed so much since she entered college and that it has helped her to hone her skills and learn more about herself as a person. Her goal is to live on her own, publish a book, and have a job that she loves and she would like to remind you to not take your years at college for granted because they fly by. “Remember the time here, because you only have four years, and they go by so fast!”

I talked to Ashley Ostrowski next. She is also an English major and has said that she feels much more focused now than when she entered college but still is not tied to a particular job or title. College has helped her “become so much more self-sufficient, and I’ve matured quite a bit.” Ashley was actually an undeclared freshman her first year and did not declare English until her sophomore year. College is an excellent opportunity to explore subjects that interest you and it can help you figure out what you are passionate about and want to dedicate your time to studying. Ashley took some English classes and was hooked. 

Lastly, I talked to Scott Amon who is also a junior English major. (I guess English majors like answering surveys😊) However, Scott didn’t start out as an English major. For a while he was dead set on joining the CIA, but that changed after his first year. He is more interested in technical writing or becoming a paralegal now. When I asked him about growth from high school to college he said, “I look back on some of the papers I wrote and realize that I have grown a lot since my senior literature classes!” I hope you find that encouraging!

And finally, here is some advice from Scott, “I would say the two things I would tell my high school senior self is to worry less and expect my plans to change. Planning and being proactive is beneficial, but plans can change in a few short months let alone four years. As for worrying, I have found that it is pretty useless and often slows you down.”

To Sum Up

I have now talked to people who have gone through the same years that I have (freshman through junior). I am finding that I resonated deeply with the responses from the freshmen and sophomores. I was in their shoes last year or the year before. I can remember that I felt the same way they did. When you are not sure what you want to do but you are focused on enjoying my time at school, it is hard to think about your future. But, I also resonate with the juniors. I look back on my time here at school and realize it is almost over. I also can see how much I have grown. However, I do not have the luxury of one more year of college. This is it. My final countdown. Maybe my perspective lines up more with the seniors? Let us see what they have to say.

Growth In College

Throughout my college experience, I have changed and grown so much as a person. Although I am technically graduating this year, I am really a junior based on how many years I have been at school. Because I am finishing school faster than average, I sometimes feel like I have not had as much time to process my transition between high school, college, and adult life. So, I was curious to see in what ways others have changed throughout their college experience and see if an extra year would have made a difference in how I am approaching my transition into the working world. Hopefully, my findings will be helpful to anybody else considering a non-conventional approach to college.

 

A Bit About Me

If you did not see my story in the first part of this series, let me catch you up. I was homeschooled my entire life which allowed me to attend dual enrolled classes in my last two years of high school. I actually had enough college credit under my belt to enter college as a sophomore. Long story short, I did not transfer in, so I entered Grove City College as a freshman, but am graduating a year early. As my time at college draws to a close (I am graduating May 2021) I was curious to see how other student’s perspectives about school, college, and life have changed over time.

Asking Others to Share Their Stories

I reached out to some sophomores to help me answer this burning question: How has your perspective changed over your time as a college student? I wanted to know if they were roughly at the same stage I was at last year. Rachel Gray, an Elementary and Special Education major, told me that she has changed her major many times over her two years here. That often happens and can be a beautiful sign of change and growth in a person. Often when you graduate high school you are expected to know exactly what you want to do with your life but don’t actually know enough about yourself to decide.

Another sophomore, Emily Adams, a Computer Science major, answered my question a bit differently. She said, “I had grown up in high school, so I came here already grown.” This is a beautiful statement that many people probably haven’t felt comfortable enough to say, but it doesn’t minimize the importance of growth at all stages.

Nicole Switzer, a Music Education major, said that her “classes and homework assignments have helped me figure out more exactly of what I want to do when I graduate.” She had this piece of advice for prospective students, “Don’t be afraid to get involved!” She is so correct. Getting involved opens so many doors to experiences you never thought you’d have.

