Hail, Hail, Hail, Alma Mater

Its done. I don't know exactly how I feel right now. Last Saturday, May 12th, I graduated from Kansas State University. I am officially an alumni of KSU.

This last week of school was one of the hardest I have ever been through. Mostly it was because of getting school done but also because of the thought of saying good-bye. I'm really bad at saying good-bye. When everyone else has gone, I still am waiting to say good-bye once more. There have been several times when I say good-bye once and then I come back for something or to say one more thing. Even when there is a wonderful thing waiting ahead, I have a hard time leaving a place that I have loved.

During the last week I had many papers to finish, several tests to study for and complete, and a thousand other little things to finish up for graduation weekend and to be able to leave KSU. However...I also really wanted to be able to say good-bye to some of my friends. West 3 had a cook out. I went to watch the Avengers after I submitted two papers on Wednesday. I had way too many cups of coffee and had many hours of study dates in Hale. I went to a super secret spot (the first floor of Hale library behind the stacks of bookshelves) with my roommate. I finally returned all the books underneath my bed. (There were thirty at one point checked out for research papers.) My roommate and I took pictures to remember our wonderful room. And then suddenly I was done with tests, papers were turned in, and I had to pack my room.

There were only five of us left in the hall at that point and the boys had all packed. They came down and talked to my roommate and I as I attempted to start to pack up my room. We got a start but quickly the night left and I had to go to bed.





The next morning came very quickly and I had to be at Bramlage Coliseum by 7:30 a.m. for the 8:30 a.m. graduation. The College of Arts and Sciences like to make their students work for their diploma. But I got to graduate surrounded by my history buddies--students that I had been in classes for the past four years. We talked about futures and teased each other about old jokes. Finally, I walked across the stage, they gave me the case for the diploma and it was done. For a moment I felt grown-up, adult, like I knew what I was doing. Then I saw a good friend and he whispered, "Don't trip."

I am home now. I'm working on finishing up unpacking my car and putting things away in my room but its a slow process. Its also very different to be home and to know that I'm home for good. Memories are being processed and while I am so excited for what comes next, college was wonderful and its very bittersweet for now.