Going into college, I didn’t know what to expect. Prior to attending, the only thing close to having a college experience was watching those trashy movies depicting college as merely a “party central” with no real learning. However, my freshman year has been contrary to those stereotypes depicted through media, but rather has been a shockingly growing experience.
When I first began my journey at Gonzaga University, I remembered being really scared and nervous about several things. Including, not making friends and doing poorly in my classes. This year I have taken so many classes ranging from Religion to Organic Chemistry. These have been classes with specific subjects and topics rather than general high school classes. This has allowed me to be more engaged and passionate in each and every class I have taken. One class that has been a very big eye opener is my isms class which is an interdisciplinary course involving genderism, racism, and sexism. I have learned so much involving social justice issues and problematic aspects of our society today. This semester, I took 18 credits which at times was very overwhelming but has also allowed me to learn an immense amount on so many different topics. Attending college has allowed me in those ways to grow intellectually because of all the hard work I have had to put in as well as the subjects that I have taken. Many of those subjects did not just involve my major, but also came from the core curriculum at Gonzaga, which has helped me develop into a whole rounded person, with skills in multiple fields. Not only have my classes and subjects helped me develop intellectually and as an individual but so have my friends.
Within two weeks of attending Gonzaga, I made some of the best friends, that I believe I will have for life. Transitioning into a more independent life can be a stressful and scary situation. Having people to support you and be understanding can make a huge difference, especially if they are going through the same thing. I am able to meet new people almost every week, exposing myself to a whole range of individuals. Even though college is expensive, I believe it is still important to attend, not only in the sense that it exposes you to more opportunities, but it allows you to grow as an individual in many aspects.
I believe this is a relevant and interesting topic because all of us can relate to it. As we are all students attending an expensive University, I am sure we have all thought, is this worth it? Of course, it is important to note that in today’s society, the cost of attending a University is ridiculous. However, I think in order to discover whether or not it is worth it, one must reflect upon their experience so far. For me, I have only had positive experiences, which has only made it that much worth it. For others, they may have a completely different story. That is why I decided to write my essay as a reflection on my own experience because that gives the greatest credibility.