Liberal Arts Narrative Essay
As I am coming up on my last semester of college at bcc, I am faced with so many different emotions, and for so many reasons. I can’t lie and say I won’t be sad, because I am going to really miss the peers and professors that I have met, but I will forever cherish the opportunities given to me. Graduating with my liberal arts degree means so much, it means that I will be able to transfer and go into relatively any field that aligns with what I am looking for in my future. The last three years haven’t been the easiest but it has definitely made me who I am today. Without the liberal arts program, I don’t know if I would have been nearly as successful in college as I currently am. When applying for colleges I wasn’t like all of my friends; everybody else knew what they wanted whether it be a business major, or becoming a doctor or even going into the music field. That wasn’t the case for me, I was completely lost and had no clue what I wanted my future to look like. I wish I could go back three years ago and tell my past self that everything‘s gonna be ok and I’m gonna have it figured out.
At the beginning of my career at BCC, I was a fully online student, and I need to give a huge shout-out to Nell McCabe for giving me the confidence to go on campus and take an in-person class. I have taken at least one in-person class each semester since then and it has been the best decision for me personally. I have made a very good group of friends who I talk to daily from this one in-person class, which was art. I also have formed a pretty close relationship with the professor Lisa. I look forward to going to this class, and it’s the highlight of my week. It’s been about two years since I started going on campus and taking art classes. I have always loved art, but I was never that good at it, so I was nervous to be doing it at a college level. Lisa made it the most comfortable and inviting environment, where I was really able to express myself. I gained a lot of confidence in myself and in my art, and I learned to not take things too seriously.
Whenever I discuss my journey with the liberal arts program I never fail to mention the fact that I was given the opportunity to take courses that truly impacted me. Courses that I would have never had the time to take if I were in any other major. For example, my Developing Resiliency course. Although this was a course that lasted for half a semester, the things that were taught are forever in my mind and have really impacted my way of thinking. The concept that had the biggest impact on me was our Water-Level assignment. I tracked down all of the things that were reducing my resilience, and I had some common answers like poor eating habits. However, after sitting down and thinking of the things in life that were truly impacting me negatively, I was able to figure out that one of my jobs was causing my water levels to sink severely. It truly opened my eyes to the idea of prioritizing self-care, and, I felt the biggest piece of self-care I could give to myself was the relief of not having to work there anymore. I was able to build up the courage to actually quit! This strategy specifically has restored balance and resiliency in my life.
If I could go back to my senior year of high school and tell myself one thing, it would be that I do not have to plan my whole entire future at 20 years old. The liberal arts program not only prompted and prepared me for any field that I could go down but it has made me more confident in myself to be able to plan my life, and not worry myself on whether or not I’m going to succeed. In these three years, I’ve learned enough about who I am and what I want. I can confidently say that I am graduating in the spring, with a GPA of at least 3.7, and in the honors program. I know my success came with many bumps in the road, but I am extremely thankful for the experiences I was given, and the lessons that were taught. The community college has not only given me the opportunity to stay local to my loved ones, but it also has allowed me to be able to save money for my future goals, and for that, I will forever be thankful.
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