For an entire year I've been mentally crossing off calendar days with an indelible red marker with anticipation and excitement, eagerly awaiting the arrival of May 22, 2011. And as the days quickly pass and the 22nd is within view, I feel ready - so very ready to start my life in a world of freedom and chaos. After picking up my cap and gown, sending out my graduation announcements, and solidifying reservations I am prepared to walk across the stage, shake Mary Lions' hand, and officially end my undergraduate career.
My journey through USD didn't constitute the best days of my life, but they were perfect. Perfectly heartbreaking, perfectly inspiring, and perfectly perfect. For the last four years I've been a creature of habit, of routine. I have been a slave to assignments and responsibility; days full of tasks to be crossed off lists with a sense of accomplishment. I've kept myself busy with dedication and hard work - pouring my heart and soul into papers and classroom debates.
Now as I am mentally preparing myself for what will be my biggest accomplishment thus far in my 22 year old life, I've alloted myself a great deal of time to think back on my college career and highlight what has challenged me, changed me, and made me me these past four years.
I've compiled a list of moments that I am truly grateful I've had the opportunity to experience. Moments of insanity, delirium, and unmeasurable happiness. Moments of confusion, frustration, and overwhelming doubt. Moments I will keep with me forever.
My favorite Random Moments.
*Although I only vaguely remember wearing a blue shirt to dinner at La Paloma freshman year, that night marked the beginning of a friendship I wouldn't encounter until the end of my junior year. I met a girl I instantly adored and who is now one of the most amazing people I've come to know. My past summer roommate, and soon to be permanent roommate, my favorite friend, and self-less confidant Kendra Obsurn.
*Ethics with Zwolinski was a no-brainer course. With my forever curious disposition and reliable study buddies, camping out in the Student Life Pavilion at 2:00am tackling the material for that final seemed like no problem, until every joke turned sexual and I laughed until I started sobbing. Kevin O'Malley and Jonathan Fein helped create my fondest finals memory.
*We decided going on SEARCH the weekend before our 35 page methods paper was due was a great idea. And although the retreat was absolutely spectacular I think sitting in the library with Anjuli Wright, Kara Kimball, Nina Baum, Christina Ellsworth, and Jeff Baucher delirious from a sleepless weekend and frantically typing away was even more amazing...
*Every sociology major dreads the semester in which they are forced to take Classical (or is it Contemporary) Sociological Theory with Dr. Reifer. And although that class was quite possibly the hardest course I've ever take, literally stalking Dr. Reifer all semester to ensure I'd get an A and then showing up 40 minutes late my final made for quite an entertaining semester.
*It is entirely devastating when every single one of your closest friends graduate the year before you, but ending that year by drinking whisky out of a flask while smashed in the trunk of an SUV on your way to their senior night at Stingaree made everything momentarily okay.
Opportunities of a Lifetime.
*My Sophomore year I decided to embark on an alternative spring break that took place at Nazareth Farm West Virginia. Not only did I spend a week living and serving in the heart of one of the most poverty stricken areas in America while surviving off of $2 a day, but I experienced more faith, love and community in that single week than I had ever known at USD. I saw God in the faces of the community members who literally had nothing but were overwhelmingly generous and loving. That week solidified my passion for helping those in poverty and my belief in a higher power.
*As a student leader in the CASA office for issues surrounding hunger and homelessness, I had the opportunity to participate in Project Homeless Connect. On this particular day in December I met a man who changed my life. His name was James A. Barrera and he taught me what it meant to love. I blogged about James a while ago, read about him here.
*Through the same organization listed above I was flown to Chicago to attend The National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness. A weekend full of seminars, testimonies, and first hand conversations with countless homeless individuals I realized my life goal and was inspired to never stop fighting for those whose lives were reduced to living on the streets because they couldn't keep up with the capitalistic world we live in.
*As part of my Research Methods class I mentored a senior at Mark Twain High School (an alternative school for 'last chance' students so to speak). And although I knew nothing about geometry those Monday afternoons I spent with Camille brightened my week. I watched a meek and insecure young girl find confidence in herself. A girl that once spoke of wanting nothing more than to be done with school began talking about attending community college. Perhaps Camille felt lucky to have someone spend two hours a week with her and receive the one-on-one attention she was desperately lacking, but I felt lucky to have met Camille that semester.
*SEARCH XXVI was absolutely the most heartbreaking weekend of my life. But despite the tragic witnesses, and the millions of tears that fell from my eyes, and the anger I felt with God I left with a sense of hope, a new found community, and an understanding of the power of love.
*I would never have guessed that waking up at 3:00am for 3 consecutive days to survey homeless people would have been a wonderful experience, but my mandatory participation in the 100,000 Homes National Campaign - Downtown San Diego Registry Week left me angry, hopeful, inspired, and forever questioning. I experienced a new image of homelessness, that of a 22 year old boy with a life just like mine except instead of attending a four year university he was sleeping along the harbor in DT San Diego. I blogged about this experience too, read about it here.
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I could drag this entry on forever because USD has given me so much to be grateful for. And although I'm sure I'll find myself desperately missing the castle on top of the hill I am absolutely ready to see this semester come to an end. Not only will May 22nd bring an end to my academic career, but it will bring closure to a devastating semester - a semester full of more heartache than I ever imaged I'd have to deal with months before the most exciting day of my young life.
So with that, thank you, thank you, thank you everyone who made these past four years memorable! I am forever grateful!
