This week's blog comes to us from one Will Maskrey, a student graduating with an AS in Business Administration this semester. He is also the President of Student Corporation and someone I will most definitely miss once he leaves FLCC to find his way in the world. As guest blogger, he wanted to share some of his thoughts about his experiences at the college and, specifically, an Honors class he took last semester.
No Regrets…well almost.
The year was 2016. A warm breeze cooled the asphalt that August evening as I walked to my car at the end of the work day. The typical Friday feeling of freedom and relief were painfully absent as a sigh escaped. I paused to think about everything that was ending, and what was dawning on the horizon. I never once questioned the decision to leave the stability of full time employment, and finally do something I had long put off: I was returning to college to finish my education. I was heading to Finger Lakes Community College the following Monday, and I would need the weekend to prepare for this major alteration in my life. The words to adequately describe the two years, since that day I stood in the sun and questioned my life altering decision, escape me incessantly. As I think over the multitude of experiences and choices that I have made in my time here, I can say with great confidence that I have no regrets… well almost.
This past fall I took my first Honors class, The Development of Modern Horror taught by Dr. Trista Merrill. There are so many things that made this class arguably the most important of my academic career. I could spend an entire blog highlighting the genius of the unparalleled Dr. Merrill, however most of you reading this are already aware of this fact. As great as she is, my classmates played the biggest role in what made this class the highlight of my week. Some would say that gathering a random group of people, that would be comfortable and open enough to talk about horror and fear, is miraculous feat. I agree, but to have a group of strangers trust each other enough to do this on day one of the class, that is something impossible to recreate.
The respect for each individual opinion, coupled with the care each took to ensure the safety and well-being of their neighbor is something rare in most traditional classes. I have not seen or felt this level of oneness in any of my other classes. This is what I miss about not being in an Honors class this semester. I want to be very clear that I am talking about something far beyond the physical safety I feel every day when I walk through the doors of FLCC. I am referring to a freedom to explore and question, to challenge and, in a way, be rewarded through an expansion of personal perspective. There are a few rare classes that seem to fit this model but fall incredibly short of what an Honors class achieves.
As the homestretch approaches and my time at Finger Lakes Community College is ending, one cannot help to reflect on what has been. It has been a tremendous experience with opportunities that I could not have fathomed. The only thing I would change, the only real regret that will remain when I leave here is the fact that I did not take full advantage of Honors Studies. The one Honors class I did take, that special group of people that made everything better, can never be forgotten. I owe all of them a great debt, more than they may realize. There are other groups and people that have added to my being here, but my time in Modern Horror will hold a special, permanent place in my memory.
Honors is so much more than a unique curriculum or a special class structure led by terrific faculty. It is a special journey shared only by those who are willing to stare into the vastness of the unknown and be willing to trust the person next to them as everyone jumps. The fear that can encompass making mistakes can always creep up on us during those unexpected moments. Now that I have taken an Honors Studies class, I have more people in my life to remind me of my goodness. We all could use more people to remind us of that. Honors is the place to meet the best of those people for your journey, just make sure that you don’t miss out like I almost did.
I can wholeheartedly say that I am a better human being today because of my experiences in Honors Studies. I wish more classes were like the Development of Modern Horror class I took, but if that were the case these classes might not be as life-altering. More students, and maybe more faculty as well, need to be aware of the impact Honors Studies can have on the college experience of a student. I almost missed out on those experiences and that is why I have no regrets about my time here in Honors Studies.
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