Lydia Joyner, a Biology/Health major with a BARS minor (Bachelor of Arts in Religion) reflected on her experiences. “It’s is definitely harder than I thought it would be—academically, emotionally, mentally, etc. It can be exhausting for me to try to keep up with all of the things happening. School is hard. Relationships, even with people you love, can be hard. Being away from home can be hard. But there are also really great things about college. I wasn’t expecting to make such good friends so quickly. I can honestly say that I’ve met my best friends here and have had the best experiences here.” I can say the same thing, Lydia! I love my friends here at college. College is an amazing opportunity to meet people you never thought you would meet.

Ellianna Fry, an Entrepreneurship major, says that while she did not have any specific ideas about what she wanted to do, she has been extremely happy as an entrepreneurship student. And while switching from high school to college was initially more challenging than she thought, Ellianna would not change her experience.

Finally, Elanor Lambert, a Biology/Health major, realized that while she initially thought she wanted to be an OBGYN, she realized that she preferred the privacy of the lab work she has been doing. College is such a good way to test out what you like and do not like. She spent a lot of time talking to professors, other doctors, and panels to help her make her decision. Finally, she said that she feels more “grown up” in some ways since leaving high school and not in others. And that is ok! College is an excellent time to try things out, figure out more about yourself, and enjoy the experience!

Concluding Thoughts

Although all of these students are on track for a four-year graduation date, all of them have learned a lot from going to college and experiencing new things. If you are considering college, Grove City College is an excellent place to try new and exciting experiences with new friends. Take the advice of these sophomores and do not be afraid to get involved; you never know what you might find.

Is College For You?

As you get ready to consider if college is in your future, you might find yourself asking questions about college can actually do for you. If you were like me, college was always in the cards, but you did not really know what you wanted to do. Or maybe you are like my brother. He is 16 and does not want to do college; he would rather become an apprentice and learn a trade. Or maybe you do know exactly what you want to do, you have your degree all picked out and you cannot wait for the first day of classes. I am not here to tell you if you should go to college or if you should do something else. All I am trying to do is paint a picture of what college might be able to do for you. There are so many opportunities at Grove City College and you will have so many chances to grow. You do not stay the same person from when you graduate high school to the time you enter the working world. Everyone’s path looks different. That is why I wanted to ask some students how their perspectives have changed over the years. How have they grown? What has a college experience shown them? Are they ready to graduate?

A Bit About Me

In order to understand my mindset about graduation, you need to know a bit more about me. I graduated high school in May of 2018 and started attending Grove City College in August of the same year. I entered college as an English major and have remained so over my years here, but that is not how it is for everyone.

I was homeschooled my entire life and split my time between my mother’s instruction and homeschool co-ops. For anyone who does not know what a co-op is, it basically is a group of homeschool families who get together once a week, pool their specialties and teach everyone’s children like regular school. Then the rest of the week, parents help their children complete the homework. When I reached my junior year of high school I started attending classes at our local community college for dual enrollment. This meant that I graduated high school with about 32 credit hours (or almost my associates degree).  I could have transferred into the College as a sophomore but my parents (and admissions counselor) felt that it would be more beneficial to enter as a freshman. I will not get into all the boring details, but essentially it meant that although I would enter as a freshman, I had enough credits under my belt to graduate a year early, as a junior.

The Point

I have asked some of our freshmen students to give me their perspectives on college. Although they have only been attending Grove City College for a year, so many of them have already grown and changed so much. Whether that be changing majors or simply solidifying their desire to attend college, these students are raring to go and are excited to spend the next few years at Grove City College.

Their Stories

Grant Baughman is freshman, class of 2024 student. He told me he is currently in the process of switching majors from Biology/Health to Exercise Science and adding a minor in Nutrition. He had a loose idea of what he wanted to do after school: physician’s assistant, and is now considering working with people on diet, exercise, and one day hopefully owning his own gym. Grant had an excellent piece of advice to give, “One thing that I wish I could have changed so far is not coming in with the mindset that this is going to be a breeze, because it isn’t. College really makes you think about what you want to do for the rest of your life. How much you put in you will get out of it. The hard work has to be there from beginning to end to really get something out of the college experience.” This is so poignant at any stage in life, but especially those considering school.

Next I talked with Ellis Shelton. She is an English major, also graduating 2024. Currently her job goal is editing for a publishing company. She has also really enjoyed getting deeper into her areas of interest with the classes she’s been taking. Creative writing and literature classes have only deepened her love for the subject and while she was originally worried about the work load, she has found it to be quite manageable.

