By Andres Aguirre
With graduation just around the corner, I can’t help but think back on my time as an undergraduate student and reflect on how much I have grown. It is definitely an unusual feeling and the fact that I am graduating hasn’t really hit me yet, but I know it will. This year graduation will look different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eastern New Mexico University will be hosting a virtual graduation on May 30 and will be allowing Spring graduates to walk in Fall Commencement. But either way, it’s a time to celebrate years of hard work and dedication.
When I first came to ENMU, it was a last-minute decision. During my senior year of high school, I had decided that for my first year of college I was going to stay in Ruidoso and attend the ENMU Ruidoso community college. I was doing this to save money and because three of my best friends were doing so as well. My parents and I came to visit my siblings who live in Portales and because we usually attend church every Sunday, we attended a service in town. I remember seeing college students going to church because they wanted to and not because their parents told them to, and I was surprised but found it really cool. That whole day the thought of going to the Portales campus was in the back of my mind. Finally, I talked to my parents about it and they fully supported it. It was two days after classes had started, but somehow, I still got registered for classes, packed my things and left. It is crazy to think my life would look a lot different if I chose not to come to Portales my first year.
My freshman year was a bit all over the place. I didn’t do too well in my classes and didn’t make the best decisions. I was still immature and acted like I was invincible because after all, it was college. I met new people and saw some familiar faces. One, was a girl named Sarah who was from Capitan, a town just 20 minutes away from my hometown. She became one of my best friends throughout college and would have a greater impact on my life later on. That same year I got a new car; it wasn’t even three weeks that I had the car that I was mugged at knife point. Long story short, they couldn’t steal my car because they didn’t know how to drive stick shift. They did, however, steal my phone, backpack with books and a handful of other things. I was already struggling financially so this caused more stress . I was already overwhelmed by so many things, which then caused me to go into a state of depression.
It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I got out of that bad time in my life. I started to take school more seriously and made better decisions. I realized college is a time that shapes who you turn out to be in life, so I made changes. It still wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but my determination to become a better person drove me. My favorite memory this year was when I started dating my best friend, Sarah. Before we started dating our timing was always off. It is complicated but just think of Jim and Pam from “The Office” as a reference. My nephew, Miguel, was also born that year and being an uncle is one of the coolest things ever. Miguel doesn’t it know it yet, but he is one of the greatest inspirations in my life.
My junior year of college was also great because I was enjoying and thriving in my classes. I was being more involved at the Baptist Student Union and I made some great friends along the way. I explored more with photography and realized I have a passion for it. My view of life also matured, and I really began to be more intentional with everything I did. That year is when I considered myself an “old man” because every night around 9:30 p.m., I was ready for bed.
My senior year has been a roller coaster; school, work and other commitments have made this a very busy school year. Still, it has been beneficial when preparing me for life after college. During Christmas break, I proposed to Sarah and now we are engaged to soon be married. Our plans have changed because of COVID-19, as I was going to participate in a summer mission trip to South Asia and in September, Sarah and I had planned to get married. But my summer mission trip was cancelled and now we are thinking of getting married sooner. It’s been a huge bummer that I can go on that mission trip, but I am at peace with it. COVID-19 was an unexpected turn for everyone, and I certainly didn’t picture my senior year playing out like this. However, it doesn’t change the fact that I am graduating and my time here at ENMU has been a great experience.
We all have regrets in life. One of my regrets was not taking things seriously early on. If I can go back and tell my younger self something, it would be to prioritize the important things in life. For those of who still have time before you graduate, know that time goes by faster than you think. Your college experience is what you make of it, so make it count. Stay focused and remember to have fun because it’ll be over before you know it.