A little over four years ago, I received my acceptance to UCLA.

I felt a multitude of emotions: happiness, validation, disbelief, gratitude and fear. I viewed UCLA as the final destination after years of hard work.

What I did not realize at the time was that my experience here would become far more about self-discovery rather than education. UCLA gave me an education I never could have dreamed of obtaining in my hometown. But more importantly, it gave me the space to question who I was, who I wanted to become and what kind of life I actually wanted for myself.

My path at UCLA was far from what I imagined. I left after one quarter, attended community college, changed my major and came back to finish my last two years. At the time, these twists and turns felt overwhelming, because in an environment where everyone seems sure about their future, it is easy to feel left behind when your plans shift.

However, these moments became a core part of my college experience. It forced me to become more adaptable and honest with myself.

As corny as it may sound, I learned that even when parts of your life seem to be going in the wrong direction, it does not mean you are behind, even when it feels like everyone else is ahead.

I like to believe things happen for a reason. Even if that belief is simply a form of comfort, it has kept me going.

One of the most rewarding opportunities I have had at UCLA was becoming an Opinion columnist for the Daily Bruin. Growing up, I never considered myself to be a creative person. Writing was not something I initially saw as part of my identity.

Over time, however, writing has become one of the main ways through which I learned to process my thoughts and understand the world around me. It taught me that creativity is not limited to art or music – sometimes, it exists through asking difficult questions, telling honest stories and the willingness to give your thoughts a voice.

For a long time, I believed I needed a perfect plan to feel confident about my future. However, college has shown me that uncertainty is a natural part of growth.

If I am being frank, uncertainty used to scare me, but now, I thrive in it. With graduation looming on the horizon, the question of “What’s next?” constantly lingers in the back of my mind.

Yet for the first time in my life, I no longer view this uncertainty as a sign of failure. Instead, I see it as proof there is so much life left to experience, directions left to explore and room to grow.

As I prepare to leave UCLA, I realize the person graduating today is quite different from the person who opened the acceptance letter four years ago. Although I am leaving with more questions than answers, I think this is what growth is supposed to feel like.

This is not the end of my story, only the end of its beginning.

Cooper was a 2025-26 Opinion contributor.