When Ryan Collet applied for graduation in February, he thought the anticipation of putting on his cap and gown would begin to escalate.
“Right after spring break it was like a downhill spiral of homework, projects and tests,” Collet said, “I felt so overwhelmed with school work it took the excitement away for a little while.”
The 23-year-old soon to be graduate has attended Fresno State since 2005.
“We all wait for the day of graduation to come because it is a huge accomplishment, but my mind has been on other things like the crunch time of school work,” Collet said.
Fresno State requires a minimum of 120 units to graduate, meaning a college degree can be completed in four years if the students take 15 to 16 units a semester. That’s if students plan accordingly and don’t switch their majors. But, all too often that doesn’t go as planned.
Kristin Byers, a business major, said she originally planned on graduating within four years, but with it being her fifth year now, she said the graduation ceremony doesn’t mean as much to her anymore.
“The actual graduation ceremony is not important to me, but it is to my family,” Byers said, who is set to graduate next spring.
Byers said she plans to attend law school, which is her motivation factor.
“I’m working hard to just get through it, but budget cuts and lack of classes are discouraging,” Byers said.
According to College Results Online, 14.1 percent of Fresno State students graduate in four years, 36.5 percent graduate in five years and the first year retention rate is 81 percent.
Miranda Gonzales, senior communicative disorders major, said she always thought she would graduate in four years.
“I’m going on my fifth year here at Fresno State and it really doesn’t bother me,” Gonzales said, “I’m young once — why rush through school. That’s always been my attitude.”
Even though Gonzales plans to graduate next year, she said she is looking forward to the graduation ceremony.
“I am expecting my last semester to be challenging but I won’t let it ruin my graduation moment,” Gonzales said. “Not many people have graduated in my family, so it’s special to me.”
Some stress over the final crunch time of classes their last semester and some enjoy the excitement of graduation.
“It can be really easy to get caught off guard and be swamped with school work, but this is a time you should enjoy,” Gonzales said, “Best advice to the upcoming graduating seniors, soak up the moment and try not to let the school work take over your life. It’s a once in a lifetime experience.”