4 Years Later: How Far I’ve Come

Our seniors reflect on their Lumberjack experience

Hanna Ballman, Strategic Communication

Everything about NAU was a huge change for me when I started my freshman year in 2019. I have lived in the same city in Southern California since I was in preschool, so I have never experienced change like this before.

I wasn’t very sure about how I would handle the new environment, and I don’t think any of my friends and peers at home were sure either. I was very shy and had little confidence when I started my freshman year, and I thought that most of my work in video and photography was mediocre at best.

Now that my time at NAU is wrapping up, I can see how much of a positive change this school has had on me.

I now look at my work and I actually feel pride in it, and I now have confidence in my ability to produce great work.

The new environment and the people I surrounded myself with here have helped me to find a new perspective of myself and the confidence that I have been missing for so long.

Janelle Dela Cruz, Marketing

My four years at NAU changed me in the best way possible. I have experienced some of my lowest and highest moments in the city of Flagstaff and I am eternally grateful for all the growth I have experienced through those times.

When looking back on my college experience, there are so many things I should be proud of accomplishing. I am most proud of myself for my GPA since I will be graduating with honors in May. I made it a point to keep school work at the top of my to-do list everyday and it has finally paid off. I am also proud of myself for finding the friends that I did and for becoming more extroverted so I can continue to meet new people everywhere I go.

My independence, time management, and ambition are all traits that have shaped me into the person and student I am today. Without these attributes, I would not be on the NAU Social Media Team learning about the ins and outs of social media to reach my dream job.

Most of all, I am proud of myself for choosing NAU.

Being an out-of-state student going to a school where I didn’t know a single person was terrifying — I am forever proud of myself for taking that leap of faith.

Thank you, NAU.

Olivia Mountain, Communication Studies

What I’m most proud of accomplishing during my time at NAU is my strong independence. For most of my life, I let others dictate how I should live.

In college, I found my voice and began to carve out the life I wanted for myself. In my quest for independence, I made mistakes, but I learned from them and grew as a result.

My freshman self would be impressed and proud of how far I’ve come. She’d probably call me a rebel. And, to be honest, I’d agree with her.

Society makes up rules for everything and we follow them in fear of being ostracized or becoming “lost.”

What I’ve discovered during these past 4 years is that when you allow your loved ones and society to dictate your way of life — you’re already lost.

When you finally decide to break free from the mold that others have created for you, you’re rebelling by choosing to become the person you were always meant to be.

When I had the courage to seek out my independence, I discovered new aspects of myself and thrived. I wasn’t lost anymore.

Gwyneth Abella, Management

What I am most proud of in my time at NAU has got to be maintaining my grades all four years to keep my scholarships and grants.

The main reason I chose to go to NAU in the first place was because of the financial aid I received from the school. The fact that I was able to maintain my grades to keep my scholarships and grants all four years is something I am so proud of.

My mom is a single mother and I was worried about how we were going to be able to afford my college tuition and expenses in the first place.

With the financial aid I received, my mom did not have to worry about paying for my college tuition and fees — the school paid for it for me. Being able to do this for my mom all four years is the least I could do to pay her back for all of the sacrifices she has made all my life.

My freshman self would be impressed with the growth I have made as a person. Coming from a small island in Hawai’i, you are closed off to a lot of things and experiences. After moving to northern Arizona for the first time, it was a big adjustment for me.

Seeing and experiencing all of these new things as a freshman and thousands of miles away from your family, changes you.

Before I came to NAU, I was naive, close-minded, immature, and scared. You’re living by yourself, taking care of yourself, going grocery shopping, and doing all of these things by yourself for the first time in your life.

I have learned a lot about myself and found who I am as a person during my time here at NAU. Now, I am 21 and graduating college in May.

My freshman year would be so proud of the woman I am today.