10 Pieces of Advice from a Graduating Senior - Sarah Dutton, AC ’21

I vividly remember when I first came to UK, everyone told me to “enjoy every minute, it goes by fast” or “I wish I could be a freshman in college again!” Little did I know, four years later I would be wishing those same things, hoping time would slow down just a little bit. After four years of experiences, friendships, mistakes, highs and lows, I feel like I’ve learned a few things. Here are 10 pieces from a graduating senior:

1. Get involved in ADPi beyond just being a member. Whether you run for a leadership position, join a committee, or volunteer at RMHC, anything to further your membership in ADPi and meet new people is a win in my book! When I ran for my first ADPi leadership position in Fall 2021, I had no idea how much of an impact it would eventually make on my life. I had the opportunity to serve as the Vice President of Panhellenic Relations, Director of Alumnae Engagement, and Chapter President, in addition to the plethora of other committees and volunteer opportunities I signed up for. It was in those roles that I met some of my closest friends and mentors. So, get involved as much as you possibly can, you never know where it might lead you!

2. SAY YES! This one is something that people say all too often, but also something that led me to my eight closest friends. During your first two years of college, it’s easy to lock yourself in your room with what seems like your never-ending school work and other unfamiliar feelings that come with being a college student. However, it is absolutely vital that you constantly put yourself out there, especially within your first two years of college. You heard some girls in your alpha class are going to the basketball game on Tuesday night? Ask to go with them! A new coffee shop opened up down the street and you’ve been wanting to try? Reach out to someone you’ve never met before and ask them to tag along with you! Putting yourself out there is uncomfortable, but no one ever grew from staying in their comfort zone. If it weren’t for all of my “yes’s, ” I wouldn’t be where I am today.

3. Explore Lexington! At the beginning of Junior year, one of my roommates, Lydia Newton, and I decided that we were going to explore restaurants in Lexington that we hadn’t been to before. We were going to start a TikTok series called “College Connoisseurs” and try a new restaurant each week. Well, we never started the TikTok series, BUT we always have a blast exploring new places to eat. I wish this was something that I made an effort to do at the start of my freshman year because there are so many fun places to eat, explore, hike, shop, and drive around that aren’t always advertised. Lexington, and the surrounding cities, are BEAUTIFUL, so take a few afternoons a month to explore with a new friend. And in case you were wondering, some of Lydia and I’s top rated Lexington restaurants include: Big Kahuna Hawaiian BBQ, Tuk Tuk Snack Shop, Dad’s Favorites, Jack Brown’s Burger Joint, and Windy Corner Market.

4. Go to all the sporting events at UK! As we all know, UK has some of the most fun game dayexperiences. The legacy that the wildcats hold within the SEC is widely known, making any game day, win or lose, a good one! My sophomore year, I decided to take a leap and join the UK Athletics Marketing team as a marketing intern. One of the most exciting things about the whole internship was getting the opportunity to go to a variety of different sporting events beyond basketball and football. I got to attend gymnastics meets, men’s and women’s soccer games,5. 6. 7. 8. baseball games, swim meets, tennis matches, women’s basketball games, and more. Since high school, I had longed for that feeling of school spirit, but little did I know that that feeling was EASILY accessible with tickets to every sporting event, besides basketball and football, being free! So take two hours on a Wednesday night to watch our nationally ranked gymnastics team because I promise you will make some of your favorite college memories!

5. Get involved in another club or organization outside of Greek Life! As much as Greek Life has so much to offer, so does the rest of campus! I always tell incoming freshmen to get involved in a club or student organization that relates to their major or future career desires. Starting the resume building early is extremely beneficial! But UK also has over 500 clubs and student organizations for any interest, or potential interest, that you might have. Whether it be bird watching or skiing, UK has it all! Being only involved in Greek Life is enough in itself, but if your schedule allows it, step out of your comfort zone and join a new club!

