Name: Elizabeth Jenkins
Class: Senior
Major: Economics and political science
Hometown: Wichita, Kansas

You've been here for four years now--was it an adjustment coming from Kansas? Initially, I was taken aback by the atmosphere at South Carolina. I realized early on that I definitely did not have the proper wardrobe for game days, and my accent gave me away as an out-of-towner. In fact, for my entire first semester, most people knew me as 'Kansas,' not Elizabeth. But it didn't take long to develop a love of classic rock and to really embrace the people. It really is true that people are just nicer down here.

What are your plans after graduation? Next year, I am moving to the Boston area and attending law school at Harvard. Then after that, I am not sure. I'd love to work for a firm in Washington, D.C., or the Chicago area because I am more familiar with them. But who knows? I might just fall in love with Boston.

Are you anxious about starting over? I am definitely extremely nervous; I don't really know what to expect. But I'm really excited, also. I came to South Carolina not knowing anybody, so I am not afraid of moving to a city on my own. I am more nervous about the rigor of law school and adjusting back to dorm life. I am not very excited about the 10x12 box I will live in next year.

What are you going to miss the most about South Carolina? I am going to miss my friends, who will be spread across the country next year. Also, I'm going to miss USC football games, which I have learned is more than a sport, but really is a way of life. I also am going to miss the warm Carolina weather.

What are you doing this summer? Lots of traveling. After graduation, I am going to spend some quality time relaxing at the beach before heading home to Kansas for a few weeks. Then in mid July, I am traveling to Europe with my family and visiting France, Italy, Switzerland, and sailing Croatia's Dalmatian Coast. I return less than a week before I have to be in Boston for orientation, so it will be a whirlwind last few weeks.

Any advice for seniors about to graduate like yourself? If you are in the process of searching for jobs, I think it's important to figure out what you really want to do because no one wants to be stuck in a job or in a field in which they are not interested. But I also think you need to always remember that you are probably not going to get your 'dream job' right after college. That doesn't mean you should settle for something mundane and give up trying. The average age of entering students in most graduate schools is about 24 to 26, so you still have time; just make sure you make the most of it so that you can truly enrich the educational environment of your chosen school.

4/07