Courtesey Jean Weinberg Jean Buttermore Weinberg, left, poses with Kristin Berg (COL ’01).
College is the best four years of your life! That is a lot to live up to, and we have all heard it a million times. Trying to sum up your college experience is almost as difficult as attending all your classes in the spring of your senior year.
When I thought about writing a senior Viewpoint, I couldn’t help but reflect on the diversity of my four years here. I started out as a runner on the track team and then decided I would have to leave that in order to pursue my other passion: journalism.
It started pretty harmlessly. I went to one news meeting and was asked to write a story about students’ opinions on then-President Bill Clinton (SFS ’68). But after a few stories I realized I loved writing news and working for The Hoya. The decision to leave track at the end of my freshman year for The Hoya (not to be dramatic) changed my life. It’s funny how some little things you do or do not do along the way can greatly influence who you are and the kind of person you become. That was maybe the scariest part about leaving: I had to seek out some other identity, some other thing that defined me. Perhaps I would have to actually look inside myself and figure out who I really was. I wish I could tell you that I had figured it all out, but at least I am getting there. My one decision to join The Hoya changed my life. Because of my passion for journalism, I want to become a reporter.
This all points to one thing: You can never predict what will happen in life until you are out there doing it, and despite change being a scary thing, it not only is necessary but also is a great thing about life. How much fun would it be if you knew where, when and how the rest of your life would unfold? The beauty of college is that for the first time you can make real decisions and do not have anyone who can really mandate your behavior. Moreover, for most of us as the four years wore on, our parents gradually became our friends and were no longer simply the ones who set your curfew or told you what your allowance was.
College brings change, excitement and a lot of fun. A little belief in yourself and support from the people around you goes a very long way. I would like to express to everyone embarking on the experience that they should try everything. I don’t have any regrets about my time here at Georgetown, and I honestly think that everyone’s time at Georgetown is different but amazing at the same time. At Georgetown, I fell in love for the first time, wrote my first news story, ran a marathon and attended some classes in between. But each experience lent itself to other new things and brought new emotions and adventures.
As far as advice goes, it is certainly easier to give it than to take it. Nevertheless, I really learned to be open to new things and people because one of the greatest things about Georgetown has been the new experiences and friendships. I started out reluctant to leave New York City, but after my four years at Georgetown, I realized that being somewhere new leaves so much room to grow. It also provides a lot of space for you to recognize your own dreams and to see what it is that really drives you.
Jean Buttermore Wienberg is a senior in the College and a former news editor and member of The Hoya’s Editorial Board.