6. Take advantage of all that campus has to offer! This one is similar to the above piece of advice, but this one has to do with the amenities that UK offers. I truly did not know how many opportunities were given to students on campus until half way through my junior year. And now I’m scrambling to try to utilize them all before they are no longer offered for free or at an extremely discounted rate! UK offers a WIDE variety of free or discounted amenities that should be taken advantage of from DAY ONE on campus. Here are a few of my favorites that I’ve discovered: free massage chairs for up to 30 minutes, 10 free therapy sessions, free New York Times subscription, free Canva+ subscription, discounted massages from massage therapy students, free workout classes at campus gyms, free headshots, Fidelity (get PAID to do things around campus and invest your money into stocks!), and so much more.

7. Make connections with upperclassmen! I remember the upperclassmen my freshman year were always so intimidating to me and they always looked like they had everything together, all the time. Now that I am one of those upperclassmen, I can assure you that we’re not so scary and we DEFINITELY don’t have everything together, all the time! I was always a little nervous to talk to the upperclassmen when I was a freshman, however, I did become close to two seniors that are still two of my favorite people in the world to this day! One of which was Claire Dzan, the Chapter President when I first stepped into the chapter, who eventually became an incredible mentor to me when I served as Chapter President. To this day, I still reach out to her about the most random thoughts and she always helps guide me in the right direction! Upperclassmen always want to share the things that were once instilled into them. Whether you talked to them during recruitment, are in the same major, career path, or diamond family, talk to the upperclassmen and start creating your network! Who knows, maybe you’ll meet your Claire Dzan!

8. IT’S NOT A BIG DEAL! I can probably name 100+ instances during my time in college that I made a bigger deal about something that ended up being a waste of stress. I have this sign in my room that reads “don’t stress over the things you can’t control. ”It’s always been ironic to me because I find myself stressing about things I can’t control ALL THE TIME (oops)! But after reflecting on my years in college, I am here to tell you that it. is. not. a. big. deal. It’s not! That “B” that you got on your CHEM 105 exam, I can ASSURE you that it’s not a big deal. That leadership position that you applied for but didn’t get, it’s not a big deal. Wasting your time stressing over little things thatwill not matter in the long run is exhausting! One “B” will not prevent you from getting into graduate school and a closed door is always an opened door elsewhere. It will all work out, I promise!

9. 9. Don’t stress about a major change! When I came to UK as a freshman, I originally thought I wanted to be a sports dietician. I was a dietetics major in all the chemistry and chemistry lab classes with my gray scrubs and goggles. By November, I found myself not enjoying anything I was learning and thinking that maybe dietetics wasn’t where I was meant to be. After prayer and long discussions with my family, I finally booked a career appointment at the Stuckert Career Center and told the sweet lady working with me all that I loved to do and if UK had a major that would allow me to do those things. And she told me that I would probably enjoy Integrated Strategic Communications (ISC)! If it weren’t for that sweet lady, I wouldn’t have found ISC, a major that I am truly so passionate about. I felt like a failure for having to switch my major, but without a doubt, it was the best decision I could have ever made. The courage to switch my major changed the trajectory of my life, who knows who I’d be if I was still in the dietetics program! If you change your major, IT IS OKAY!! It’s not uncommon to change interests in college.

10. 10. Go on that trip with your friends! Before my first college spring break in Panama City Beach, I was so worried that the girls I was traveling with wouldn’t get along. None of us were super close and we had kind of booked the trip last minute. However, I was proved wrong, and that sweet trip set the precedent for MANY more friend trips to come. Although traveling for spring break is an absolute blast, I think some of my most favorite college memories were spent on those random weekend trips with my closest friends. Don’t get me wrong, the week long beach trip ALWAYS gave us a run for our money, but the two night trips were always the ones we constantly wanted to do over. Whether it’s a trip to Gatlinburg, Nashville, or a hometown date, take the weekend to travel with your friends! Those are the memories you’ll one day tell your children about.

I truly could give endless amounts of advice to anyone in college, but I think we would be here all day. For now, I hope you were able to resonate with at least one of these. I wish I would have better listened to the people that gave me college advice before I came to school. Everything they said was true, but none of their words set in until recently, just a few months before I graduate from UK and close this chapter in my book. I know it’s cliche, but enjoy every minute. It really does go by so fast.

-Sarah Dutton AC ‘21