By Jackie Glosniak
September 4, 2013
Well, it’s that time of year again! The sun is shining on a hot, 90-degree day, friends are meeting up again after a long summer of work and vacation, and the calendar squares of school planners are spilling into the margins with information overload.
It’s the time when summer is not quite over yet, but already we are writing down homework assignments and starting to feel overwhelmed with pressures from work and school. Yes, friends, it is the start of a new school year at Dominican University, and I could not be more excited.
As I was sitting in my dorm room the evening before classes started, it finally hit me that the following morning would indeed be my last first day of school at Dominican. Three years worth of committee meetings, nights balancing laundry and essays and socializing in the residence halls have all boiled down to the pinnacle moment of the night before my senior year begins.
Senior year, where the heck did you come from? It feels like just yesterday I met my first friends at SOAR and was living the good life on Cough 3. Looking back, I certainly have done so much, but during those brief moments of reflection, it seems as though I have simply blinked and college has passed me by.
Before my 400-plus seniors and I cross that stage in May and receive that coveted diploma, there are a few things that I would like to remind the class of 2014 to do before graduation day.
Avoid catching the ever-contagious senioritis! Nothing is worse than giving up on doing homework in mid-October and then having to play catch-up the week before finals. Speak up in your classes and get your opinions out there in the open! You’re most likely paying an arm and a leg in tuition and book fees, so why not get the most out of your professors and time in the classroom?
Try to rekindle your school spirit flame! Remember the excitement you felt the first time you threw your Dominican t-shirt on and could not believe that you were actually a college student? Go catch a soccer game this fall and a basketball game in the winter! What’s the college experience without experiencing the excitement of a win with the athletes and spectators?
Enjoy all our splendid campus has to offer! Senior year does not mean you have to join every single campus group you’ve never had the chance to, but it does mean you should take advantage of as many campus events as you can!
Several campus organizations, both in the residence halls and those academically affiliated, hold multiple events throughout the months including movie nights, gaming contests, and comedy shows. I understand we all lead very busy academic and social lives, but again, if your tuition is indirectly paying for the sponsorship of these activities, you might as well get your money’s worth! Plus, there’s only so much fun you can have at your home or dorm room, so why not venture out to an activity and meet new people and grab some free food?
For all the underclassmen out there, it is never too early to create a bucket list of things to do during your college years. The time goes by way too quickly, and you don’t want it to be in April of your senior year and you’ve never attended any on-campus event or felt as though you haven’t made one contribution to the university.
I know that I will enjoy every day as it comes, because I will never have an undergraduate college experience again. I want to stay as involved as I can not only for myself, but also for the good of the students.
It is my hope that serving as a Resident Assistant and one of the Editors-in-Chief will help me serve as an informer, allow students to have an effective an outlet for expression, and most importantly, garner long-lasting friendships that will always remind me that the long nights and late-night talks were worth it. Have a wonderful year everyone, and remember to become an avid reader of the Dominican Star!