Many people believe that one’s senior year of college is similar to one’s senior year of high school. You rule the campus, go to class whenever you want, leisurely do your school work, stay out late and often and essentially throw all caution to the wind. For many seniors and my fellow classmates this is true….except for me! I decided to fill my freshman year with ‘gen eds’ and other nonsense course that would not fill my major requirements or my graduation requirements and on top of that I decided to change my major mid-summer of my sophomore year from Business to Biology. So here I am my last semester of my senior year taking 20 credit hours and holding down 3 jobs! So one can say that I’m a little jealous of some of my fellow classmates but as the say in Rome “what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger”. I actually I doubt that phrase came from Rome or has any Roman origin. So Ill just keep trucking along and keep telling myself  ’14 more weeks, 14 more weeks’

This is our last week of school before break and so everyone is focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel. Spring break gives us a chance to re-energize ourselves, so we finish up the semester not completely worn out. I have a feeling that most people will be trying to catch up on sleep…..especially since the time change has made everyone dead tired! I cannot wait to get through the week, so I can relax and hang out with friends!!!

My graduating class (from high school) was made up of about 138 students. I grew up with 3/4 of those students, attending grades K-12 together. My college experience would need to be a little more personal because that is the kind of person I am. Upon arriving at Newman, I knew it was the right “fit” for me. The class sizes vary depending how far into your degree you are, and the professors have the ability (and the desire) to get to know their students. If I had used my campus visits wisely, I may have discovered this from the beginning. So my advice to high school seniors (and juniors) is do your research. Finding the right college is an important part of your learning experience. Some need a bigger school with crazy class listings while others are more interested in a smaller, more personal experience. Whatever your preference be, I encourage you to take the time to find which suits you best!

It can be seen in a staff member’s invite to her house on Valentine’s Day to hang out with her since you may be dateless for the night. It is seen in a professor bringing snacks for your class to keep you awake since you have had a problem drifting off in her lecture that is right after lunch. It is seen in a roommate bringing you home ice cream to the residence hall just because she knew you would enjoy it after a long day. It is seen in staff members’ concern and encouragement regarding an upcoming doctor’s appointment. It is seen in a classmate loaning you her book for the semester because she had an extra one. It is seen in the daily smiles and greetings from people like those who work in the dining center at lunch time, to those who work on the custodial staff even late at night.

It is amazing to me how much you can get to know people throughout your time at a school. It’s good to be at a place where you feel loved.

Mainly it is just nice to know that people aren’t kidding you when they say, “Just wait until you get into your major. Then you’ll really enjoy your classes.” This is really what it is all about. So seriously, just wait until you get into what you really are passionate about… It makes a difference in coming to class. Granted, I wouldn’t mind sleeping in a few extra hours, but I don’t think that has anything to do with not wanting to go to class! Good luck and enjoy your semester! Until next time!