As my first year of college dwindles down to the final month, I have been reflecting on my experiences so far at the U of A, how quickly it flew by and how much I don’t want to do that again. To say the least it was one heck of a ride, but I can honestly say I would not go back to do anything differently. This past year was full of ups and downs, and although there are certain things that I will miss, there are other things that I can’t wait to kiss goodbye until next year.
Something I will miss: meal trades. I mean, think about it. You are offered a great variety of food, all from on campus and in place of a dining hall meal. How beautiful is that concept?! On the other hand, dining hall food is something I will not miss. I have not once tasted their macaroni and cheese, and I have yet to find a bowl or a fork any time after noon. Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but for real – y’all need to invest in some more forks.
Ridiculously themed parties – of course I’ll miss them! I plan on working full time this summer, so I highly doubt when I get off Friday night I’ll be dressing up as a basketball-playing alien and going to a Space Jam-themed social gathering. In reality, and if I’m lucky, one of my friends will agree reluctantly to get ice cream at McDonalds and we will end up checking RedBox to see if there is a movie available that we have not already rented yet. Spoiler alert: the odds are not in our favor.
Two words: communal bathrooms. Does anyone really appreciate sharing six toilets, sinks and showers with 50+ girls? I think not. Goodbye and good riddance (for now, at least).
Two more (better) words: Mexico Viejo. We definitely aren’t in Kansas anymore! Where I’m from, we don’t have Mexico Viejo (or Slims for that matter) and therefore, no delicious queso (or as the southerners call it, “cheese dip”). Sure, Kansas City has some other pretty delicious mexican restaurants, but Mexico Viejo has earned a place in my heart that cannot be filled with Mi Ranchito salsa. Regretfully, Veijo, we must part for the summer. But I will be back for you soon enough, sweet, sweet Steven’s Special!
I will certainly not miss being judged by the RA at the front desk. Yeah, I order a lot of Jimmy Johns. True, you can count on me being braless after 8 p.m., especially on weeknights. And yes, I am here to pick up this box of useless clothes that I ordered as retail therapy, because sometimes a girl just needs a little retail therapy. Just please stop judging me and go check the sinks for ramen noodles or something.
I guess I can say that overall, I will miss Fayetteville much more than I will miss the actual educational aspects of college. The best experiences I had during my first year of college were with new friends in new places. Fayetteville has so much to discover and so many awaiting adventures, and I cannot wait to continue exploring next fall. In the mean time, I’ll savor sunny days, weekend vacations with old friends and the company of my family, and not having to worry about studying for Organic Chemistry (gross!). Oh, and doing a lot more of this:
Happy almost summer y’all! We can do this!