JADA GORDON

EMBRACING “ EMBRACING „ THE UNCERTAINTY THE UNCERTAINTY

This farewell is the weirdest one I’ve ever had the pleasure to write. I write this in the midst of finals between writing papers, finishing an internship, and preparing for our virtual graduation due to COVID-19. This last semester was supposed to be the strong starting point for the lives and careers of 2020 seniors postundergraduate. However, if this pandemic has reaffirmed one thing to me, it’s that things don’t happen when you want them to occur. Life and the events surrounding it happen when they’re supposed to happen.

My experience at The City College of New York has been the college experience I was always searching for. I came to City College as a transfer student in my junior year in 2018 with a major in English Literature and minor in Journalism. I had previously spent two years at the Borough of Manhattan Community College studying Writing and Literature. However, imagine my bewilderment when I arrived at my first class flushed with nerves. The NAC building, with its post-modern/ brutalist architecture overwhelmed me, the classes were complex, and I was in the midst of reconsidering my line of work for the future. It all felt too real and I reverted back to feeling like a high school senior who felt had their plans thwarted. I transferred all of my knowledge, plans, and hope to another level of academia. It’s been a challenging two years academically and personally but an investment that I do not regret.

Being a student in the city, one of the tasks I’ve learned to master is multitasking. Juggling academia, attempting to start a professional career, and making time for a personal life continues to be a daunting task while stepping out of higher education. City College has helped me become better and balanced as a student and person. I would work mornings then come to class at night or vice versa. My professors at City College didn’t take pity, but they were supportive and understanding. My professors challenged me in a different way, built my way of thinking, and enhanced my work ethic. I’ve always been an overachiever and City College helped me reach the standards I had for myself and beyond. Joining The Campus, CCNY’s magazine, also encouraged me to flex my journalistic muscles. The writers, editors, and Editors-in-Chief were ambitious, creative, and knowledgeable. The Campus is the only campus club I’ve been a part of since I’ve arrived at City College. To be in a club that has helped me grow as a journalist puts my goals into perspective and shows me the value of teamwork.

By Jada Gordon

The true power of a student transitioning into life is like a snake shedding its skin. College is the last layer of security for students and we’re diving into a world that is increasingly uncertain. With the world becoming more divisive with each passing political spectacle and COVID-19 practically shutting the world down, issues seem to bog down people who consume media on a daily basis. I, as well as hundreds of other seniors, are feeling a great amount of pressure going into a world that doesn’t seem to have it all together. I still feel like I don’t have all the answers as I should, but nonetheless the real world is around the corner.

As much as I know I have the utilities and resources to go on, a part of me will always question, “What if I’m wrong? What if I’m not as equipped as I think I am?” However, if I knew all the answers to life and success then there would be no excitement in the journey. As a graduating senior, I’m realizing that it is okay to not be perfect and not to have all the answers. The journey is to discover these answers and build more insight as I go along. City College has educated and prepared me for the journey ahead professionally and personally. To question and observe every part of life is to build upon it a better foundation to grow.