Dear super senior, you’re not doing anything wrong

Kids go into college thinking, “I’m done with my four years of high school. Four years of Rutgers, then I’ll be an adult in the real world.”

Well as a lot of you may know, that isn’t usually the case. You may notice around campus that there are fellow Scarlet Knights hitting their fifth or sixth year at our University. You might even be looking at your life thinking, “This wasn’t supposed to happen, I’m gonna grow old here.”

Well, worried Knight, I’m here to assure that you don’t need to feel that way. Grab your self esteem from the depths of wherever “super-seniorism” plunged it, and relax, because as far as a lot of fellow Knights can tell, you are not doing anything wrong. Contrary to your belief, it may be the exact opposite.

You might feel alone, but just from what the National Center for Education Statistics can tell, most college students don’t even graduate in four years. On average it’s an extra two years – that’s four semesters of finding your niche in the world and soul searching. If numbers aren’t enough to make you feel better, meet Kevin Rojas, a 21-year-old Chemistry major who’s determined to stay in school to benefit the world with a knowledge in science, “I would say from experience that because we switch classes so many times, the general rule is that you’re not going to graduate in four years.”

One of the biggest stigmas of being a super senior is the age difference. Let’s be honest, nobody wants to be old in a sea of curious younglings, but who says it’s not worth it?

According to a Daniel Vitale, a Biology major graduating with an extra semester, it’s more about the friends you lose.

“Any bad feeling just stemmed from friends leaving, but it wasn’t a big deal.”

But he would gladly take an extra year or two because “there’s a lot more to learn, there are so many cool classes I want to take.”

According to the super seniors, graduating late stems from a variety of reasons, but the common denominators kept being repeated. Kevin Rojas, as well as 24-year-old Jason Vassallo, both transferred from community colleges, earning Kevin two years there and Jason an extra year.

Jason and Daniel also switched majors in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences programs, Jason going from Geology to Environmental Policy, and Daniel going from Ecology to Biology, both earning them extra time due to credit differences and class changes. The change from major to major isn’t an impulse decision, students know what they are getting themselves into.

“It was what I wanted to do, I found out later that this was what I wanted to learn, and making that choice ultimately makes me satisfied.” Jason assures every student contemplating on switching their major.

The biggest reason for staying the extra time is the same for all three young men: following your dreams and the pursuit of knowledge is more important than graduating shortly.

But was it all worth it?

All the super seniors seemed confident with their decision.

“For me, yes. I knew in the long run that this path is the one that would make me happy. Once I thought about that, any bad feeling disappeared.” said Daniel.

Jason owes it to the “cool environment” and “young people chasing the pursuit of knowledge.”

“That’s what school is for, of course I made the right decision.” he said.

While all three men are graduating over the valued “Four Year Window,” their perspectives all ring true to anybody disappointed at the thoughts of graduating later. “I definitely think everyone should take their time in college. How else are you going to know what you want to do in life?” Kevin advises every student contemplating on taking the extra time.

While graduating over the four-year window may seem disheartening at first, it is important to know that graduating late doesn’t make you stupid. What is stupid sticking with a plan you know you will hate, simply because you want to get out in a specific time span. You only have one life. University is only one part of that life, and according to the super seniors themselves, this environment of curious minds is worth staying in, especially if it means that you will create an even brighter path in your life.