Let The Classes Begin
With school fast approaching a lot of things have been on my mind lately. I am feeling both excited and reluctant to start school again, which is an interesting combination. I’m really looking forward to getting back into the school routine and seeing the INFO crew again. Classes should be somewhat interesting and I’m sure they will provide that challenge that I secretly enjoy.
I’m also a bit reluctant; reluctant to wake up early enough to make it to my 8:30 am class, reluctant to face deadlines, and reluctant to start thinking about midterms and finals. Most of all I’m reluctant to start my last school year as an undergrad.
With the exception of freshman year, college has been a fantastic experience for me. I have been challenged to work hard and prove I have what it takes to do well in my classes. Not only have a learned a lot through studying and classes, but I feel I’ve grown as a person as well. Now, I know that sounds cliché, so I’ll elaborate.
Living in the dorms for three years teaches you a lot about people. You really begin to realize how different we all are. A lot of people had “interesting” habits, although I’m sure some of mine probably seemed strange to everyone else. I noticed a lot of people seem to shower in the morning, some shower at night, and a few seemed to never shower at all.
I also experienced a wide variety of music. Everyone has their own personal tastes when it comes to music and many are resistant to listen to anything else. I’ve learned about a lot of new music through people during the past few years and I am forever grateful for that. In the dorms a lot of people seem to think a good way of introducing people to new music is to play it loudly and leave their door open. Maybe they felt as though this was a friendly gesture; trust me, it is not.
While some of the stereotypes I had about people were reinforced, most were completely destroyed. This is bound to happen to anyone who lives in close quarters with a number of different people.
Living in the dorms also helps you realize how alike we all are. Most everyone seems to have similar insecurities, some with their physical characteristics, others with their intelligence, and still others with their confidence in general. A lot of people have problems with their relationships or families. A conflict with a friend, my girlfriend, or my family is one of the few situations that will cause me stress; school has never stressed me out, which is sometimes my downfall. That’s another thing I’ve learned about myself recently.
Sometimes the faults of others are easier to see than your own, and sometimes it’s easier to learn about your own faults from others. Two honest friends who understand this can conquer just about anything.
Yes, college has taught me a lot, inside classes and out. College has also been a lot of fun. Living away from home has given me a lot of freedom; sometimes this is good, other times it’s bad, it’s always educational. While I have a lot of responsibilities now with school, my job, and bills I know there will be many more coming my way in the next year.
Like I said, I’m excited for the upcoming year and I’m reluctant to start it. I look forward to finding a real job and taking that next step in my life, but I’ll miss these days that I am now experiencing.
I have high hopes for this last year of school. I’m sure it will be a lot of work, but this will make it all the more rewarding in my eyes; this is especially true for capstone. I’m also looking forward to more good times with the info crew and other friends I have made over the past few years.