I remember this like it was yesterday, my mother helped me move into my freshmen dorm and right before she left, she said one thing that stuck. She told me, “enjoy this time, it will go extremely fast.” I rarely admit when my mom is right, but man, was she right.
My experience coming to UNC Wilmington was vastly different from a majority of students. As I opened up my admission packet I was elated. Little did I know that my admission decision would be a first year spring admit (FYSA) for the class of 2019. I was crushed, and being the person I am, looked for a solution. I quickly discovered the UNCW at Maynooth University in Ireland study abroad opportunity (which was exclusively for FYSA students). To be completely transparent, UNCW was not my first choice of school, and I was intending on studying abroad and later transferring to a big state school my sophomore year.
I decided to come to UNCW because they were known for their sciences, which was perfect because I was set on being a physician assistant. I had my entire life figured out at the age of 19 with a clear plan of how to reach my goal. I walked into my first biology class with eager anticipation and within the first week of college, I said “never again”. I went straight to my academic advisor and discussed my options. My advisor suggested communication studies due to my personality and people fluency, and I thought, “perfect, a major for talking.”
Little did I know; Communication Studies is much more than just talking. Dr. Weber taught us in the first week of Com 105 that one can do virtually anything with a communication degree if they put their mind to it. For the first time, I felt like I made a really smart decision. Throughout my time majoring in Communication Studies, I have learned significantly more than about experiential life than a biology degree would have provided.
I have learned concepts beyond the classroom through the academia of Communication Studies. I have learned how to be an active problem solver, overall social awareness, how to get creative when time calls for it, and how to be a good person. I was miserable during communication theory, but it taught me how people tick and was one of the most valuable classes I have taken. I learned in my Integrated Marketing Communication classes how to market a company/ brand, but also learned the importance of overall self-brand awareness. Finally, I have learned how to prepare for the real world in my capstone. Despite my complete and utter fear to graduate, I know that my Communication Studies degree has prepared me for what is to come. All good things must come to an end, so enjoy your time here. Every. Single. Moment. Enjoy it because my Mom could not have been more correct. These four years will fly by.
–Alex Patton
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