A virtual senior send-off

The recent turn of events with the COVID-19 virus that has taken the world and the students here at Bloomsburg by storm has led to classes being moved online for the rest of the semester. For many students this is sad and frustrating, but especially for those of us who are seniors.

I transferred to Bloomsburg in August 2018 after completing my associate degree at Luzerne County Community College. After two years of online classes, I was ready to experience college campus for the first time as a commuter. Since then, I’ve made many connections and taken advantage of the great opportunities Bloomsburg had to offer.

I’ve attended two Husky Leadership Summits, the Career Intensive Boot Camp, and numerous presentations on campus. I’ve presented at the College of Liberal Arts Symposium, won the Howard Schreier Award for Top Scholarship in Communication Studies, and have been inducted in the Lambda Phi Eta Honors Society. I’ve written for our student publications, The Voice and BUnow and now BU's Office of Marketing and Communications. And I’ve had a good amount of Chic-fil-A.

Bloomsburg University is another victim of coronavirus. This early closing feels like premature finish to my college career. As a commuter, I left campus shortly after the beginning of spring break and didn’t have a chance to bid farewell to anyone. Scrolling through social media feed is also disheartening, as many seniors bid farewell and university accounts congratulate seniors.

It is still to be determined if there will be a graduation ceremony. At this moment a large gathering of people in one area is what a virus would thrive on. It’s an all-around tragic turn of events but given recent reports of current cases of coronavirus victims in PA, could have been more tragic. Perhaps many of this year’s seniors will return as alumni sooner rather than later, due to the virus robbing us of our last few months on campus. I know for myself I would like to return for at least a brief visit. Thankfully, I’m also a local commuter, and it will be easier for me. Hopefully there will be some more silver linings to these bleak, unprecedented times.

— Gabriel Miller, senior communication studies major

Leap Day was quite the leap

Both the Husky Leadership Summit and the Career Intensive Boot Camp (CIBC) were happening, and I was attending both in some capacity. I spent the majority of the day at the Husky Leadership Summit, as I previously attended the CIBC last semester and was invited back for an alumni reception.

This year’s summit was different than the one I attended last year. The Summit this year was kicked off by two keynote speakers, Shavonne Shorter, assistant professor of communication studies and Albra Wheeler, of the Women’s Resource Center. Shorter talked about communication and leadership styles, teaching almost mini-lecture from one of her courses. Wheeler told her story about how she was bitten by a brown recluse spider and still lives with the pain every day. She used her life as an example to teach students that self-care is vitally important.

The rest of the day was comprised of sessions that students picked before arriving to the event. I attended one of the new sessions, a jungle themed escape room. It was fun, and the members of Quest put a lot of time and effort into constructing it. I hope they get more support in continuing to construct escape rooms for future summits.

My favorite session was the one given by members of the Forensics Team about speech and debate. They gave a very thorough and concise lecture on argumentation basics. They explained that in debate, people will judge more confident speakers to be winner, compared to more nervous speakers. Even if the speaker is the most intelligent and qualified person in the room, if they deliver an unconfident presentation, they won’t be seen as a competent speaker. I found it to be the most useful and enjoyable. Although, I didn’t agree with their argument that truth was relative and history is written by the winners.

I had to leave the summit early to attend the Alumni Reception at the Greenly Center downtown. The walk down in the freezing cold was not fun, but I’m glad I wore a heavy coat and hat. I had some spare time before the reception, and was hoping the Cats in Bloom was near Greenly. It is not, and I was sad, so I stopped at the tiny bookstore nearby before I went to the reception.

Several alumni were in the alumni room and exclaimed how beautiful the space was. One even said they wanted to have an office in the building. I felt a little out of place being the only current student (soon to be alumni), at the event. Then we were served light refreshments, and I networked with a few people. Two alumni, a recent graduate working at SEKISUI, and a criminal justice grad, gave brief presentations expressing thanks and admiration for BU and the Career Intensive Boot Camp.

