Seniors: Enjoy time at U.

Members of the Class of 1999 look back with mix of optimism, regret. and Molly Selzer Wharton senior Vladimir Artamonov sat in his room in Sansom Place West drinking orange juice out of a Wharton glass, reminiscing about his past and talking about his future. His otherwise sparse room was decorated with paintings he created himself and a poster of a Spanish bullfight. The practical Finance major had a hard time expressing his feelings about his upcoming graduation. "I'm excited, definitely, [but] at the same time, I'm upset that I won't see many of my friends anymore," he said, echoing the sentiments of many other seniors. As graduation steadily approaches for the approximately 2,400 members of the Class of 1999, seniors are experiencing feelings of excitement, anxiety, relief and sadness -- a potent combination. For Artamonov, the Penn experience has been characterized by focus and the determination to test his abilities on the fast-paced world of Wall Street. He starts a job at Merrill Lynch in July. Artamonov is graduating at the ripe old age of 20, having finished a year early at a Russian high school. Now that he is leaving Penn, he advises soon-to-be seniors to "stay calm and take care of their health." "I have a lot of friends who are juniors right now and they seem to put themselves under a lot of stress in terms of finding a job," Artamonov said. He encouraged students to enjoy every moment of their life at Penn, and not to spend too much time with their noses to the grindstone. "Everything seems to work out and be fine in the long run," he noted. But this laissez-faire attitude seems to be easier said than done for many Penn seniors. College senior Akara Forsythe advised students to stay focused, but at the same time, not to make her mistake of letting time go by. "I didn't really like my experience here, but I know it was right for me," the frustrated pre-med said, admitting that Penn prepared her well for the future. That same sentiment of regret -- for not taking full advantage of Penn's resources -- was common among other seniors, as well. "I see a million classes I could have taken," Forsythe said, sitting Indian style on her crisply-made bed in DuBois College House. College senior Shailu Koppolu expressed a similar emotion. Koppolu recently went to her first Penn basketball game and plans to see as many performing arts groups as possible before her May 17 graduation. And College senior Sabari Nandi said that she wanted to do all the Penn activities she could get her hands on and entrench herself in "Penn stuff." Likewise, College senior Amy Raphael advised incoming seniors to make sure they've taken full advantage of their first three years at Penn before the last one passes them by. "I know you want to shove everything in at the last minute," she said. "But don't because you won't be able to do it." Raphael said that her Penn experience has helped her "trust the random" and not be too wedded to any one path. She has been an active participant in the extra-curricular life at Penn as a former member of the Student Activities Council executive board, a residential advisor in the Quadrangle, a member of the Penn Parliamentary Debate Team and a member of the International Relations Undergraduate Student Association. Involvement in Penn activities has also never been a problem for Engineering senior Charles Goh, who is the head instructor and president of the University of Pennsylvania World Tai Kwan Do Federation. Goh, who is interested in entering the video programming industry, said he feels ambivalent toward graduation. "[It's a feeling] of being scared and being excited," Goh explained. College senior Dara Gruen has mixed emotions regarding graduation. "I've sort of found my niche here and it's going to be tough to leave," said the co-director of Connaissance, the arm of the Social Planning and Events Committee charged with bringing speakers to campus. "At the same time, it's going to be exciting being exposed to new things," starting with a planned three-week summer tour through Europe. Many other seniors also expressed the desire to travel before settling into the routine of life after college. Forsythe smiled broadly while disclosing her plans to go "somewhere in the Caribbean" with some Penn friends. Raphael wants to "see a little bit of the world until I run out of cash." "If anyone wants to go to Spain next weekend, let me know," she quipped.

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