Less then a week from today I will be starting my last year of Villa Maria College, entering as a 17-year-old adolescent, but leaving as an adult ready to confront the challenging world of graduate school and employment. These last three years have been some of the best I’ve ever had. Learning more then I thought I would. Not only have I gained the education to help me with my career I have gained so much more. I have learned what I need to do in life to succeed, how hard I need to work to get where I want to go.

I’m working towards my degree in graphic design. When I started school, I thought that the only thing that mattered was how good I was at design, that changed fast. It so much more then that, work ethic being up there in importance. No matter how many good ideas I had it didn’t matter if I didn’t spend enough time on it to execute it properly.

The excitement I get when I see a project finished was all the push I needed to keep going. Ever have a serious need for chocolate? Or maybe a taco? Now imagine that feeling, but instead of wanting food, you want to create something. All of these ideas floating around in your head; it a rush! Having a feeling of pure excitement and inspiration is something I’m not sure how to explain, unless you’ve experienced it. The overwhelming moment of when an idea strikes, then seeing it finished. That was my drive, discovering how to get my work ethic was the best thing that came out of these past three years.

College is an experience. It’s a place where you become a well-rounded, knowledgeable individual. It is a time to find yourself. You’re exposed to a wide variety of ideas and subjects, and what your strengths and weaknesses are. You’re able to put yourself out there, try new things, and develop lifelong relationships. So a piece of advice, don’t just focus on the classes make sure your getting the whole experience.