A couple of years ago, I embarked on a journey of a lifetime as a non-traditional college student. Along the way, I realized the importance of documenting my experience, and that’s when this blog was born. Little did I know that my alma mater and many others would take notice of my story, leading to a feature article by Bridgewater State University in 2021 that you can read here.

A non-traditional student is an individual who is in the pursuit of higher education at a stage in life that is different from the typical path of being in college immediately after graduating high school. Non-traditional students come from many walk paths. They all have unique backgrounds and a killer drive that can be detected from miles away. 

My journey as a non-traditional student started in the spring of 2018 as a transfer student. Sure, I experienced the freedom and enjoyment of living on campus for a brief time. I knew what it meant to share a space with a roommate. I smiled and waved at other people who shared my dorm floor. I sighed in exaggeration when I had to run down the hall to use the restroom. All in all, campus life had its highs, but living off campus made much more sense for someone like me, who was already in her late 20s.

I started College with the ambition of being an Educator. However, the eagerness to learn and grow with Digital Marketing nudged me to change major. Although being a non-traditional student meant I had the drive to succeed, I also got lost in the making. I got lost from choosing a major in something I’m passionate about and analyzing the outcome of the salaries of that major in the future. After two unsuccessful changes of majors, I made the proper decision to go for Public Relations. Granted, I already had the needed credits to proceed with the program. I wouldn’t say I was too far behind, I’d say that I was just in time.

After experiencing the highs and lows of being a transfer non-traditional student, I graduated with a B. A in Communications Studies with a concentration in Public Relations in 2022 from Bridgewater State University. Easily one of the best days of my life, no matter what. 

From 2018 to now, it has been a challenge to stay afloat while keeping up with this blog. Sure, I would write an article here and there. Still, I needed help staying consistent and remaining afloat with the administrative and marketing tasks that came up with keeping this blog successful. However, I’m allowing myself some grace in knowing that my love for writing shall remain constant. Indeed, you have to live a life to gain experience to write about it. In the inconsistency period of writing, I discovered another form of creative outlet with photography and shooting short-form videos. Even with all these discovered creative outlets, I still return to writing.

So, here’s to completing this project like it was probably meant to happen: Life post-grad.

Sophie