I had to leave the reception early as well, because I had to hike back to Kehr Union to receive an award with the Lambda Phi Eta Communication Studies Honor Society.

Before I left, I had to borrow some more professional attire from the Career Closet for the event, as I came prepared in the casual attire the summit recommended. When I got to the awards ceremony, I realized the coat I had picked was a little too big, but it did the job. I would like to get it tailored, its quite nice. They also served us fancy food at the banquet, which was fun.

Along with the award Lambda Phi Eta received for the Year’s Outstanding Organization, David Magolis, professor of mass communications, and an outstanding student received awards for their hard work. Then the organization got some additional photos, and we were dismissed.

Then I went home after a long leap day.

— Gabriel Miller, senior communication studies major

Live your last like it’s your first

As I wrap up my fall semester of senior year, I’ve realized it slowly hitting me that I’m actually going to be graduating next semester. I never thought my turn to graduate would come so fast. When I came here as freshman, the orientation workshop leaders said time would fly by in the blink of an eye, but I always shrugged it off. Almost four years later flashed by before my eyes and now I definitely see what they meant.

I remember my first semester at Bloom like it was yesterday. A completely new environment, new people, and a chance to become a new me. Bloomsburg University became my home away from home. Something I thought another place could never be.

Every year I’ve come back, it’s just as exciting and nerve-wracking as the one before. The feeling of anticipation for what fun the new semester will bring. New opportunities, fresh starts, and new memories with old friends.

Reflecting on my college career, I’m glad Bloomsburg University gave me the chance to grow as a person. My first semester here, I was a shy 18-year-old that only went to class. Now, I’m so much more involved on campus in organizations such as BUNow as a social media editor, I’m member of the International English Honors Society Sigma Tau Delta, and the vice president of my sorority, Chi Sigma Rho. If I hadn’t chose to go to Bloom, I don’t think I would have learned what I have and met the people that I did to help me become the confident and involved person I am today.

The classes I’ve taken and professors I’ve had have given me important knowledge that I know will be crucial to be successful in my future. This university has definitely prepared me for the “real world” and I feel confident I’m prepared to handle whatever comes my way after I graduate.

My time here has allowed me to not only gain lifelong skills like time management, leadership, independence, and effective communication, but friends that I’ll cherish for a lifetime.

Our college years are some of the most difficult times of our lives. Most of us are off on our own for the first time, living in a new area, and having to make new relationships with all kinds of different people. Not to mention the different and overwhelming stressors that we all can experience during these years.

I’ve been able to go through the hard times of college with the friends I’ve made. Whether it be getting a bad grade, or just having a rough day, I’ve always had someone to lean on or ask for support.

As I go into my last semester of my undergraduate college career ever, I want to live it up as if it’s my first. Any chance I get, I want to make sure I’m living the moment to the fullest. Every new opportunity that comes my way I’m going to make sure I experience it. Any campus events I’m able to go to like Free Food Friday, bingo or trivia at the KUB, I’ll be there. I want to spend as much time as I can on campus just taking in the time I have here, while I still have it.

Most seniors take easy classes their last semester, but I want to take advantage of the last bit of time I have as an undergraduate student and continue to learn as much as I can in as many different areas as I can. I’m even going to make sure I utilize all of the resources Bloom offers as much as I can like attending more Professional U workshops, and even applying to present in the Husky Student Leadership Summit.

Years from now, when I look back on my college years, I want to have no regrets and no missed opportunities I wish I took. My time at Bloomsburg University will be a piece of my life that I’ll always be proud of myself for.

When I walk across that stage at the end of next semester, I will be grateful for the memories I’ve made while a student here. Bloomsburg University will always be a part of me, and I know I’ll always be a part of Bloomsburg.

Once a Husky, always a Husky!

— Samantha Bergan, senior mass communications major and English minor

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife