Bucknell is a place of opportunity. Looking back at my path through these last four years, it feels as though my spur-of-the-moment decisions have consistently made the most impact on my experience here. In reflecting on my time, I’d like to talk about a few of these spontaneous moments that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

The first began at the Club Fair on Dent Drive. I remember making a classic first-year mistake and signing up for every club that remotely sparked my interest. As I walked out of the blocked-off street, someone at one of the last tables yelled at me. Having already committed myself to half of the school, I figured there was no harm in signing up for one more organization. That club, Beyond Unison, has fundamentally shown me who I am and has changed the entire landscape of my time here. Through this group, I have had the opportunity to witness the sheer talent of my classmates, maintain a healthy creative outlet, and, most importantly, make lifelong friends.

Another unexpected decision I made was to join the Chi Phi Fraternity. Coming into college, I had no intention of joining Greek Life. After meeting two senior members of Beyond Unison who were also in Chi Phi, I decided to give it a shot. This organization has provided me with brothers that motivate me to work harder and spend more time with those I love. Whether it’s a movie night with my roommates or grilling at a friend’s downtown house, I will never regret the time I’ve spent with the friends I’ve met through this group. The men of this organization truly inspire me and have shown me what it means to work hard to achieve their goals.

The last two decisions I made were to apply to join the Orientation Staff and run for Student Government. As a junior, I knew I wanted to stay involved with aspects of the university I hadn’t engaged with previously, and the OA program was exactly what I was looking for. The sense of community and familiarity that is cultivated within this group is unmatched and I will forever treasure the people I was able to share this experience with. The last, and probably most significant, decision I made was to run for Student Government. In the spring of my junior year, a few positions opened up due to Senators who were studying abroad, and I decided to run. After serving a term as Senator, I decided to run for President of the Class of 2023 in the fall. This has been easily the most rewarding experience of my college career. Besides being able to help make decisions that affect our final year here, my favorite part of this position has easily been meeting members of our class I hadn’t had the chance to get to know before and the faculty and staff who work incredibly hard to facilitate our time here. We often forget to recognize the enormous amount of people that work to ensure we’re able to live and learn on such an incredible campus. My favorite moments of this job have been the opportunities I’ve had to meet and thank them.

Beginning a new chapter is always daunting. If I’m honest, even after four years here, the scariest moment of my college career is still the ten minutes after my parents dropped me off. But it’s important to recognize that this fear is just the anticipation of the choices that remain in front of you.

As I begin the next chapter in my life, I have no choice but to pursue the greatest lesson I learned at Bucknell: take one step at a time, and trust that it will pay off.