This is the end

As we approach the end of the semester, I begin to realize how many important milestones people are reaching this time of year. Now that I think of it, almost everyone has a milestone to accomplish this season. The freshmen are about to finish their first year of college. And it will have seemed to have gone by so fast! The seniors are graduating and are about to step into what we call “the real world”. Many have accepted jobs or have made plans to continue their education. That’s a big step in their lives and they are going to be celebrating it very soon. In my case, my milestone is that I am almost exactly halfway done with my undergraduate education. It may seem like a small thing, but to me, it’s a constant reminder of how quick time may seem to pass if I don’t pay too much attention to it. The engineering “gen-ed” storm is almost over and I can almost see the end of my college education over the horizon. And despite how great college can be, I think I’ll enjoy wearing that cap and gown. I think the biggest milestone to be earned in the Stevens community belongs to the #futureducks. The class of 2021, then 2022, 2023, and so on. They are about to start their college career, many without knowing what they want to do with their lives. The best idea they got is that they think technology is cool and ducks aren’t the worst animals to have as a mascot. One may argue that stepping out of college and into the real world is a bit more significant than entering college, but I disagree. To this day, I firmly believe that High School is the worst preparation for college and life altogether. It has done nothing to prepare me for what I have experienced and will have experience here at Stevens. We do a good job of painting an accurate picture of the scary world out there, and the only significant thing I learned in High School was how to ignore people. The incoming freshmen will experience freedom and the journey to self-discovery all at once. If you ask me, that is one hell of a milestone. To the freshmen, I say be prepared for the storm and don’t go at it alone. To the graduating seniors, I wish you the best of luck. And to myself……damn, two more years.