The Charger Blog
In a witty and heartfelt commencement reflection, Samuel Rathan Joy Alavala Ӱԭ25 M.S. shares his experienceӰԭfrom switching majors and crossing continents to finding friendship, faith, and a new future at the University of New Haven.
May 13, 2025
Hello, Chargers!
Wow. We did it. We survived! Sleepless nights, endless assignments, and those group projects where one person always mysteriously disappearedӰԭonly to reappear right before submission. But here we are, ready to toss our caps and step into the real world.
For those who donӰԭt know me, IӰԭm Samuel Rathan Joy Alavala. I know itӰԭs a mouthful, so my friends call me JoyӰԭand, yes, I try to live up to that name, even when IӰԭm running solely on caffeine, sheer willpower, and the strategic chaos of starting assignments at 11:59 p.m. My workflow? 90% internal screaming, 10% actual effort. Yet somehow, I still pulled it offӰԭlike some kind of academic wizard. I come from Warangal, a vibrant city in southern India, and, like many of us, I dared to dream big, cross an ocean, and pursue my M.S. in Business Analytics. But let me tell you, my journey here wasnӰԭt as straightforward as my résumé makes it seem.
I originally came to the U.S. to study Computer ScienceӰԭbecause, well, thatӰԭs the safest way to make your parents proud. But after debugging thousands of lines of code at 3 a.m., I realized... this wasnӰԭt the future I envisioned. LetӰԭs just say, watching AI do in seconds what took me hours was a humbling moment. So, after some deep soul searchingӰԭand desperate WhatsApp calls to friends across the countryӰԭI found my way to the University of New Haven and took a leap of faith into Business Analytics.
Now, moving to a new country is already an adventure. Moving across the country again after settling down? ThatӰԭs next-level chaos. But I packed my bagsӰԭwith excitement, uncertainty, and, of course, enough Maggi noodles to last a semester.
People warned me about the Northeast:
ӰԭItӰԭs brutally cold.Ӱԭ (True.)
ӰԭPeople arenӰԭt friendly.Ӱԭ (Absolutely false!)
I met some of the kindest, most incredible people here. And letӰԭs be real, I also met more Telugu-speaking folks than I ever expected. I stepped onto campus and thought I had walked into a mini-Hyderabad!
Speaking of campus, letӰԭs talk about our dear Orange Campus. I imagined a large, bustling university with the traditional college experience. Instead, I found a cozy little space where breakout rooms became our offices, and the café became our hangout place. The coffee breaks that lasted longer than study sessions (even though I rarely drink coffee), the late-night cramming, the 7/11 cheese pizza, and the never-ending stream of memes we sent instead of working. These are the moments that made this journey unforgettable.
LetӰԭs acknowledge the real test ahead: the five-year ticking clock known as the F-1 visa. Our biggest assignment now isnӰԭt a capstone project; itӰԭs finding a job before that visa clock runs out. Every international student I know is refreshing LinkedIn like itӰԭs the stock market, hoping to see that golden word: ӰԭSponsored.Ӱԭ
To our professorsӰԭthank you for challenging us, guiding us, and pretending not to notice when we were clearly surviving on two hours of sleep and pure adrenaline. Also, special thanks for reading our presentationsӰԭbecause, letӰԭs be honest, YouTube tutorials did try to compete with you.
To my friendsӰԭthank you for the laughs, the late-night grinds, and for never judging me when I ate biryani for breakfast. (Absolutely no regrets.)
To those who sat through my unsolicited therapy sessionsӰԭyouӰԭre welcome.
And finally, to all the familiesӰԭwhether supporting us from the nearby or from thousands of miles awayӰԭyou are the real MVPs. To my dad, in heaven, and my beautiful mom and sisters celebrating this milestone with meӰԭthis achievement is as much yours as it is mine. To every proud parent, sibling, and loved one: your sacrifices, prayers, and unwavering belief in us made this day possible.
And above all, a huge shoutout to GodӰԭbecause without Him, none of this would be possible.
As we step into this next chapter, letӰԭs remember uncertainty is part of the journey. But if thereӰԭs one thing this class has proven, itӰԭs that we are built for this. We came here with dreams, fears, and doubts. And yet, today, weӰԭre stronger, wiser, and ready to take on the world.
So, letӰԭs go forth, letӰԭs conquer, and letӰԭs do it with styleӰԭbecause once a Charger, always a Charger!
Congratulations, Class of 2025Ӱԭwe did it!
Samuel Rathan Joy Alavala Ӱԭ25 M.S., who will receive his business analytics degree, was a finalist to serve as a student speaker at Commencement. The content above is based on the speech he delivered as part of the competitive process to select the student Commencement speakers.
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