Breaking Grad

By Brittany Valentine

They say “slow and steady wins the race,” but what happens when your path to graduation is much more along the lines of “slow and all over the place?”

We all run into setbacks throughout our college careers but for students graduating outside of the four-year norm, reframing the way they view their circumstances and finding their silver lining is essential.

Ashley Bryant, a senior information science and technology major, became a transfer student peer advisor to offer advice and connect transfer students with resources on campus after struggling to find her footing when she first started at Temple in Fall 2016.

“All of the students in my classes were younger than me, which made finding and making friends a little uncomfortable,” Bryant recalled. “I had already worked full time, and all of my friends from home had been adults.”

Being a commuter also took a toll on her social life and academic success. Not knowing the Temple area was another learning curve to tackle. When Bryant decided to live on campus, she ended up leasing an apartment in a neighborhood that didn’t align with her initial expectations.

“This contributed to mental health issues, which lead to me failing at least one class every semester, continuously pushing my graduation date back,” Bryant explained. 

Mental health issues are a common struggle with students following a non-traditional path. 

Eric Fox, a senior English major, remembers his journey impacting his well-being and self-esteem as he watched his younger peers graduate and secure jobs before him. 

“My graduation date kept getting pushed back, which made conversations about graduating more and more awkward as time went on,” Fox said. “I felt like I always had to justify or excuse my personal timeline, to avoid scrutiny from others.” 

The undeserved feeling of shame and embarrassment that comes from not reaching milestones at the speed society expects is a familiar and collective response for non-traditional students. But for Fox, realizing the value of doing things on your own time has allowed him to grow as a person and take his education more seriously than a lot of his peers. 

Jennifer Costo, a 27-year-old journalism major, started her journey at the University of the Sciences, a school she did not have any initial interest in. She wasn’t able to attend any of the schools she originally desired, due to family issues and not receiving scholarships. Costo quickly became depressed and unfulfilled at the reality of working toward a degree she had no passion for. 

After being put on academic probation and ultimately deciding to take some time off to focus on her mental wellness, she landed at Temple University as a transfer in 2016. She now works full-time and is working diligently toward her bachelor’s degree in a major she loves—journalism. 

Costo feels that her journey has made her a more patient and driven person. 

“I had to develop a work ethic, and I am more passionate than a lot of my peers because I took the time to figure out what I truly wanted before I went after it, even if it wasn’t by choice initially,” Costo reflected.

Nia Bayete, a liberal arts advisor, gives the same validation and advice to all Temple students that come through her door with graduation anxiety.

“When students find themselves at a crossroads because the path they were on or the major they chose is not working out, due to poor grades, life choices, disinterest, or tragic circumstances, this is when they often come to academic advisors for direction,” Bayete says. “Sometimes they want reassurance. Sometimes they want guidance. And sometimes they just want permission from an authority figure to walk a different path, without judgment.” 

College is a different experience for each person, and sometimes a four-year timeline simply isn’t a good fit. It doesn’t matter when you get that degree, or what it took to get there. It just matters that we get there and that we’re proud of our accomplishments. 

Slow and figuring it out along the way might win the race after all.

Cover image courtesy of Jennifer Costo