After four (or more) exciting––and sometimes challenging––years of classes, internships, clubs, sports, research projects and campus life, our graduates filed into the Commencement morning lineup. Beginning outside the William Knox Holt Library and stretching down Atchley Way to the Janet Leigh Theatre, the crowd of soon-to-be alumni bustled with proud anticipation.
As the students awaited the start of commencement celebrations and reflected on their time at Pacific, we asked several graduates: If you could go back in time, what would you say to your first-year self?
“I know it’s seems hard right now, and it’s a really big change and you’re not used to everything around you, but it’s going to be okay. You are going to make the friends of your life. You are going to have the time of your life in Alpha Phi, and I am so proud of the journey you are about to go on.”
Reign Miller, BS Psychology
“I would tell myself, ‘Don’t worry about making friends.’ On this campus you meet so many people, and I was so stressed about that, but don’t be worried about that.”
Maggie Klemerdelasse, BS Biochemistry
“Get involved and just have fun with the process. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Just be happy wherever you go, and just be positive light into the world.”
Nick Piel, BS Psychology
“Stay constantly involved on campus and always put yourself out there.”
Monica Jeronimo, BSBA Management and Human Resources
“I’ve always wanted to learn piano. So, just looking at classes and trying a little bit of something else,”
Samantha Thanahill, BA Communications, Media & PR
“Hands down, stay resilient. Wake up and go get it. Every day is not guaranteed.”
Christopher Garcia, BS Psychology
“Go out, socialize, be busy and be active. It might be very easy and convenient to sit on the fence, but definitely go out and talk with people. Enjoy the ride because when it’s all over, you don’t want to look back and have any regrets.”
Jacob Pimentel, BS Psychology with honors
“Save money.”
Kaelin Anamizu, BS Music Industry Studies
“Go out of your way, do projects by yourself and self-learn… Keep stacking skills for yourself. The professors are amazing, I know almost everyone by first name in the department of Computer Science… A lot of my professors went out of their way to help me with funding or research, or just general opportunities. So, the professors are amazing, and that’s one of the biggest things I got from UOP.”
Omhier Khan, MS Computer Science