Senior Year: Another Time for Changes

by Rachel W.

The beginning of the end.

To say that becoming a senior in college can be overwhelming is an understatement.  There are so many emotions that flood my heart when I think about this being my senior year:  happiness, sadness, stress, and relief.  The thought that next year at this time I will hopefully be working hard in the Social Work field gives me so much pride and so much fear.  I have worked hard to make it this far and will continue to work hard the rest of the year.  It just hard to imagine that in a few short months, I'll walk across the stage and make the transition from student to alumni.

Ferrum has been a second home for me since I moved in freshman year.  I have been involved in clubs and organizations from the first time I attended the famed club fair.  In my first three years, I have proudly served as President of the Social Work Club, and I have been involved in the Lions Branch Club, the Leadership Fellows Program, and many other service learning programs as well as being a mentor.  However, when you become a senior, a lot of things change.  My classes are very demanding and I have an internship that takes up almost all of my spare time.  One of the most important things I've learned already this semester is how to say "no."  Knowing when to say "no" and taking a step back from extra-curricular activities is important.  It's hard not to be heavily involved in clubs and organizations, but the truth is that I have so much going on this year, I would be spreading myself too thin if I tried to be as involved as I have been in the past and that would be unfair to myself and the organizations I'm involved in.  I can thankfully be involved in the Social Work Club as a member and attend activities as much as possible, but now I don't have to run meetings, make agendas, and do all the behind-the-scenes stuff that goes on in managing a club.

The other really cool part is that I get to, in a sense, mentor the current president of the Social Work Club.  I am here to help answer any questions or help fix any problems.  I'm not leaving a club to start over or remake connections that have already been made throughout my time here. It's really awesome!  It's also really awesome to see the changes and new project the club is already talking about! It's something I can take pride in knowing that the club will thrive long after I'm gone!