Made in China: Change is bittersweet

As we are almost halfway through the spring semester at MSU, I’m getting to the part in my college career where I’m starting to get sentimental. I know I’m going to miss the things I once complained about while I dread entering adulthood in a few months.

As I am on the job hunt and contemplating the different pros and cons of each opportunity, I’ve come to the harsh realization that I’ll never have another summer break, winter break or spring break. Unless I was going to become a teacher, I might have chosen the wrong occupation.

But regardless of the month and week-long breaks, I think one thing I’ll miss is all my friends and the connections I’ve made in the MSU community. As someone who loves sharing other people’s stories and strangers turning into lifelong friends, MSU has given me some of the best memories. 

Although it is still a few months away, I am anxious in the anticipation of graduation. Since I graduated high school in 2020, our commencement ceremony was canceled. I remember watching my name get called on a Youtube live stream as my yearbook photo faded to black. Not receiving full closure to a big chapter in my life left me with feelings of uncertainty. 

This lingered into my freshman year of college at MSU too. No in-person events, no celebratory orientation and no sporting events. This was a difficult time for me as an extrovert trying to make connections in a time of distance. 

Joining The Reporter has been the biggest highlight of my college career. As a reporter, your job is to talk to people, hear their stories and share them with the world. I’ve quickly learned that not only is it an important job, but it is also so fulfilling when you realize how impactful your words have on someone.

Since my time here, I’ve had many challenges to overcome. Oftentimes I wonder if I am speeding too quickly through a precious time in my life. However, as someone who never let up on the gas and took any and every class possible, I am going to spend the last few months of my time at MSU cherishing every moment of it.

Write to Julia Lin at julia.barton@mnsu.edu