Looking back: a reflection on my time at VCU

Kimberley Glascoe

Columnist

As graduation inches closer, so do anxiety, excitement and those pesky little butterflies. Like most May graduates, I cannot wait to walk across the stage when my name is called, toss my cap into the air and turn the page to the next chapter of my life.

When I think about VCU and what it has given me over the past four years, my feelings are a raw concoction of bittersweet appreciation.

I come from a small town northwest of Richmond. When we got off of I-95 on move-in day, pulled up to Rhoads Hall and saw the endless amounts of students, parents and carts, I wanted nothing more than to turn my dad’s gray Dodge Ram around and head for the hills.

I hated it. I’ve never been one to like too much change, and I was cultureshocked.

But as the days went on, I warmed up to the city and began to love and appreciate the urban atmosphere and odd niches. Through living communities and the vast number of student organizations on campus, it’s possible to make an amazing number of friends. If it wasn’t for the friends I made, my new life in Richmond would’ve been much harder.

The No. 1 thing VCU has taught me is that change is a necessary evil.

I wouldn’t have been able to grow into the person I am today if it wasn’t for the accepting, non-judgmental environment. If VCU didn’t have such a plethora of diversity, it wouldn’t be as great of a school as it is.

I learned to spread my wings here, and being here made me feel like it was OK to always be me, no matter what. That simple freedom led to an extraordinary personal growth, one shared not only by me, but by each and every graduate to walk upon that stage.

Even if you feel as if college didn’t expand you academically in the manner you wished, just by value and virtue of being here, it personally taught you something. We came to VCU with unanswered questions, hoping to find ourselves, and some leave with more answers than we ever expected. College is a joy ride, so try to hold on and enjoy it while it lasts.

On May 12, I won’t be troubled with thoughts of an unfriendly job market, the cost of my student loans or whether I could have done better. The only thing I will be focused on is not tripping and falling when I hear my name. We should take life lessons a day at a time. Don’t rush to be grown, and don’t pretend to have all the answers.

I will leave VCU as a class of 2012 graduate feeling whole, unburdened by the realm of academia and unbroken by workloads. I received more than enough of my share of a full college experience and the knowledge that I needed to help me succeed in my future endeavors was just a bonus.

If I got another chance to do it all over again, I would. Although the transition and journey were frightful, being a VCU Ram was the best decision for me.