By 
By: RACHAEL PITTMAN
Staff Writer
@RayTheTweeter
I have never been good at saying goodbye. That will probably never change. I don’t think college changed me as a person, but rather allowed me to understand who I am in the surrounding space of people who are different from me.
I’m not a super feminist, nor do I believe anything related to socialism will ever work in the U.S. I don’t believe that everything has to have physical evidence to be true, but I also out of the goodness of my heart believe that most people will manipulate to get what they want.
My ability to handle conflict is similar to nodding my head and agreeing to endure chaos. I know I don’t flip my lid if my feelings are hurt. I know I will always be versatile in skills from writing, retail, selling and shelling. Hey, I’m still determined to be a mermaid; I’ll have to know how to shell stuff.
So while I swim away from my problems in a simultaneous search for success, understand that what got me here was not putting people down, but rather pushing myself up. You are a sponge in your learning environment. You absorb everything from a class to a conversation at lunch. You absorb alcohol—off campus, after you turn 21, of course—and you absorb the people around you. You can absorb a bad attitude.
You can be successful if you make the sacrifices. I finished my degree in three and a half years while also changing my major. I spent some time in the United Kingdom. I spent a lot of time working, and the rest of that time I spent procrastinating on assignments. You do not have to be afraid of other people. Criticism is the most helpful thing from people you admire. If they didn’t care about you, they wouldn’t try to help you. I thank both of my editors for teaching me that. Find the people you want to be like and surround yourself with them and listen.
Career-wise, I don’t know what I will be pursuing. I have learned I am excellent at sales and that I am a natural born leader. More than anything I feel called to travel and help people. I’m going to Haiti in February and I am so excited to see what I can do to help. I also know I will always spend any time I have hanging out with my hubby-to-be.
Matt Bartley, I couldn’t have done any of this without you. I hope school is good to you for the next year or two. I’m so proud of you. September 23, 2016, will come quickly, but it will never be soon enough.
I have never been good at saying goodbye, but I wish you good luck. Bye, Felicias.
