Say what?
This is the last week of classes...seriously? When I was a senior in high school all of my older, more wise-to-the-world friends at their respective universities told me that every semester at college would be faster than the previous one. I didn't believe it until I actually began my own university life and it's totally true. Did I really obtain my Bachelor's degree already? Wasn't I just a freshman in high school just beginning to think about what I'd like to major in when I finally did go to college? I think the fact that I spent one year at UMW makes these past few years feel even faster since when I think about being a university student I only consider my time at VCU and that's just been two years. Two wonderful, wonderful years at VCU. I recommend it to everybody. When I was at UMW and hating it, I felt bad for not liking the school I attended and not having any school spirit because going to a university is not like going to any other school before it. You pick your university so you should like it. And UMW was so bad. But VCU is incomparable.
Anyway, graduating in three years probably makes it seem like my university years went by faster too. I can't imagine all those normal students who go for four or more years. I'd die if someone told me I still had another year to go. And here I am with a dual degree with my two majors in just three years. It's not been so bad that way; sure this semester was super busy and last semester too (though only because of my internship) but I think that also attributed to the way the weeks and months and semester just flew by.
So here it is on the brink of the edge before I graduate. I still have a lot to get through but at this point I just don't care. Everything I do is proceeded by last. Last art history class. Last book report on Catholic Social Justice. Last April in Richmond. Last class with Perdue. I even think things like, this is the last time I'll make this thirty minute walk to Kroger just for a loaf of bread or this is the last time I'll have my period this semester. It's all very exciting.
So so far I need to finish my Art History term paper which I only have to write one more page for and that'll be a very lengthy conclusion. I have my Hinduism term paper which will take a long time but I'll manage. I hope to finish these two things this week because next week I must focus on studying for my finals. So in addition to my two papers to finish, I have to take six final exams. Two papers. Six finals. Three weeks. It's doable. After all that I will pack my things (!) and move out (!) and go home (!) and figure out what to do with the rest of my life (...).
But it's spring! Almost summer! And the weather is so nice! And I got a sunburn already! And I'll miss my roommates eventually but all I can think now is see ya~~~~~. But I'll miss Azumi... And having classmates... And the gym... And this apartment with its stupid elevators that never work... And our mailbox that is broken and won't close properly... And Richmond... And living off campus as a university student like I always wanted but never thought would happen...
I remember when I first visited VCU when I was a freshman and thought it was so cool. Because everyone was old and it was just this collection of buildings in the middle of Richmond and didn't feel like a normal college at all because with all that life around the school that was so not-school-esque it felt like a student life there would be so much more than just classes and teachers and papers and dining halls and freshman dorms. And when I finally did come to VCU I would pass by all the townhouses and old, dilapidated apartment buildings and think about how cool it would be to get a few friends and live together in such a place but I never thought it would happen because that just didn't seem like the sort of thing that I would ever get the chance to do.
But here I am living together with a few friends in such a dilapidated, ugly apartment building, away from the university enough to feel like I have a life outside of school but close enough to keep me in touch with the academic life. Half the time I am in the elevator with a fellow student, half the time with a resident of Richmond that probably has never even stepped on campus.
So I do feel highly, highly, inexpressibly lucky for my past two years. I hope real life is like this. But then again, isn't this real life? Haven't the past three years just been a building ground for me to learn how to live this way? To make the most of the world around me so that happiness is my reality? Haven't the past few years just taught me how to manage in the best way possible? I've learned so much.
I wonder where I will be in exactly one year. Will I be able to write an entry with so much optimism? Will I be as happy then as I am now? What stands between me and that date? It could be anything...any job, new people, separation from important people since undoubtedly, if there's one thing I've learned clearly, it's that people by your side eventually won't be there. How many times will I get sick? Will I still be athletic and like to run? Will I still gush about how sweet I think Junno is? Will I still play tetris like a fanatic? Will I even visit Livejournal? Provided I am going to be around Livejournal this time next year, I will try to remember this entry and answer all of this questions that I am posing to my future-self. I hope: yes, yes, 大开眼界, 0, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Anyway, graduating in three years probably makes it seem like my university years went by faster too. I can't imagine all those normal students who go for four or more years. I'd die if someone told me I still had another year to go. And here I am with a dual degree with my two majors in just three years. It's not been so bad that way; sure this semester was super busy and last semester too (though only because of my internship) but I think that also attributed to the way the weeks and months and semester just flew by.
So here it is on the brink of the edge before I graduate. I still have a lot to get through but at this point I just don't care. Everything I do is proceeded by last. Last art history class. Last book report on Catholic Social Justice. Last April in Richmond. Last class with Perdue. I even think things like, this is the last time I'll make this thirty minute walk to Kroger just for a loaf of bread or this is the last time I'll have my period this semester. It's all very exciting.
So so far I need to finish my Art History term paper which I only have to write one more page for and that'll be a very lengthy conclusion. I have my Hinduism term paper which will take a long time but I'll manage. I hope to finish these two things this week because next week I must focus on studying for my finals. So in addition to my two papers to finish, I have to take six final exams. Two papers. Six finals. Three weeks. It's doable. After all that I will pack my things (!) and move out (!) and go home (!) and figure out what to do with the rest of my life (...).
But it's spring! Almost summer! And the weather is so nice! And I got a sunburn already! And I'll miss my roommates eventually but all I can think now is see ya~~~~~. But I'll miss Azumi... And having classmates... And the gym... And this apartment with its stupid elevators that never work... And our mailbox that is broken and won't close properly... And Richmond... And living off campus as a university student like I always wanted but never thought would happen...
I remember when I first visited VCU when I was a freshman and thought it was so cool. Because everyone was old and it was just this collection of buildings in the middle of Richmond and didn't feel like a normal college at all because with all that life around the school that was so not-school-esque it felt like a student life there would be so much more than just classes and teachers and papers and dining halls and freshman dorms. And when I finally did come to VCU I would pass by all the townhouses and old, dilapidated apartment buildings and think about how cool it would be to get a few friends and live together in such a place but I never thought it would happen because that just didn't seem like the sort of thing that I would ever get the chance to do.
But here I am living together with a few friends in such a dilapidated, ugly apartment building, away from the university enough to feel like I have a life outside of school but close enough to keep me in touch with the academic life. Half the time I am in the elevator with a fellow student, half the time with a resident of Richmond that probably has never even stepped on campus.
So I do feel highly, highly, inexpressibly lucky for my past two years. I hope real life is like this. But then again, isn't this real life? Haven't the past three years just been a building ground for me to learn how to live this way? To make the most of the world around me so that happiness is my reality? Haven't the past few years just taught me how to manage in the best way possible? I've learned so much.
I wonder where I will be in exactly one year. Will I be able to write an entry with so much optimism? Will I be as happy then as I am now? What stands between me and that date? It could be anything...any job, new people, separation from important people since undoubtedly, if there's one thing I've learned clearly, it's that people by your side eventually won't be there. How many times will I get sick? Will I still be athletic and like to run? Will I still gush about how sweet I think Junno is? Will I still play tetris like a fanatic? Will I even visit Livejournal? Provided I am going to be around Livejournal this time next year, I will try to remember this entry and answer all of this questions that I am posing to my future-self. I hope: yes, yes, 大开眼界, 0, yes, yes, yes, yes.