Taking the Scenic Route to Graduation

Learning is Not Linear

Illustration by Roshni Capewell

Story by Thalia Coulter

Another quarter, another set of surprises, setbacks and crises. As I return to campus, I wonder what the next 10 weeks have in store for me. I make my way to my favorite study spot as I have countless times before, smile at familiar faces — and feel the absence of others. I think of friends who graduated, transferred, dropped out or are taking time off from school, and I wonder where their paths have taken them.

I settle in, open my laptop next to a group of freshmen chatting excitedly about dorm life, GURs and prospective majors. Their carefree confidence makes me smile, remembering the electives I took “just for fun” as a freshman. Maybe I am feeling especially cynical today, but I can’t help but wonder how their ambitions and plans will change over the next few years.

Now a junior, every decision I make feels calculated to keep me on track to graduation, save money and prepare me for life after college. Unfortunately, no matter how much you plot and scheme, life tends to keep throwing curveballs. Every time I visit home, I have a new laundry list of problems, ambitions and plans to tell my parents. On winter break, I might be thriving academically, socially and mentally, but come spring break, I’ll be floating the idea of an extra quarter or two and asking my mom for gas money to get back to Bellingham.

My mom, ever supportive, reassures me that I have time – that my twenties are for “figuring things out.” Silently, I wonder how I can possibly “figure things out” when I can’t seem to make deadlines, miss the morning bus at least twice a week, and reconsider my major every quarter. I try to take my mom’s advice into consideration, but it’s hard when my path always seems to lead me into a maze of circles and dead ends.

I am not alone in this experience. In conversations with roommates, coworkers, friends and peers, I’ve heard stories of failed classes, switched majors, financial struggles, family issues, and health problems. While everyone’s path is unique, I have recognized common themes of uncertainty, spontaneity, and above all, persistence.

By my observation, the idealized four-year graduation time does not appear to be the norm, at least not among my peers. The Western Admissions website states 4.32 years as the average time to finish a degree. I wondered how this statistic was reflected in the experiences of the general student body, so I headed to Red Square to ask around. In a sea of students rushing to class or heading home for the afternoon, I managed to catch the attention of a few willing to share their stories.

Owen Smith, a sophomore at Western, opened up about his struggle passing a prerequisite class for the computer science major, which has set his back a few quarters. This quarter marks the third time Smith is taking the class, and I was struck by his optimism as he joked, “Third time’s the charm!”

Smith urged struggling students to make use of the Counseling and Wellness Center, and also to try not to be too hard on themselves. “College is really difficult, but there is support available,” he said.

While failure and rejection are inherent parts of the college experience, Smith has found motivation by tracking his success through milestones. “Finishing later is not failure,” he told me.

Pierce Bock’s path to graduation has been one of switchbacks and U-turns. He started out at the University of Oregon, then transferred to a community college after the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately landing at Western. After changing his major several times, Bock has now settled on urban planning, which he enjoys. 

Bock reflected on his time in college, emphasizing the importance of exploring one’s interests both on and off campus, focusing on pursuing hobbies, and building relationships that help you grow in different ways.

Now 24, Bock said he sometimes feels too old to be in college, but also reminded me, “In the grand scheme of things I could live another 70 years.” Bock’s refreshing outlook on life inspired me to not be so afraid to take my time, on my own path to graduation — and to explore all I can on the way there.

Uma Frost-Hausman had a similarly laidback attitude. After graduating high school in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Frost-Hausman was in no rush to start college, and decided to instead take a gap year, a dream she had harbored since middle school. During her year off, she traveled, working on farms and as a ski instructor in Canada.

While she wasn’t engaged with academics during her gap year, Frost-Hausman feels that her experiences prepared her for college in important ways, as she was able to take some time off, reviving her motivation for academics and inspiring her to think about her future. “Even though I was mostly just having fun playing in the snow and goofing around, I definitely realized a little bit more of what I wanted to study,” she said.

Now a Fairhaven student with a concentration in child psychology, Frost-Hausman credits her work with children as a ski instructor with helping to inspire her academic career. Aside from helping to solidify Frost-Hausman’s academic aspirations, the gap year also taught her independence and confidence, and prepared her for some of the social aspects of college life.

When she did start studying at Western in 2022, Frost-Hausman was a year older than most of her peers, but noted that she didn’t feel behind or disconnected at all. “I was more ready to make friends and more confident in who I was,” she said. “It was so worth it to just take a break, and it definitely refreshed me.”

Dalton Steel was set back on his path to graduation for circumstances beyond his control. He started his college career at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi but had to take time off for medical leave. After his recovery, he transferred to Bellingham Technical College and then ultimately to Western. “It does kind of sting a little bit to feel like I’m behind some of my peers,” he said.

However, Steel encourages students in similar situations to relax and return to school when they are able to. He sees the typical four-year graduation timeline as more of a guideline, and encourages students to go at their own pace. “Even if you don’t graduate school in four years, it’s still good to be in school and be working towards something,” he said.

With my interviewees’ words echoing in my head, I headed back to my trusty study spot and hunkered down to listen to my recordings. As a whole, the students’ personal anecdotes, grievances and advice painted a picture of meeting hardship with optimism, and unexpected setbacks with persistence. I was struck by students’ openness and willingness to reflect on their individual college experiences, and some of their advice was eye-opening. All student insight, however, contains a certain implicit bias, due to the perception of shared experience. While we are all in the trenches together, I did wonder about the university’s official standpoint on graduation times.

The Western Admissions website advertises a six-year graduation rate of 67.8%, and after a little digging through Western’s most recently published Common Data Set, I calculated that only 42.4% of students graduated in four years or less. This data, however, only includes first-time, full-time, bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students and so does not count transfer or Running Start students.

Taking this data into consideration alongside student accounts, I realized that my path to graduation has not been so outrageous, even if it has felt treacherous at times. Four-year graduation at Western, while still presented as the societal norm, is not as common as we tend to believe.

As I lean into the rest of my journey at Western, I feel compelled to take my time, and to experience all I can along the way. I now realize that college is not just about graduating as soon as possible. It’s about learning and growing holistically. Maybe the old adage is true: it’s not the destination, but the journey that matters most. And maybe mother was right after all: my twenties really are for figuring things out.