The following piece is an essay reflection by Gabby Garcy, a staff writer for the Cardinal Courier who is graduating in May of 2021. Garcy will be graduating with a Bachelors of Arts in media and communication and a minor in Spanish. 

While the thought of graduating in a week is hard to believe, I’ve had a period of time to reflect on my past four years at the college and the growth I’ve experienced as a student and individual. I came into Fisher nervous to step out of my comfort zone and unsure of what I wanted to pursue, and am leaving confident with what lies ahead due to the support I received from the people I’ve met.

I began my freshman year with a strong focus on my academics and not much of a drive for getting involved in anything else. I strived to achieve good grades and worked towards studying abroad to complete my Spanish minor. As my four years started progressing, I found myself stepping out of my comfort zone with extracurriculars and my college experience became much more enjoyable.

As a student who always wanted to pursue studying abroad, I was able to live out my dream in the summer of 2019 in Granada, Spain. I headed into the experience nervous, not knowing anyone in my program and having never been on my own before. Looking back, it was the most amazing college experience that I had. I made lifelong friends who made every day an adventure and learned more about myself than I could have ever imagined.

The encouragement I received to become better involved on campus led me to becoming a student ambassador of the college, a member of The PRIMA Group, and a member of our Teddi Dance for Love. By exploring these passions of mine I was able to meet students all over campus, which made my college experience so much more special. Now that I’m getting ready to leave, I know it’s the people at Fisher that I’ll miss the most.

While everything and everyone I’ve encountered throughout my time at Fisher has impacted who I am today, I know I wouldn’t have gotten to this point without the professors in the Media and Communication Department. Their passion for their profession and for helping their students gave me the drive that I needed when college got difficult, and inspired me to keep pursuing what lies ahead.

If you take away anything from my journey, I hope that it’s to step out of your comfort zone sooner rather than later. The past four years have gone by quicker than I could have imagined, and I wish I faced my fears of involvement head on at the beginning. If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that my time at Fisher has been nothing short of extraordinary, and I’m grateful for everyone who has been a part of this chapter. 

Now, it’s on to the next journey. Thank you, Fisher for shaping me into the person I am today. 

With love,
Gabby Garcy