Graduation: Bittersweet, a combination of the pleasant and painful. That is the word that comes to mind in relation to the events of this past weekend. Graduation is the mark of an amazing accomplishment, even if it is not representative of a perfect GPA. I made it through four rigorous years of school and somehow managed to pass all of my classes (thanks to the very large curve in some). There were times that I wanted to give up. There were times I wanted to go back to the comfort of my own quiet room at home. But now that all is said and done, I’m sure glad I stuck with it.

The path through college is not only a journey to finish classes and receive a degree, but one that allows for you to discover where your passions lie, so you can hopefully make a career out of them someday. College is also a voyage of the inner individual. A voyage that allows you to test the water in all aspects of life, create a new identity for some, and push the limits away from the person you once knew growing up. While you may run into situations that force you to break down, there are plenty more that build you back up. Now as a college graduate from UC Santa Barbara, a university not only recognized for its student’s social life but for their stellar performance in the classroom, I know that I have a strong foundation which I can continue to build the rest of my life upon.

As I took a minute to reflect on my balcony the evening of graduation I began to cry. Santa Barbara had allowed me to grow exponentially both as a student and as an individual. The friendships founded on the UCSB campus are ones that will stay with me forever. Leaving was probably one of the hardest things I have ever had to endure. I can only hope for a future that will bring me the same amount of enjoyment I received during my four years in college. I do not know where I will be in three months let alone a year, but I can assure you that the wonderful memories will keep me happy and allow me to say that I am blessed to be a Gaucho.