I won’t be 22 ever again. I won’t work at The Rider ever again. I won’t see my roommate in the same apartment ever again.
Sofía Cantú Sauceda
As I sit in The Rider’s office for my last week at work, I know this is one of the last things I will write as a reporter.
Every week since spring started, I’ve been telling the editor-in-chief I wanted to write the last column of the semester.
I didn’t really know what I wanted to write about, but I knew that it had to be special for me. So now that I’m here writing, I want to tell you about how I feel about college.
As the spring semester comes to an end, my college years are also ending.
After four years, three major changes, two scholarships, one job and tons of assignments, I am feeling proud of myself but also sad about leaving UTRGV.
Every time someone brings up graduation, I tell them I can’t talk about it, in a joking way of course but, inside, it brings a weird feeling of uncertainty within me.
The fact that when, this is published, I will be 12 days away from walking on stage feels surreal. It makes me think about all the things I won’t be able to experience ever again.
I won’t be 22 ever again. I won’t work at The Rider ever again. I won’t see my roommate in the same apartment ever again. But even though I won’t be able to do this again, I’m happy I got to experience it all.
When I first started college, I didn’t fully understand how fast it would go. As an international student, everything felt new and kind of unfamiliar.
I was trying to figure out who I was while also trying to figure out where I belonged. There were moments where I doubted myself, where I felt out of place and where I questioned if I was doing the right thing.
But somewhere between changing majors, meeting new people and pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I started to grow into someone I’m proud of.
Being part of The Rider was one of those moments that changed everything for me. I had no previous experience, but Student Media believed in me and my potential.
Here, I got a space to tell stories, to connect with people and to find my purpose in a way I didn’t know I needed. It turned what felt like just a job into something meaningful.
This job gave me a new perspective that showed me what I wanted to do as a career.
If I could tell my freshman self anything, it would be to slow down. And I’m telling this to you, too: Slow down. Say yes to more opportunities, make more memories, stay a little longer in the moments that feel small but end up meaning everything.
In the end, it’s not just about the degree, the “A” on an assignment or an honors cord. It’s about the late nights, the laughter, the stress, the friendships and all the little memories that quietly shape who you become.
And now, as I get ready to walk across that stage, I still feel that uncertainty. But it’s different now. It’s not fear; it’s the feeling of stepping into something new.
I don’t know exactly what comes next–fingers crossed it’s a job–but I do know that everything I’ve experienced here has prepared me for it.
So this isn’t really a goodbye. It’s more a “hopefully, I’ll see you later” to the place that helped me become who I am today.
And I hope the time between today and Commencement slows down, so I can make more memories and keep those forever.
