End-of-Semester Reflections: Student Perspectives
The Painted Turtle Farm, with Glatfelter Hall visible in the background. (William Oehler/The Gettysburgian)
This article originally appeared on page 14 and 15 of the No. 1 December 2024 edition of The Gettysburgian magazine.
By Ethan Osias, Guest Columnist
During my time at Gettysburg I feel I have not only learned tons of new information in and outside the classroom, I have also learned how to be more confident with who I am and what I believe in. This is thanks to my professors for challenging me to go above and exceed my expectations I set for myself.
This is also thanks to my fellow students that I engage with on a daily basis whether it is through my classes, clubs or my fraternal brotherhood. Gettysburg has given me so much more than I could ever imagine from getting a college experience that will most certainly help me with my future endeavors.
By Kailey Costa, Guest Columnist
Goodbyes are bittersweet, and as I prepare to leave Gettysburg College, I reflect on the profound impact this place has had on me. My journey here has been transformative – academically, personally, and professionally. As an International Affairs and Public Policy double major, I have developed intellectually through rigorous coursework, whitepapers, and reading legal documents, but it’s been my hands-on experiences that have truly defined my growth.
Working three campus jobs, I connected with students across three class years as an RA and RC, building community in residence halls, which also taught me resilience and empathy. My role in the athletic training office revealed the dedication it takes to support student-athletes, and being a TIPS Supervisor for OSAGL allowed me to engage deeply with campus activities, supporting peers as they hosted events in our Gettysburg “bubble.”
Without the help of CCE, I would not have been able to live independently and work for the Food Bank for New York City for two consecutive summers. With these experiences, I became a Fielding Fellow, contributing to the U.S. State Department Diplomacy Lab—a rare opportunity to collaborate on global policy issues. To the professors, peers, mentors, and day-to-day staff members whom I interact with, who saw my potential, this is my heartfelt thank you. Gettysburg will forever be a part of me.
By Zach Brooks, Magazine Editor and Social Media Manager
I’ve had the pleasure of calling myself an English major at Gettysburg College since declaring my sophomore year. One of my favorite memories from that day was getting my “signing bonus;” a red travel mug with the outline of Breidenbaugh Hall on it.
Reflecting on my experiences, I get to say I had fun in most all my English classes, particularly the three Shakespeare courses I’ve taken with Professor D’Addario.
Other highlights include writing a feature length screenplay in Professor Rhett’s Screenwriting class and studying some of my favorite works by the Brontes like Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Shirley with Prof. Corbes-Selbin.
We often say in the English Department that the English major is one of the most versatile degrees preparing you for careers in anything from archives, marketing, teaching, and more. I encourage anyone unsure of their futures to explore the English major.
By Leah Nath, Staff Writer
Beginning college always comes with a slew of expectations, and starting college usually has at least a couple disappointments about those expectations. In my third year of schooling here, I felt like a cliché, spoiled student in love with all of the commencement speeches on opportunity. One of Gettysburg College’s biggest pulls for my undergraduate decision was its emphasis on opportunity, specifically access to internships, research, and study abroad for me, which has been a dream. The Environmental Studies department has built a masterful community system; the connections professors are dedicated to building offered me life-changing fieldwork, growth-inspiring discussions, my first publications, and incredible mentorship. I thought I had a very different, very assured career goal when I first began college than I do today, but I am very grateful to be where I have landed just to have been lucky enough to be surrounded by wonderful people.
By Evan Hilborn, Guest Columnist
Looking back on my time at Gettysburg it’s hard to narrow down my experience to key events. I recently had my senior recital, which to me will forever be the pinnacle of my work here. However, I think the most important change in my experience was me finally deciding where I want to go with my life.
Over the summer before my senior year, I studied abroad in Bath, England with the Advanced Studies in England program. In the theater program, I worked with people who challenged me and created scenarios that were uncomfortable, but not in a way that was harmful. Instead, it made me think, adapt, and redirect my own expectations. By doing so it put me in a state of disequilibrium which drew me to want to learn more.
One of the most important moments that I was drawn to was a performance of Guys and Dolls the musical off the west end. Guys and Dolls already holds a special place in my heart as the first musical l performed. I still remember getting so emotional during the show stopping tune, “Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat.” After the first two encores I didn’t think I could get anymore wrapped into it, but sure enough as the third encore came, I began bawling out of pure unadulterated joy. I just knew, this is what I want to do.
Now, as I’m nearing the end of my education at Gettysburg and looking into what I want afterwards, I’m more driven than ever to make that a reality. I’m going to be taking a gap year after this to develop my own skills and focus time into what I need to achieve my goals. Working with my voice teacher and hopefully looking to perform with a professional theater. Then potentially either preparing auditions for graduate school or continuing on with professional theater.
I’m sad to leave Gettysburg, but I’ve never felt more ready to go on my own and take everything I learned.
