Junior Journals: Reflections on another year

By Michael Bolcato

My junior year is coming to a close and I cannot believe it. From life-changing experiences, to an important milestone in my college career, junior year has been a roller coaster of a ride. A year of change and maturity. A year that was so different compared to my first two years at Rider. This school year, I said goodbye to my childhood home in Jackson, New Jersey, and over winter break I said goodbye to my dad after his passing in January. Two events that have shaped my whole world forever. Grief is another thing that I have experienced during this year, as my dad’s passing affected me and my whole year. 

I would like to express my thanks to all of the people who have been helping me during this tough time in my life. Another thing that has been supporting me through this tough time is the Counseling Center, who has been helping me manage through my academics and challenges that have been going on through my life. My mom, sister and grandma have always been there for me, and we have each other’s backs as we all work together. Junior year has been by far the toughest school year yet for me, and with life changing events, it has been a wild ride for sure. It felt like everyday there was something new going on.

Another thing that has helped me to get through this challenging year is doing my favorite hobbies: walking, watching anime and playing video games. Doing the little things helps me to relax and push through. Walking helps me to reflect on myself and anime inspires me to go forward and be the best version of myself; characters like Goku from Dragon Ball and Luffy from One Piece help me to get through each day. Playing video games lets me release my feelings. These interests mean so much to me, as they help me push through tough moments. One milestone that I hit this school year was buying my first car. I have worked the past few years at Six Flags Great Adventure and that money has added up to help afford my first car: a 2023 Chevy Trailblazer. It has been something that I have been wanting since high school and the fact that I got one was a dream come true. 

If there is one thing that I can take away from this school year, it is that maturity and life changing events are tough, but make you stronger. This school year taught me that not everything will be easy and that things might be dark at times, but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Stress and losing a parent is not easy, but it does not make you lose what makes you happy. Talking to someone, doing your favorite hobbies and taking time for yourself helps you to manage everything. Getting the help that you need is essential as you need to deal with tough times. It has pretty much been an obstacle course for me, as I had to climb through this year to reach my own goals. Everyday, there is always something new to look forward to, whether it is good or bad. Junior year is the end of a chapter for me, as it opens the door for my senior year. Buying my car opened the door of new opportunities for me. I am excited for what my future holds and what senior year unfolds as graduation is only a year away.

Michael Bolcato is a junior communication studies major