Alex G. & Penny L.
Photography by Athina’s Lens (@athinaaaslens)
If you’re reading this, trust the journey – it’s worth every moment.
As my four years as an undergraduate student come to an end, I find myself thinking about how quickly it all went by. The countless memories begin to rush in: late nights at Bobst or at home studying for exams, Friday nights somewhere in the Lower East Side with my best friends after a long week, and the moments in between when we sat in silence, stressed over the scores we had just gotten back. At the time, it felt normal, and now they feel like everything.
Somewhere between all of that, I spent a lot of time trying to find that “balance.” Balancing the pressure of being a STEM student with the life happening outside of it, balancing expectations with reality, balancing who I thought I had to be with who I was still becoming. Somewhere along the way, I began to understand what it meant when the lyrics said, “things I once enjoyed just keep me employed now.” There were times that I felt like I was falling behind, and I thought everyone had it figured out but me – that couldn’t be further from the truth. We are still learning, and we are doing it together. We were truly never meant to have it all figured out. I had to learn that the hard way sometimes, navigating people who only wanted to share in my successes rather than support my growth. But even those connections taught me exactly what I deserve, and how to outgrow environments that weren't meant for me. That growth does not come from having all the answers now, but from learning how to keep pushing forward.
I leave this chapter with so much to be grateful for – the friendships that carried me through and the ones that taught me valuable lessons, the challenges that pushed me further than I thought I could go, and the version of myself that I found along the way. NYU gave me more than I ever expected; it taught me how to keep up, slow down, and how to exist somewhere in between. I know that this isn’t the end, but there is a quiet sadness in knowing that there will be a last time for all of it; whether it's the last walk home from the library, the last Protein Biochemistry lecture, or even the last undergraduate final exam.
Wherever life takes us next, I hope we hold onto the balance we spent so long trying to find, as something we are still learning to build. I will not forget, and I hope you do not either, how far we have come. It wasn’t easy nor perfect, but it was worth it.
Alex G., New York University
As my four years at NYU are coming to a close, I think about all of the moments, memories, and experiences that have shaped my college experience, and how all of these collective moments have created a mosaic of my beautiful story in New York City. Many times, I often doubted myself and doubted the chapters that were unfolding in front of me. I felt out of place, too far behind, too far out of my comfort zone, confused, lost, scared, and unsure if these were the pieces of the puzzle that really belonged to me. Is this my story? How can I be sure that I’m heading in the right direction?
Here at the end of the line (figuratively and literally, take the subway!), I can confidently say that every single trial and tribulation I experienced in college had a purpose, and was a part of the larger mosaic I was slowly building. One of my favorite stories of all time is that of the Prince of Egypt. If anyone has had the pleasure of viewing this animated movie, you would know that one of the songs in the movie is called “Through Heaven’s Eyes.” Now, religious or not, the message of this story is that you (as an isolated individual) can never see how the path of your story looks from the bird’s eye view. From our very egocentric first-person view, it is often impossible to see what the universe has in store for us, how every moment will lead us to the next, and that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. It is even harder to see that everything will absolutely fall into place - exactly as it is meant to be. That failed exam, the new territory, and every scary new opportunity are only a small piece of the larger picture. Every hard moment I have experienced has led to a better day, a more exciting opportunity, a new chance, a lifelong friend, an unforgettable experience, and the most perfect memories I could never have seen coming.
So, trust yourself, and trust that your journey is your own. You are crafting your own beautiful, messy, and ever-evolving story - so enjoy the process. After four years of laughter, fear, excitement, anxiety, love, and countless memories, I know that every moment has led me to this: the chance to finally look back and be filled with an abundance of joy as I see the story I have created, and the story my friends and family helped me write. So, trust yourself, keep going, and enjoy it - it truly does fly by. Good luck! You won’t need it.
Penny L., New York University
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