I’M ALIVE! I swear.
I know I haven’t been updating this blog as much as I have in the previous years, but upon entering senior year, my days have been fully booked from the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep. In all honesty, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
ONE MONTH. I repeat, 30 DAYS until my graduation day. I cannot even begin to describe to you all the thoughts that keep entering my head on a daily basis and all the stress/excitement/depression/happiness that has accompanied it. There’s an indescribable feeling to being a senior, especially if you know that getting your MBA/masters is farther down the line. I wake up every morning, counting down the days I have left while pretty much reminiscing on everything I see and everywhere I go. Even though it’s hard to pinpoint which exact Temple moments and experiences have made an impact on my life, I’ve narrowed it down to 5. I apologize in advance for the really sappy posts that will be spamming my blog over the next couple weeks, but I’m pretty much over with the best 4 years of my life. How can I not be sappy?!
1. Becoming a Temple University Owl Ambassador (Tour Guide)
Everyone has that one job or position in college that automatically makes them more outgoing or comfortable at their own school, and for me, this was EXACTLY that. I became a tour guide the March of my freshman year, and after being selected from a very large pool of other student’s, I’ve felt on top of the world. Okay, maybe not to that extent entirely, but I’ve definitely gained so many memories these past 4 years from choosing to have a job that leaves me smiling on a daily basis. I’ve created an unbreakable bond with my other 25 tour guides, and have gained the strength to public speak in any and ALL situations. Speaking in front of large crowds has become natural to me, and getting to do it with some of my friends is just a cherry on top. The fact that I leave parents and potential students happy and excited when choosing the path for their next 4 years of their life is just a small added bonus.
2. Having the biggest sleepover with my best friends every. single. day.
Everyone is going to tell you that the friends you meet in college are your best friends forever, but coming out of a high school where very few of us stayed in touch, I had less hope in this aspect. However, I thought wrong. From freshman year until now, I was able to create some of the best bonds that I know will be around in my life forever. After meeting 3 amazing girls my freshman year, we’ve lived together from sophomore year until now, and I couldn’t thank them enough for giving me some of the best memories. Constantly having a sleepover with your best friends means impromptu trips for pizza at 2am, netflix-binges all day on Sundays, and even daily midnight life venting sessions. College friendships are the perfect combination between seriousness and laziness.
3. Getting a glimpse into the future through multiple internships
The real world is around the corner, they said. The real world is a scary place, they said.
Well, they were right. Being only a month away from it now, it had always seemed so far away throughout college. You go to class everyday thinking you’ll never REALLY have to use this in the future, only to be left in front of your computer at your first internship being told to analyze data. Yesssss, it happens! But from the data analyzing at Independence Blue Cross to the client meetings I attended at JWT, I’ve learned to grow professionally and intellectually through every internship. If you would have asked me 5 years ago if I would interning in New York for a summer, I would have replied with an OF COURSE, only to have my heart sink and cringe at the thought of being in that city all alone. I did it, however, and I survived it and fell in love with a city that I hope to venture back to someday.
4. Establishing relationships with diverse classmates
Diversity University is the term I’d always hear about Temple before attending it, and it wasn’t until my very first week here where I fully understood where that came from. Tables and tents were set up with every type of ethnic, religious, and cultural club you could imagine; and believe it or not, I found other Egyptians much like myself (which was almost impossible in my small suburban town)! Through being an international business major as well, I’ve sat next to students of all nationalities and have always made an attempt to understand and hear of their experiences. Learning about other cultures has always been a goal of mine, especially since my culture is also much different than others. I’ve definitely felt like a more well-rounded person over the last couple years because of it.
5. Living in the city
Tons and tons of memories could go under this category, mainly because if you ask about a certain place downtown, I’ll most likely have been there before. Endless amounts of money have been spent exploring different restauraunts and areas and it never seems to let me down. Having downtown Philadelphia right in my backyard has always given me things to do and places to go, which has never left me bored. My favorite spots in Philadelphia change from month to month, so I may possibly detail these places in a later post! If I were to go back and have a second chance at choosing a university, I would have still chose Temple (and i’m not saying that because i’m an ambassador, I swear!). I fully found Philadelphia to be the most accompanying city to live in, and with the perfect mix of hustle and quiet time, the city has left me with memories and moments that I’ll remember forever.