Here in the last days of Senior Week, which mark the last days of my undergraduate career, I’ve had a lot of free time to think and reflect on what I’ll eventually remember as my “college days.” I’m also in the lengthy process of cleaning out my dorm room, which has led to some reflections and realizations that I feel the need to admit to the greater public.
1) I have stolen a significant amount of silverware from the dining hall.
It started with “borrowing” just the basic utensils since I needed to keep some in my room…but, I mean, you can’t take just one. Eventually, I actually got into the habit of sliding whatever clean, unused cutlery I had into my purse like that was a normal thing for people to do.
I should return these soon.
2) I ironed my graduation gown with my hair straightener.
I meant to bring it to St. Michael’s. I did. But it never happened as a result of laziness and resentment – after all, I just paid for this gown that came folded and crumpled. I did not choose to fold or crumple the gown. And now I’m being asked to pay even more money to press out the wrinkles that I didn’t even make? This inner monologue continued for about a month until the night before Commencement Mass, where I found myself on my hands and knees, carefully running my flat iron over every little crease in the $34 recycled-water-bottle material.
3) There is something incredibly sad about packing up all of your worldly possessions.
I hate packing. I’ll literally wait until the last possible second, even if it means staying up until 4 AM the night before I have to get on a plane at 10 AM. Packing is just such a daunting task, and it always has the same milestones. Marvel at how much of my wardrobe I’ve never actually worn. Chastise myself for bringing this much in the first place. Decide that any notebooks and old handouts can be thrown away because I am so over school right now. Rinse and repeat. But there is actually something really sad about realizing that my entire life can fit into a few suitcases, and that these material possessions were what made this bland little dorm room into my home away from home.
And with that, dear readers, I end my reign as staff writer and assistant editor of HerCampus Notre Dame. Don’t worry, I’ll try to sneak in an alumni column whenever they’ll let me. But first, I’m just gonna go graduate from college and whatnot.
Congratulations, class of 2014. We did it!