Time for a kinda real entry
Expecting some sort of monumental occasion the likes of a big party or sign with flashing lights announcing the end of another year, I must say that I'm a little disappointed. There have been a number of little signs that the year's coming to a close, from the end-of-year concerts to the warm weather occurring with some sort of regularity, oozfest, frisbee during the daylight on grass and the accompanying vicious sunburn, but nothing has really shouted "hey, it's over." Closure has never been something that i've really revelled in, I'm a big fan of waking up every morning and knowing that absolutely anything could happen, but I almost feel like I've been stiffed; I worked so hard this year that I should get some sort of goodbye.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that this particular year isn't really ending, but is just kinda a segue to this summer, which is going to be spent here as well, albeit on the other end of campus. But I don't think so. When I showed up here on August 22nd for another year, I had no idea what was going to happen, but I'll always remember the feeling that I had driving over the bridge from Millersport to the Audubon and looking at a sun-baked (albeit chilly) campus that absolutely anything could happen, and the accompanying self-assurance that anything, indeed, would happen. That was one of the greatest feelings that I've ever had, and it's been only slightly diminished by the wear and tear of another two trying semesters.
I remember that first night of Hall Raisers, when Brandon complimented me on my jacket and we began a friendly war to out-dress one another (which, I might add, I lost miserably), and that first day of the freshman move-in when, walking through the Wilkeson parking lot and cheering something about UB, we got quite a few strange looks from freshmen and their parents, most of whom had probably been up since midnight packing and/or travelling, the kids dreaming about how drunk they could get and how long it would take them to get laid, the parents worrying about how drunk their kids could get and how often they might get laid. I remember meeting Steve, and practically giving he and his parents the tour guide routine that has almost become second nature after two years. I remember my first trip to Howdy's (how could you ever forget?) I remember the first day of classes, where I was ridiculously upset to find that, once again, the girl of my dreams was not going to sit down next to me and start a conversation. and then there was Alex's wedding, and the friendships that I made. there was the Chips first show and...I don't remember a whole lot of what happened that night, needless to say. and then there was the girl of my dreams, but i was in too much of a stupor to do anything, and would it have mattered if I did, anyway? There was IHOP, there were Hall Council elections and the first unofficial eboard meeting. there was starburst, my first (and only) speeding ticket, the pink craze, rosh hashanah, and Dome. There was the beginning of hockey season, and the end of the Bills' season. There was my first (of many) NEACURH conferences, there was my birthday, opening night versus Canisus, the Chips show (and accompanying hangover), Thanksgiving and the end of my third semester. There was Christmas, New Year's and the drinking resolution. there was the trip back for the EMU game, there was the season (and accompanying disappointment), the Ohio game and oh man was that ever a game, There were RA and OA applications, another Chips show which just wasn't as much fun sober, the valentine's day card from hell. There was, once again, the incredulous disappointment when the girl of my dreams didn't show up next to me in class, but rather two rows in front and a couple seats over, but didn't seem that interested in conversation. There were tours upon tours upon tours, there were more games, and they started chanting my name wherever I showed up. There was Martywood, and the eight-hour van ride of indecision through towns like skin,neck, and titty. There was the RA letter, the decision, the OA letter and the indecision. There was spring break, and a depressingly sober St. Patrick's Day. The return of frisbee, the return of spring, the return of winter and the end of frisbee (in that order). There was opening day, there was march madness, and the beginning of the playoffs. there were elections, and elections, and more elections. there were election results, and the unrestrained enthusiasm that they brought on. more recently, there was the pitches show, there was hall wars, there was that same girl of my dreams coming back to give me one more thing to think about. there were finals, there were association awards, there was oozfest, and the sunburn that i just made worse by playing frisbee outside this afternoon. and there was bowling, and ice cream, and the sabres moving on to face ottawa in round 2.
more importantly, there was everything in between. somewhere in the middle of that recollection of these past 9 months, it occurred to me that we can chart all of the important dates in our lives: birthdays, weddings, deaths, promotions, graduations, divorces, and the like. and while we may be more inclined to look upon those dates with a twinge of nostalgia and a hint of sadness or elation, it's the moments that we don't define that makes life what it is, that make us who we are. and those are the times that nobody can take from us. and as one moment flows into another, with certain moments carrying more weight than others, it is the moments that tie it all together that really count. so maybe I'll still be looking for a big flashing sign or some huge change in my day-to-day life to mark the end of another amazing year (and the halfway mark of my undergraduate career), or maybe I'll just continue to bask in the glory of the sun and the God who allows me to take it in on days like today and smile. after all, you can only graduate or get married so many times. but days like today and years like this one are few and far between, but they're what makes you keep waking up in the morning. Because, really, every day is a fresh slate and every time we wake up, we're being given a second chance that so many others aren't allowed. So, while others choose to live their lives waiting for those few important dates, for that girl of their dreams, for that day that they win the lottery, I'm just going to assure myself that those days (some of them, anyway) will be here when they get here, regardless of how much or how little i do to prepare for them. And live my life each day as the blessing that it is, to "start each day as if it were on purpose", to quote Will Smith. And between all those memorable moments, hopefully I'll find some time to reflect upon the moments that I don't remember and the people that I've forgotten and the days that have lost significance. and with any luck, I'll be able to smile when I think of those days, too.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that this particular year isn't really ending, but is just kinda a segue to this summer, which is going to be spent here as well, albeit on the other end of campus. But I don't think so. When I showed up here on August 22nd for another year, I had no idea what was going to happen, but I'll always remember the feeling that I had driving over the bridge from Millersport to the Audubon and looking at a sun-baked (albeit chilly) campus that absolutely anything could happen, and the accompanying self-assurance that anything, indeed, would happen. That was one of the greatest feelings that I've ever had, and it's been only slightly diminished by the wear and tear of another two trying semesters.
