The End of an Era

(prepare yourself, I get the feeling this is going to be a long post)

So I'm done with four years of college. Man that went by so fast! No, I didn't graduate...yet...but 4 years is still quite the mile marker!

When my bosses found out my schedule would not allow me to work for them for my final semester in the fall one of them said "whoah its the end of an era." Not too many girls actually stick with the grounds crew for 4 years...its tough work! What I didn't realize was that the semester I started working there was also the semester this particular boss started working there.

I absolutely loved my job on the Grounds Crew! I learned so much. This city girl now feels like she could actually get something to grow...and look nice too! Sure I hated the trash run, but I loved planting stuff, watering stuff, watching it grow and saying...you see that hosta over there? I picked that one out and planted it! I love knowing the names of things like my 2 current favorite kinds of trees (kwanzan cheery and red bud). I loved my bosses to pieces they were like my on campus dads. I learned how to start a leaf-blower (I went from not being able to, to being named the leaf-blower whisperer). I learned how to drive a pick up truck, a John Deer Gator, a spiffy Kubota, and yes, a dump truck. I won't dwell on this too long, I've already written a post about it a while ago, but let's just say that leaving was too much bitter and not enough sweet. I will never forget that job!

After 4 years I also finally completed the Honors Program at my school. This is a HUGE accomplishment for me. I had to fight to finish this program due to scheduling conflicts. I was only in my last honors class half of the time (and still pulled a B-!!!!). Honors was super difficult for me because my background did not prepare me very well for this material. I went to high school in a public school district that fails No Child Left Behind...I know I know...who knew that was actually possible...well it is. We did not read the same type of materials in my high school that many of my private schooled, and home schooled classmates did. I started this program pretty far behind! I never gave up though and now it is done! I am done (with)* Honors forever!

After I finish a summer course I will be done with regular college courses for my undergrad career! Next semester is student teaching so I'm treating it as something different. 4 years of classes. I've had the same professors over and over and over again (its a small college you must understand)...and now I won't have them anymore. It just feels weird, and strange.

Graduation: yes I did watch it, no I haven't done it yet. This past semester was the one where I was supposed to walk the stage. I still will but at a later date, and I've already written about that as well. I went to watch my class.

I watched my Honors class graduate. What an accomplishment. I am honored to be part of their class. What achievements and awards they received on top of completing the Honors Program. Great job guys. It felt weird to watch them go. After 4 years of reading Great Books, sitting in circles in talking about Great Books, writing papers and reflections on Great Books, and taking oral finals and doing final projects on Great Books we have a certain kind of bond. We watched each other struggle, we watched some classmates leave, and we urged some to stay. We stuck it out and we did it. The few, the proud, the 16 people from the Honors class of 2013 who actually made it. I was glad to see them cross that stage with their Honors tassels, but sad to see them go.

I know I wrote about Honors twice, but finishing the program and watching my classmates go are two completely different feelings.

I watched my class graduate. The people I came in with freshman year. The people who were at orientation with me. The people I watched grow into adults and who watched me grow into an adult. I will always consider myself part of the class of 2013. Always. This class is silly, goofy, smart, and kind. I am glad to have been a part of it!

Here's the punch in the gut...I watched my first college friends graduate. The first people I ever befriended at this school. The ones who stayed up late and got up early with me freshman year. My first roommate. The ones who's rooms I pretty much lived in instead of my own because I don't like doing homework in my own room. The friends who I met on my wing, on 4th floor, in the bathroom the night before we had a class together, at the orientation dance, at lunch that random one time, and in my first semester of scary college classes. My first college best friend and my first college friend group. And let's be honest if the "community" on the 4th floor our freshman year is still being talked about by the RAs to this day clearly we had something great going!

In four years I went from an ambitious girl with no clue what she was going to do with her life to an ambitious woman with no clue where she is going to live in December. I've learned so much and been touched by so many people. I've come very far in what turned out to feel like a very short period of time. Grown ups are not lying when they say that college will fly by! Four years is already gone and I cannot believe it! This is the end of an era for sure.




*I would normally say "I'm done Honors!" and apparently that isn't normal