IU senior Mostow prepares for life after graduation

IU senior Melody Mostow will be one of several thousand students taking part in the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies being held this Saturday.

On top of the whirlwind that is graduation preparation, Mostow has another major preparation on her plate: her summer wedding. Following graduation, while others head off to jobs, internships, or are still trying to figure out what they are going to do with their lives post-graduation, Mostow will marry her fiancé, IU graduate Avi Coven, before they move to Israel in August to pursue a life together.

The couple is currently entered in a contest, the Wedding Gift Challenge, which would make their move to Israel $10,000 easier. Mostow spoke with the IDS about her engagement, post-graduation plans, the contest and how she’s handling it all on top of classes and finals.

IDS: What’s it like being engaged on a college campus?

MOSTOW: You’d be surprised how many people are. That’s the first thing I would say. My best friend is also engaged and I met her in school. I think that once you’re engaged, you just take more notice of other people wearing engagement rings, among other things, and maybe we just naturally meet each other. I’m certainly not alone. It’s a little crazy, trying to balance schoolwork and planning a wedding, which is probably the understatement of the century.
One thing that I love about IU is how involved you can get in student organizations. Personally I am very involved in a lot of organizations, so trying to manage a full senior year being involved, and planning my wedding, has been a plateful, to say the least.

IDS: When you got engaged this past September, did it affect your personal goals? Did it add or change any?

MOSTOW: I wouldn’t say it changed any of my goals from before. I’m a really driven person, I have a lot of things that I want to accomplish. I wouldn’t marry somebody that would change that in me. It definitely is a lot added to your plate, even just what you’re thinking about in terms of, not just how you’re going to act when you graduate and how you’re going to operate within the world beyond IU, but what kind of wife you’re going to be, is certainly another question to reflect on and prepare for.

IDS: How are you feeling now that graduation is finally here?

MOSTOW: I’m trying really hard to just enjoy every day as it comes. I’m sure that when my wedding comes I’ll really enjoy that day, but today is one of my last days at IU and I really want to enjoy my time and take advantage of it while I’m still here. Once we get married I’ll be in Israel and I really don’t know the next time I’ll be able to come back to Bloomington, which is really hard. Bloomington is one of my favorite places. It’s also easy to be so focused on the future and on planning everything that you get lost in it and I’m trying really hard to not let myself do that.

IDS: Could you tell me more about the contest you and your fiancé are entered in?

MOSTOW: So my fiancé and I — he went to IU and graduated last May — we are getting married this summer and moving to Israel. It’s actually a contest just for couples like us, newlyweds moving to Israel, to win all sorts of prizes. It’s called the Wedding Gift Challenge. We both are really competitive and we really want to win and I think that we can.

IDS: What do you win?

MOSTOW: You win $10,000 towards your move. There are other prizes as well, we’ve already won $1000 to Ikea. It’s awesome, especially as a young couple starting out it’s going to be so helpful. It’s also just fun. I’m a political science major and I’ve been involved with more than one campaign in my time at IU, so campaigns are in my blood. This is another opportunity to mobilize people and get together and work for a cause.

IDS: Do you feel as if IU has prepared you for living abroad?

MOSTOW: I’m a strong believer that what you learn outside of the classroom in college teaches some of the most important things that you’ll take away from school. I think that’s really what has prepared me. So, whether it’s the clubs, positions that I’ve held and learning how to take on leadership roles or organize things working with different kinds of people, I think just working with people is something you’re going to do anywhere in the world. That’s a really important skill I’m taking away.

IDS What would you say to incoming freshmen, transfer students and others to help them make their journey through IU a successful one?

MOSTOW: Take advantage of everything you want to take advantage of. Whether it’s taking the free New York Times, running for president of the student body, talking to someone in your class that you would normally be intimidated of, the experience here can be so full and it’s really up to each person to make it that way. I think that every day we have a chance to push in that direction.

IDS: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your time spent here at IU and how do you feel it will help you in your future?

MOSTOW: I never saw myself going to IU originally. I was not looking at big state schools, I wasn’t really looking at schools in the Midwest, and it was only coming and visiting as a freshmen when I was at a really different place that I realized just how important it is to be happy in your environment. There is something about Bloomington and IU that just exudes comfort and happiness. I think to value your own happiness wherever you are is one of the most important things in the world, no matter what you’re doing or how old you are.
 
IDS: What are you planning on doing once you’re in Israel?

MOSTOW: My dream is to work in the Israeli government. That has been my dream for a really, really long time. I worked in the Israeli government this past summer, I had an internship with a member of the Knesset, which is the Israeli parliament, and I’m going back. My first year, I’ll be getting a master’s degree in Israeli government. I’m hoping after that to pursue a career, whether it’s in a specific department or in foreign relations, I’m open-minded. I’m one of those kids that wanted to change the world that never got the memo that they can’t.

IDS: How confident do you feel in graduating and starting your life outside of college?

MOSTOW: Me and my friends joke that this is just my epic summer of life transitions. I’m excited, I’m trying to approach everything with as much calm as possible.