When I first came to UC Davis four years ago, I had no idea how much college would shape me academically, personally and professionally. 

As someone from a mid-sized suburb, I saw the city of Davis as a small town in the middle of nowhere without much to do. I ultimately decided to come to Davis because it was somewhat close to my hometown and had good academics. And over the past four years my feelings about Davis have changed immensely. 

From choosing my major to rediscovering my love for certain hobbies, college has been a series of trial, error, happiness. Because I’ve written for UC Davis Magazine for all four years, I thought it would be fitting for my last article to reflect on the decisions and experiences that shaped my college journey and the lessons I’ve learned. 

Majoring in economics

I initially chose to major in economics because I felt it was practical. Though there were a good amount of dull classes in the major for my first two years, I really started to enjoy it as I took upper division courses. I particularly liked those that focused on socioeconomics and public finance. 

I’ve had a lot of people ask me if they should major in economics, and to that I say that it depends. If you’re good at math and enjoy conceptual problem solving, then economics could be a good major to choose. If you don’t enjoy math or just want to major in it for practicality, it’s a doable major that will be painfully unenjoyable to complete.

UC Davis club tennis

I joined UC Davis’ tennis club in the first quarter of my freshman year to meet new friends through a shared hobby. I was initially so scared to join that I didn’t even show up to the first meeting of the year. When I finally mustered enough courage to go, though, I was introduced to some of my very first friends who I’m still close with today. 

I always look forward to playing tennis on Friday nights and getting dinner and ice cream afterward. Some of my favorite tennis memories were hitting around on the courts late into warm spring nights, then going home elatedly exhausted. 

As a freshman, I would often bike down Dairy Road to get back to my dorm from the tennis courts. Sometimes, I would get hit with the overwhelming smell of cows and cow dung and it would ruin my ride. Classic Tercero dorm experience! I look back on those memories and laugh. How strange is it that I’m sentimental over cow dung?

Instrumental music

I’ve played the flute in several Davis ensembles since my sophomore year, and I started taking music classes in my freshman year. After high school I lost my passion for flute playing and music, and when I got to college I honestly never thought I’d pick up my flute again. In fact, the only reason I decided to get back into flute playing was because I needed performance credits to declare a music minor. 

One of the best decisions I made in college was giving music another chance. I went into things thinking that I would get my necessary performance credits and stop playing again. Instead, I stuck with it and participated in several ensembles, including concert band, chamber ensemble and flute choir. The music department at UC Davis made music fun again, and I love performing on stage with the friends I’ve made. 

Internships and jobs

I’m ending college with a job lined up for me post-grad, which came about through a myriad of intentional steps. I think today, it’s very hard to cold-apply to jobs and get positions that way.

I was intentional with networking and connections from my very first year here. I joined a business club and learned the ins and outs of the current job market from older students who had navigated it before. Through them, I learned about the importance of junior year internships and how they can translate into full-time jobs. The majority of people I know with jobs lined up for them post-grad got them through internships they did in the summer of their junior year, including myself.

For three months this past summer, I interned at a tech company doing digital marketing. It was such an amazing experience where I got to live in a new city and pick up skills in programming and data analytics. It gave me a taste of what life would be like as an adult post-grad, which in a way really helped me savor the time and flexibility I’ve had in my senior year.

Where do we go from here?

I’ve grown more in my four years at Davis than I ever have in my life. 

I look back at pictures of my 18-year-old freshman self and think Wow, that girl was a BABY and knew absolutely nothing! It was true! I couldn’t manage my time, was still adjusting to life post-pandemic and was super homesick living outside of my childhood home.

Now, I’m much more sure of myself, and I love the person I’ve become. I’ve learned to live independently, manage my time and money and thrive interpersonally. I know I’ll probably look back on myself in another four years and think to myself Wow, that girl was a BABY and knew nothing! But I’m certain that my four years at UC Davis have given me a solid foundation to navigate the next few years of growth.

I’m nervous for life post-grad, and change is sometimes uncomfortable. But if these past four years have taught me anything, it’s that discomfort leads to the most growth. Because of that, I can confidently say that I’m not just nervous, but also very excited to see where I’ll go from here!