Graduating seniors will miss college lifestyle


By Zach Colick
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wednesday, May 11, 2005

After dedicating four years of time and effort to classes that mattered, and some that didn't, graduating seniors said some of their biggest regrets and concerns were not realizing how different and important college is from high school.

While some graduating seniors said classes were important, kicking back and living the college life is a lot more fun than being buried face down in books and notebooks.

"I'm going to miss Ugg boots and flippy skirts," joked Michael Ference, a graduating accounting senior.

Ference said he will also miss attending basketball games and especially football games because "UA football is on the upswing."

All games aside, Ference said his biggest college regret is not studying hard enough for his classes because college matters "way more than high school."

Ference said he also regrets not being active in more social clubs, which he said are important for helping to build resumes to stand out from other job applicants.

While Ference said he had fun and enjoyed being part of the Eller College of Management, the workload was always demanding, and he said he is concerned his grades didn't always meet his expectations.

"It was certainly tough at times, but having this degree will be worth it in the long run," Ference said.

Talia Nosrati, a graduating communication senior, said she will miss being around campus most of all.

Even though the UA has more than 35,000 students, Nosrati said constantly passing friends while walking or sitting on the UA Mall or walking around the Student Union Memorial Center makes you feel at home because "you always bump into someone."

"It's definitely a nice environment," Nosrati said.

Nosrati said her biggest regret was not speaking up in her classes and building a better relationship with her professors outside of class.

"They have so much knowledge," Nosrati said. "It's important to get all the information you need from them because they have a lot to offer."

Nosrati said she also regrets not going to more UA sporting events because they offer a nice time to be social, mingle with friends and meet new people.

"It's usually an all-around good time and there's great camaraderie because we're all rooting for the same team," Nosrati said.

David Watt, a graduating economics senior, said college is a "hell of a lot more" than academics and going through the motions to get the degree. He said he's learned more about himself and other people over the past four years compared to any class he has ever taken.

Watt said his only real regret is how he wished he took more chances or risks while he's still young and before the real world sets in, but he will cherish the relationships he has built at the UA the most.

"The friends that I have made are invaluable, and I will never be able to truly say what they all mean to me," Watt said.