Life at Ripon — Chuchen Tan ’16

Chapter 3: Looking Forward, Looking Back

[Editor’s Note: Chuchen Tan ’16, Sara Driebel ’16, and Jacob Sahr ’16 are writing rotating monthly entries for the Ripon College Newsletter chronicling their senior year experiences. We hope you enjoy their perspectives on Life At Ripon!]

Happy New Year everyone! January has come at last, and it will soon bring my last semester at Ripon College. Looking back on my journey here, I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. In a little over four months, I will leave the place I’ve loved for the past four years and start a new life somewhere else. It is never easy to say goodbye. On January 1st, my mom and I joined some other families in a celebration of New Year’s. It was a weekend of laughter and relaxation, the perfect way to begin 2016.

As senior year comes closer to an end, I am often asked what I plan on doing after graduation, and it soon becomes clear all the things that need to happen before May 15th finally arrives. Cover letters, resumes, and recommendation letters all seem to resemble the undergraduate application process on steroids. I will be taking a gap year to hopefully work in a lab and gain more experience in the field before delving into medical school preparation.

This journey has been a great one, but even more amazing was the company. Over three and a half years, I have made some great friends and had countless meaningful conversations with my wonderful professors who always made me ever more grateful for choosing this school. Most importantly, perhaps, is the fact that I have grown to learn more about myself every day. Wherever my next stop is, the values and knowledge my undergraduate experience has bestowed upon me will undoubtedly stay with me long after these next few months.

Chuchen Tan