As the spring semester is well underway, the seniors at The College World have reflected upon their last seven semesters at Adrian College. Below is a culmination of our thoughts as we head into the final semester of our undergraduate careers. Whether accounts of our time with The College World or our college experience as a whole, we hope you can learn from our individual journeys as you progress throughout your own unique educational path.
Danielle Craft:
My time at Adrian College has been nothing short of amazing. I came here scared of a new start and being so far from my family back at home. It wasn’t long before this place turned into my home, and I made great friendships that felt like family. Just like anything else, I’ve had my obstacles here with many different things. However, I wouldn’t trade my experiences over the last four years for anything. I’m not sure what I’m going to do without runouts, the Caine slide, or bruiser. This place has offered me so many great times, and it’s so bittersweet that it’s coming to an end. But I am soon off to start the next chapter of my life, which I hope will be just as exciting as this one. Adrian College has a special place in my heart and always will. Forever a bulldog.
Ryan Cuddy:
Improving my writing skills, being able to write intriguing stories around campus, and gaining crucial skills that will help me down the road in writing are just a part of what The College World has done for me. There are not many places like Adrian College, and being such a relatively small campus, the real-world experience that every student can get is unmatched to any other liberal arts college. Being a journalism minor, what The College World has done for me personally is almost like a debt that I will never be able to repay. One of the biggest, if not the biggest thing to get a job in journalism is having experience in interviewing and writing actual stories that can be shown to employers. This being my third semester writing for The College World, my skills have grown exponentially in interviewing and writing overall. Through repetition, practice, and writing stories, I have seen my work improve over time.
Another great part about being in the college world is the people that you get to interact with on campus. From professors, coaches, and even other students, you get to make connections and friendships that you otherwise maybe would not have. For me personally, the best part of my school week comes from the time when The College World meets every Monday night to discuss stories that have already been written and potential stories that could be made. The experience, growth, and friendships made through the College World are things that I am truly grateful for, and whether you’re a journalism minor or not, it is something that everybody should try and experience.
Jayme Hein:
As my time at Adrian College comes to an end, there are so many memories that continuously run through my mind. Whether it be move-in day my freshman year where my roommate became one of my best friends, sophomore year when COVID hit and I made some of the best memories in the dorms, or junior year where I moved into my sorority house and had some of the best experiences, or senior year where I thought about how bittersweet it was to leave Adrian College.
The one thing that I’ve learned throughout my four years is that college shapes everyone in different ways, and truly builds you into the person that you are supposed to be. There is no place like home, and I have never felt more at home than I do when I’m at Adrian College. Spend your time working hard, having fun, and making memories- it’s going to go by faster than you could ever imagine.
Ethan Krupp:
As a high schooler, I wanted to devote my life, bank account and more to an institution that would further my education and personality. Four years will fly by, especially when they are rudely interrupted by multiple COVID outbreaks. A sickness that took me out of the classroom, off of the lacrosse field, and away from the relationships I just began to create. Above all the hardships, I pushed myself. I learned to value life, time, and memories because it’s all too precious. I stayed involved, joined a fraternity, continued to play lacrosse, stayed on top of academics and got to know new people.
The Adrian College difference, for me, was the community support and willingness to come together and bring college back to its peak. When approaching all peaks, there are barriers. Memories, friendship, and hard work will make breaking through the barriers bearable, but the next time you find yourself face-to-face with an obstacle, you will be stronger.
Never underestimate the journey! It will build your character and lead you to new opportunities.
Helena Mazzarella:
Those who did not participate in a school-sponsored sport growing up understand the imbalance between school, life and athletics. If you participated in a sport not affiliated with a school, your life likely revolved around a carefully curated schedule in which you could seamlessly transition from one event and location to the next. The ability to manage what, at times, seemed like two completely separate lives often resulted in the word “no” being necessarily overused. “No, I can’t join that club because I have practice at that time.” “No, I can’t go to practice because I have to take the SAT.” However, I have learned from being a student-athlete that you can replace “no” with “yes.”
Adrian College is one of the few schools in the United States where Synchronized Skating is considered a varsity sport. In addition to experiencing the varsity sport lifestyle for the first time, it meant that academics and athletics worked alongside versus against each other, and I found myself saying “yes” to a lot more. I urge each person to say “yes” and commit to new activities beyond those that are mandatory. Join a club— maybe even more than one! Give the research presentation. Hang out with a different friend group. Take a class outside your major. You never know what opportunities a simple “yes” will open up.
We are often confined to the limits of our own comfort, taking only the classes within our major, hanging out with our select group of friends, and watching rather than giving a presentation. However, why would you want to walk away from your four years in undergrad wishing you had done more? Within my four years, I switched my major, added a minor, joined clubs, held an internship, studied abroad, worked on-campus and participated in varsity athletics.
Before college, I mostly participated in activities that were mandatory, rarely expanding beyond the courses, clubs, and extracurricular activities I already believed I was interested in. However, I have realized that process in which you go about saying yes to new experiences is an opportunity in itself. Not only have I been able to experience more, but I have also found new passions and developed meaningful relationships along the way.
The College World 