The Best 4 Years
College…the place where we come to equip ourselves with the necessities of our dream careers. College…the place where we make life-long connections and ones that will hold deep truths. College…the place where we come to begin a foundation for our adulthood. There's so much wrapped up into, what everyone calls the best 4 years of your life.
My time at Mizzou was spent between two colleges. They’ve empowered me to enter my dream field as a marketer and pursue my love of writing. On May 12th, 2024 at 9 am I received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in marketing and a Digital Marketing certificate from the Trulaske College of Business. But you know my efforts always come with something a little extra. I also received a minor in Journalism from one of the top journalism programs in the country, The Missouri School of Journalism.
Now, I could continue with stories of long nights and hardship through every course. But that wouldn’t accurately depict my college experience, and it’s redundant. College is much more than the lessons we learn through our academic trials. College is about the summation of lessons that we learn during the most transformative years of our lives. We leave back our teens to enter our 20s and meet the real version of adulthood after we cross the stage.
College is marked by the moments of those who filled our everyday thoughts, but may only exist in memories from this point on. It’s signified by the new paths that we explore and commit to. It holds tales reserved as funny moments and cautionary tales that we’ll share with future generations.
I can’t thank God enough for the people I'm leaving this unique environment with. Some that I talk to every day and others that I have no doubt will be there when I need them. I came across friends that I clicked with instantly and passionately. A true platonic love story. Some of them have proven they’re here for the long haul and others have been pulled away to explore solo conquest. Cause that’s what you learn in these 4 years, some will leave but the ones you can grow with are meant to stay.
Despite the losses, I could never let that overwhelm me. The love I’ve found and continue to nurture will always outweigh the hurt.
I’ll be honest I came into college with a certain level of ignorance. New encounters revealed challenges outside of my scope of thought. After hearing the journeys of others, I’ve not only begun to cherish mine more but also carry more empathy in my heart. Some of us came from different starting points but we all worked to the finish line, that’s the graduation stage. We were presented with obstacles that our peers may or may not have been familiar with but we leaned on each other for support.
The University, itself, didn’t present itself as a home to me beyond the physicality. It was the spaces that were created in the name of prevailing, that gave me comfort and support. The organizations that carved out spaces for those who looked and felt like me. The later years of my college experience would have been nothing without organizations like Mizzou Black Creatives. A space for me to share my passions and a place where I’d know I’d find genuine support.
One of the greatest gifts of this experience was my journey into my passion. Although not directly correlated to my class work, I doubt I would have ended up in this position. “Talks too much” was riddled over my report cards in my early school days and eventually it manifested itself in my journey of becoming a writer. My gift of gabbing was once used to tear me down. Now I use that voice to influence positivity, growth, and comfort. I’ve been surrounded by individuals who value and praise my talkative nature. I used to question this innate characteristic, but now I’m comfortable with letting it define me. I know that it’s going to be what leads to greatness.
The college experience offers you the adventure of exploring and experimenting. This experimentation can lead to new-found identities or life-leading lessons. It’s taught me more about myself and about understanding others.
Without the aura of freedom and creativity brewing around me, I wouldn’t have the courage to spark something that feels insanely natural and fulfilling. Now I get to embark on my professional joys in the world of digital marketing, as I begin my role as a Digital Consultant. Continuing to pour into my identity as a writer and community advocate is the cherry on top. I can’t wait to see how they blend to create something beautiful.
We find freedom in this place full of potential. Freedom to make our own choices is one of the biggest selling points of attending a University that’s far from home. We find great satisfaction in not having to listen to our parents anymore. The freedom to decide is so glorious at first. Staying out all night; doing things you probably shouldn't have. But the freedom to decide applies to it all. It’s relevant in the frivolous choices but it’s even more important in the choices that could change your life. You have to find a balance between overthinking and being careless. I don’t think I’ve mastered this; I’d argue I’m still a novice. However, I’m learning how to be more thoughtful with every decision letting both my mind and heart guide me.
At the end of it all the best 4 years of my life are a colorful blend of memories and lessons that have led to one understanding. Take life seriously, but don’t forget to allow enough freedom to try something new, because that something new may be the biggest trademark of you.
Writer: Allie Davis
Photographer: Indiglow Productions
May 16, 2024
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