10 Questions: Tess Parsons, '11

Next up to tackle our “10 Questions” is recent graduate Tess Parsons!

USF graduate Tess!

#1: What is your favorite memory from USF?

Tess: “My favorite memories from USF come from living in the dorms and meeting all new friends.  A couple months into my freshman year I had met a great group of girls that are still my friends and    roommates today.  We decided to bike across the golden gate bridge all the way from Fisherman’s Wharf to Sausalito.  Such a great experience.”

#2: What are you most proud of during your college career?

Tess: “I think that graduating a semester early is a great accomplishment.  It took a little extra work during my semesters at USF but it bought me some extra time to evaluate what I am going to do next.”

#3: What will you miss most about college?

Tess: “Surprising as it may sound, I will really miss the classes and learning each day.  Of course I will also miss the summer and winter vacations.”

#4: What was your favorite thing about being a Communication Studies major?

Tess: “I love that this major is so applicable and interesting in your everyday life.  Some way or another all of the Communication classes came up in my ‘real life,’ not just in the classroom.  Plus the major is so versatile and you can really make it what you choose in the job market.”

#5: What, if anything, would you have done differently if you were starting your college career over again?

Tess: “I would have started figuring out what careers interested me early on in my college career. Somehow when you’re younger you think you have so much time to figure it out, but four years goes by in the blink of an eye.  I would have taken more advantage of the on campus resources as well, the Career Service Center, advising meetings, travel opportunities, internships, the gym…(but honestly I only went like four times and now I have to buy a gym membership if I ever want to go again).”

#6: What advice do you have for students in their first or second year of college?

Tess: “First and foremost, have lots of adventures, get out of the dorms and into the city.  You’re so lucky to be at a school in San Francisco, it has so much to offer.  Second, and just as important, try to really be purposeful about where your life is going. You don’t have to figure it all out just yet, but be thinking about how each step is leading you to where you eventually want to end up.”

#7: What are you most excited for as you begin this next phase of life after graduation?

Tess: “I’m most excited to see where my life, career, and new experiences take me.  This is so exciting, but also a little scary, not knowing exactly what is going to happen.  I’m up to the challenge and adventure of what’s to come.”

#8: What do you hope to be doing five years from now?

Tess: “I hope to be working in a career that really makes me happy. I hope that I am still close with all of the great friends I have made over the years at USF.  And lastly, I hope that I’m a little less stressed out about the future.”

#9: How are you different now than when you first started at USF?

Tess: “I think the major difference is that I feel more like an adult.  I have to start making more grown up decisions, and I actually wish I could go to class and do homework instead.”

#10: What three words describe your current feelings about graduation?

Tess: “Relieved, Excited, Anxious.”

Thanks, Tess! We are so proud of you!