Gianna D’Amato was the next student I interviewed. She is a freshman Bio/Health major and recently added a Biblical and Religious Studies minor (BARS minor). Since picking up a BARS minor, Gianna has been leaning towards working in the medical field but also incorporating ministry into her job as well which is an excellent example of how college can help you hone your dreams and ideas into a viable career. She has been learning so much and is excited to keep at it!

Lastly, I talked with Andrew Bergey. He is a freshman Electrical Engineering major with a Robotics minor. He is “look[ing] forward to continuing to learning, hanging out with, and just doing life with a group of my friends and peers. I’m not exactly sure what I thought college would be [like] but I wasn’t very surprised by how my experience has gone so far other than COVID of course. I have definitely enjoyed my time at college, I have a good group of friends and keep meeting new people.” He would tell you to not be afraid of getting involved with campus groups since there are so many unique groups available on campus!

A quick side note

All of the students I talked to throughout this four part series, when asked what they would change about their college experience, expressed a desire to no longer have to deal with COVID. However, not a single one of them has been resentful about this issue! All of them have expressed that it would be nice to return to normal someday but that they are still enjoying their time here and thriving despite the changes! So, if you are worried about not having a good time while in the midst of a pandemic, all of these students have something to tell you!

Often, college campuses get caught up in the thrill of sports teams. Sports are constantly talked about among the students, faculty, and are even brought up in campus wide emails. This is true for any college but especially Grove City College. Now, I’m not saying sports are bad. Many people love sports… I just don’t happen to be one of those people. I’ve never been very competitive so I don’t tend to participate in sports nor am I very athletically inclined. Frankly, I’m terrible at almost every sport.

So, what is there left to do on campus? If you and your friends don’t want to participate in the sporting events, is there even a place for you at Grove City College?

Of course there is! I’m here to tell you that you do belong here. Just because sports take the spotlight doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways for your passions and hobbies to be utilized and explored on campus.

Here are a few ideas

Have you heard about our ceramics department? If you take a class or become a student worker, the studio is open for your use. Some of our students have spent countless hours creating beautiful pieces in our studio. Or you can learn from our drawing masters here on campus.

We also offer classes in things like racquetball, karate, and ballroom dancing. There is the bowling alley. There is recreational swimming (if you want exercise).

Ceramics or art not your thing? Or you’d rather not pile more classes onto your already packed schedule? Or you don’t want to do anything related to sports?

Clubs:

Well, we have a theatre department that would love to see you showcase your skills! (Even if you aren’t an amazing actor or singer, we could use you! There is no small part, just small(er) actors!)

We have amazing writing clubs and organizations. Check out The Echo or The Quad our two literary magazines. We also have The Fireside Poet Society which showcases the hidden poetic talents of our students.

There are countless other organizations and clubs. Have you heard about the Adopt A Grandparent Society or have you considered writing for the Collegian (the campus newspaper)? We also have outdoorsy clubs, a Quidditch team, and dancing clubs.

We even have political clubs! Check out both the Republican and Democrat clubs, especially if you aren’t sure where you land on politics.

Sororities and Fraternities are always an option if you want to form a close bond with likeminded people

Free Fun:

Have a board game (or card game) night. Bake some goodies in one of our dormitory kitchens! Reserve the firepit for a sing-along or scary story night… or just to hang out and chat around a fire.

Bring a hammock and tie it to a tree. Spread a blanket out in the grass to either study or lounge on. Some of the best times can come from lying quietly in nature with friends.

But say you already have a group of friends and need something to do together. You don’t see anything you like?

Create Your Own Club

Feel free to make up your own club! It’s a simple process. All you need to do is check out the Crimson Handbook for the instructions on how to form an official club. Too much hassle? You can form an unofficial club!

You don’t have to be involved in sports to have a fulfilling time here on campus. Whether you want to participate in sports or attend sporting events is entirely up to you. There is so much joy to be found in attending the events and cheering on our teams but if that isn’t your cup of tea, why don’t you try out some of the things I suggested?