I remember that first night of Hall Raisers, when Brandon complimented me on my jacket and we began a friendly war to out-dress one another (which, I might add, I lost miserably), and that first day of the freshman move-in when, walking through the Wilkeson parking lot and cheering something about UB, we got quite a few strange looks from freshmen and their parents, most of whom had probably been up since midnight packing and/or travelling, the kids dreaming about how drunk they could get and how long it would take them to get laid, the parents worrying about how drunk their kids could get and how often they might get laid. I remember meeting Steve, and practically giving he and his parents the tour guide routine that has almost become second nature after two years. I remember my first trip to Howdy's (how could you ever forget?) I remember the first day of classes, where I was ridiculously upset to find that, once again, the girl of my dreams was not going to sit down next to me and start a conversation. and then there was Alex's wedding, and the friendships that I made. there was the Chips first show and...I don't remember a whole lot of what happened that night, needless to say. and then there was the girl of my dreams, but i was in too much of a stupor to do anything, and would it have mattered if I did, anyway? There was IHOP, there were Hall Council elections and the first unofficial eboard meeting. there was starburst, my first (and only) speeding ticket, the pink craze, rosh hashanah, and Dome. There was the beginning of hockey season, and the end of the Bills' season. There was my first (of many) NEACURH conferences, there was my birthday, opening night versus Canisus, the Chips show (and accompanying hangover), Thanksgiving and the end of my third semester. There was Christmas, New Year's and the drinking resolution. there was the trip back for the EMU game, there was the season (and accompanying disappointment), the Ohio game and oh man was that ever a game, There were RA and OA applications, another Chips show which just wasn't as much fun sober, the valentine's day card from hell. There was, once again, the incredulous disappointment when the girl of my dreams didn't show up next to me in class, but rather two rows in front and a couple seats over, but didn't seem that interested in conversation. There were tours upon tours upon tours, there were more games, and they started chanting my name wherever I showed up. There was Martywood, and the eight-hour van ride of indecision through towns like skin,neck, and titty. There was the RA letter, the decision, the OA letter and the indecision. There was spring break, and a depressingly sober St. Patrick's Day. The return of frisbee, the return of spring, the return of winter and the end of frisbee (in that order). There was opening day, there was march madness, and the beginning of the playoffs. there were elections, and elections, and more elections. there were election results, and the unrestrained enthusiasm that they brought on. more recently, there was the pitches show, there was hall wars, there was that same girl of my dreams coming back to give me one more thing to think about. there were finals, there were association awards, there was oozfest, and the sunburn that i just made worse by playing frisbee outside this afternoon. and there was bowling, and ice cream, and the sabres moving on to face ottawa in round 2.
more importantly, there was everything in between. somewhere in the middle of that recollection of these past 9 months, it occurred to me that we can chart all of the important dates in our lives: birthdays, weddings, deaths, promotions, graduations, divorces, and the like. and while we may be more inclined to look upon those dates with a twinge of nostalgia and a hint of sadness or elation, it's the moments that we don't define that makes life what it is, that make us who we are. and those are the times that nobody can take from us. and as one moment flows into another, with certain moments carrying more weight than others, it is the moments that tie it all together that really count. so maybe I'll still be looking for a big flashing sign or some huge change in my day-to-day life to mark the end of another amazing year (and the halfway mark of my undergraduate career), or maybe I'll just continue to bask in the glory of the sun and the God who allows me to take it in on days like today and smile. after all, you can only graduate or get married so many times. but days like today and years like this one are few and far between, but they're what makes you keep waking up in the morning. Because, really, every day is a fresh slate and every time we wake up, we're being given a second chance that so many others aren't allowed. So, while others choose to live their lives waiting for those few important dates, for that girl of their dreams, for that day that they win the lottery, I'm just going to assure myself that those days (some of them, anyway) will be here when they get here, regardless of how much or how little i do to prepare for them. And live my life each day as the blessing that it is, to "start each day as if it were on purpose", to quote Will Smith. And between all those memorable moments, hopefully I'll find some time to reflect upon the moments that I don't remember and the people that I've forgotten and the days that have lost significance. and with any luck, I'll be able to smile when I think of those days, too.