I've attended a fine institution for the past 4 years. I've been challenged, perplexed, confused, intrigued, bored, lazy, excited, happy, tired, enthralled, but always grateful.
How can you just not love this place?
For 4 years now, I've taken classes here in the pursuit of some sense of knowledge, with an important piece of paper waiting at the end of all of this.
I'll get the paper soon, I'll throw up my graduation cap, but everything else that comes with 4 years at Hendrix—I'll take all of that with me. Just like everyone else. Each Hendrix grad will have their own stories and memories to share, many overlapping, and the experiences we had here are somehow a part of us now.
While I don't know everything after 4 years of liberal arts education (let's be real…I'm nowhere close, nor will I ever be) but I can say that I am walking away with some sense of things that I believe in, things that I at this point in my life know to be true.
As I prepare to leave, pack, and say goodbye, I have been reflecting on things that I know for sure. These are often fluid, they might change next month, next year, and another big stage in my life. A lot of them though, I have learnt through experiences, or I have believed for a long time anyway.
As I finish my college education I know this for sure:
- Having a meal plan senior year is worth the extra money. Eating with people is one of the best ways to get to know them, to share stories, and to enjoy their company.
- You can sometimes get to the same place by both slacking off or working extremely hard. Working hard always feels so much better.
- Black coffee really isn't that good.
- You should love yourself and be comfortable with who you are, but it's incredibly important to be open to change.
- Road trips are good for the soul.
- A good friend is a loyal friend.
- No matter what you do with your life, always search for what makes you happy, and what makes other people happy too.
- If you laugh at yourself and then let other people laugh along with you, it's their way of saying I love you.
- You will never understand time.
- Similarly, you will never understand the fullness, love, and strength of God. Accept this, but don't stop trying.
- Trying new things will do one of two things: one, it will reaffirm what you like or love, or two, it will bring you to something new that you can also enjoy. It's a win-win situation.
- Being a good Christian isn't about the right clothes, keychains, or even words. The most important part of being a Christian, I think, is what you know to be true in your heart, and the outward expression of those feelings and beliefs.
- Goodbyes are difficult. Whether it's for an extended amount of time or for good, it always hurts to say goodbye to people you care about.
- If more people had Southern hospitality, people might be happier.
- It's better to invest into one thing that you love than to have too many commitments that you don't enjoy nearly as much.
- Burning bridges is usually not a good idea.
- You are in no way bound to every belief that your family has. That's perfectly okay, too. Love where you come from, but know there is plenty of freedom to grow from that, be yourself, and still recognize the values and beliefs of your family.
- Hugging people you love is a beautiful way of showing how you feel.
- You can be a morning person and a night person. Just prepare to be tired. And drink lots of coffee.
- Gratitude is a really wonderful quality about people.
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