Senior reflects on college life, bids farewell

I am graduating. The words seem wrong, yet right, all at the same time. I have been working with The Pine Log for two semesters and have learned a lot from it.

Andy love is very scary. Don’t write in past tense. Don’t indent. And there were many other random newsroom moments and memories.

I have also learned many things in four years of college. I have learned that just because a person is in college doesn’t make them smart. I have learned that it’s almost impossible for me to have a roommate because I am anal and too clean. I did have one good roommate, so I can’t be all that bad. We learn about each other and ourselves.

I have realized that I am not the same person I was four years ago. This is a great thing. Who I am has changed for the better and made me a person with strong faith, awesome friends and a good life. In this growth, I learned that we may not know our friends as well as we think all the time.

People are constantly judging each other by what they do, wear or say. Yet, our friends may be different than us as well. For example, I have a friend who is a homosexual. We were talking with a group of my friends who had just met my gay friend. They didn’t know he was gay and in the course of our conversation made comments similar to “That’s so gay” and also used a few vulgar synonyms for homosexual. I was taken aback for a moment, so I could just imagine my friend’s reaction. He was calmer than I was. He was used to these scenarios. He is used to hiding out in East Texas. Don’t tell Otwell.

Our friends aren’t who we want them to be. They are who they are. You might not know your friends the way you think. They could be gay or a Democrat or a Republican or believe in abortion. I could be the gay guy having to hear these comments from those I thought were my friends. If this were my case, I would hope my close friends would be more thoughtful in their word choices.

I have also learned less serious life lessons. Don’t park on the yellow stripes because UPD will give you a ticket. As much as you wish you cannot crap money at will to pay rent and bills, but magically you can find money for Ramen noodles and beer. I have learned that I need to buy an extra car door key because I will lock my keys in the car again and again.

Life is about learning. Learning is enjoyable for me. After graduation, I will be moving to Syracuse, N.Y., to attend Syracuse University and work on a master’s in arts journalism. I am excited and nervous all at once. Not to mention I have seen snow only twice in my life. My long term goal is to own and run my own arts magazine.

Giving thanks to those who deserve it is also enjoyable, so I will end with a few shout-outs to my peeps. To the Office of Student Affairs or Student Activities, or whatever we are calling ourselves at the moment, thank you for two years of a wonderful job and great people to work with. Thanks to my fellow Pine Log staff, who have scared me, made me laugh, and laughed at me for a year now, but always treated me with respect even though editing my articles were probably hell since I suck at AP style. A huge thanks to my theatre friends who convince themselves that I am a theatre major and ignore my bad acting, but smile when they think of me in my underwear. It’s okay as long as you remember me when I call to interview you when you’re famous. Thanks to the members of my various organizations: Student Foundation, Omicron Delta Kappa and so many others. It has been fun serving with you and beside you.

Now, a final thanks to my close friends Ed, Sara, Biddle, Rainwater and Amanda. I appreciate your prayers, your love and your friendship. You like me for me and not some proper picture of what a person is supposed to be. I will miss your faces and smiles in New York, because your smiles surpass the beauty that I will be surrounded by.

To all those I missed, please know I love you and you can always add me on The Facebook.