The Last Year and the Next Year

As my first year at Linn-Benton comes to a close, I find myself needing only one class to complete my associate degree. In a year filled with progressively more difficult coursework, new faces and opportunities, I must look back on the past 365 days and simply be in awe of the life that I am finally beginning to live, all thanks to the incredible opportunities offered by Linn-Benton Community College. 

After arriving on campus one year ago to scout out the school, I wasn't really sure that I would be attending. My conviction was that I would soon be paying a debt to Chemeketa Community College for the school year. Even more bizarre, I thought that I might attend Linn-Benton for one term and then transfer back to Chemeketa where almost all of my credits are from.

That was the plan. Reality disagreed and was different, better than I planned. 

When I ended up not paying that debt to Chemeketa, I figured to enroll as a new student at LBCC because financial aid was more available. I had never been to Albany before, except to do a few GrubHub deliveries. It was all a completely new experience. 

In August of 2022 I signed for classes, sent my documents, and prepared for a full 12 credits in the fall. I was scared to do the full 12 credits, as I had not done college studies in person for 6 years. 

That was 10 months ago.

One year ago, while taking a piano class and a Spanish class at Chemeketa, I would never have predicted that I'd be taking part in the school newspaper, nor would I have predicted that I would be one class away from completing my associate degree. 

I never would have predicted that I’d be taking 19 credits in the spring term.

I never would have predicted I’d earn 47 credits for the whole year (not counting summer).

I never would have predicted I’d be a 4.0 student.

I never would have predicted that I’d be working for the school newspaper.

I never would have predicted that I’d be preparing to dual-enroll at Oregon State.

There are many things I never predicted.

My studies at Linn-Benton will, in the future, be what opened the doors to living my life. I will look back on these 10 months as some of the most profound of my life.

But where will I be one year from now?

I predict that I’ll be dual-enrolled at Oregon State University.

I predict my GPA will still be above 3.75.

I predict that I’ll have completed at least Spanish 202.

I predict that my Associate Degree will have been awarded.

I predict that I’ll have earned at least 45 more credits.

I predict that I’ll work for Oregon State’s student newspaper/media program.

I predict that I’ll have taken some accounting classes.

What else will happen?

It is difficult to say, but I think that in one year, I will likely be taking business and accounting classes and working towards a finance degree. I think that I’ll have applied for an internship, and that I’ll have made progress on writing my book about investing. With all these predictions, what do I hope will happen in the next year?

I hope that I’ll have submitted a short story for publishing.

I hope that I’ll have submitted a scientific paper for publishing.

I hope that I find an apartment in Corvallis.

I hope that I’ll maintain my 4.0.

I hope to complete a second Associate Degree.

The future is difficult to predict, and if I were to have read this article a year ago, I would have found it difficult to believe. Having had such an incredible first year at LB, I predict, not only hope, that my second year will be even more door-opening. The thing left to do now is get to the future.