Don’t miss out!

Guess what time it is? It’s time to order your cap and gown—it’s free because the college graciously covers the cost.

Don’t miss the April 10 deadline to order, and continue watching the commencement webpage (www.ivcc.edu/commencement) and your email for updates as the May 19 ceremony approaches.

But why should you do it? You earned it! You put years of hard work into achieving a degree, so allow yourself a moment to appreciate that.

Take the opportunity to celebrate this milestone with classmates, family and friends.

Commencement is the closing of a chapter as we move on to our next part of lives. For some it will be a career, for some it means more school before we enter the jobs we have been pursuing for years.

What we all face!

Now, if you aren’t graduating this year, you are not off the hook. You need to hear this too.

When the graduates are sitting in the commencement ceremony, imagine yourself in their shoes.

Every single one of the black-clad students receiving their diploma was once in your shoes, working through the challenges of balancing school, work and social life.

They struggled to remember their motivation when the homework looked insurmountable. From time to time, they all felt like maybe it wasn’t worth it to put all of that work into getting their degree.

But do you know what? They all kept working. They all reminded themselves why they started and what it would mean to finish.

The oft-repeated line that nothing worth having comes easily is true, so when you feel discouraged, tell yourself what your goal is and rekindle the passion and drive that brought you through the doors of IVCC in the first place.

Mushy-but-true thoughts

Ultimately, it’s bigger than the degree. Sure, that piece of paper and the credentials it brings will be an asset in your life.

However, it is also about what you learned on the journey. Those arduous moments spent polishing that big research paper for English class, the procedures followed precisely in the chemistry lab, and the time spent helping a classmate understand a concept all worked together to help you become who you are today.

Those skills of dedication, determination, and kindness will pay you back over and over as you make your path through life.

Your college years are a stepping stone to the things you want to achieve.

Take your time here seriously, but have fun. Look ahead, but enjoy the moment. Reach out to others, because people matter the most.

So whether this is your last semester or the first or anywhere in between, take a moment to think about where you have been, where you are, and where you are going.

The five-more-weeks pep talk

As the semester begins to wind down, don’t just start coasting. Finish strong and with purpose. Your GPA and your future self will thank you (and your professors certainly won’t mind either). If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

Next year?

If you are going to be at IVCC next year, think about what club leadership positions interest you. You will bring these organizations forward into the coming years—they need you and you need them.

The experience will help you more than you know. Employers and universities love seeing involvement like this. You will learn so much about working well with others, organizing work and pursuing a common goal.

Talk to current officers and learn from them. They may offer advice as you consider what to pursue.

You only get to do this college experience once, and being involved is incredibly rewarding.

Smile and keep moving forward, friends!