Upon graduating in a few weeks, I have come to realize that I just can’t help but feel nostalgic about this place. I remember when my parents dropped me off at Williamson and said, “Enjoy it, these four years are gonna fly right by.” It’s pretty hard to believe that now, four years later, I am sitting here writing this article about how those four years absolutely did fly by, but I enjoyed every second of them. Anyone who has gone to UNH understands why it’s such a great place to belong to. If anyone were to ask me why, I’m not even sure I could really put my finger on it but, maybe, that’s what makes it so great. When I first committed to going here, it was really just out of convenience. It was close, it was inexpensive, and it was comfortable. NEVER could I have ever expected to enjoy this place and everything that comes with it so much.
I’m sure a lot of people reading this are in an organization of some sort at UNH that they feel has truly shaped their college experience. For me, that’s Alpha Chi Omega, complete with a ski lodge roof, a piano, a fireplace, and 14 bedrooms. This place has been my home away from home for the last four years. These girls have been my home for the last four years. From the seniors when I was a freshman, to the freshman now that I am a senior, you have all changed me for the better. No 26 combinations of letters on a piece of paper could embody the unconditional, selfless love and support I receive from each of you every single day. And to my senior girls, especially, thank you for never letting me walk aloneThey say if you’re lucky, in college you’ll find someone you love and can spend the rest of your life with. If you’re an Alpha Chi, you’ll find at least 100.
UNH has always given me the opportunity to study abroad and travel to numerous places, mostly outside my comfort zone, but I think that is a good thing. I was able to grow even more than I already had since I began college. Yeah, I may have hit a few speedbumps along the way such as breaking my ankle or dating a British sociopath for a few, but you win some you lose some, right? The #1 lesson I learned from my experiences in Europe was that you just have to roll with the punches. Sometimes life sucks and sometimes it’s amazing, but when you surround yourself with the right people, you really can’t go wrong. I am lucky enough to say that UNH has given me the opportunity to surround myself with the right people, whether at home or abroad, and it has also given me some tough skin by having to find out the hard way who just doesn’t make that cut. I am thankful for the hard times for they’ve always been lessons learned.
Last, but certainly not the least, UNH has given me the opportunity to join Her Campus. It has been such a blessing to be able to get my thoughts out there, and most importantly, to actually be heard. Whether I’m writing about feminism, the fallacy of a “perfect cool girl”, or dating in general, the UNH community has always given me good feedback. I always have an opinion about everything (there’s a reason I got most opinionated as a superlative in high school) and being able to get those thoughts out there has been nothing short of a therapy for me. Thanks for reading. :)
On May 17th, I will find myself leaving this world that has become so familiar to me. Thinking about graduating makes me sad, and it isn’t because I don’t want to grow up, although maybe I don’t, but it’s because I won’t be around the friends that I’ve made here all the time. However, what I will be able to keep with me all the time are the memories I made with them. I’ve always said it, but UNH doesn’t discriminate when it comes to friends. My senior class has found a way to mix athletes, non-athletes, Greeks, non-Greeks, all sorts of majors, and any organization you can think of, really. We may not be a pretty bunch, but we sure know how to have a good time. None of us are afraid of truly being ourselves around each other, even though we’re so different, and I think we all have the culture of UNH to thank for that. I love you all and can’t wait to see where we end up. So here’s to homecoming tailgates, SWAT team day parties, Tuesday’s at Scorps, JB Fridays, the hut, Williamson and Christiensen, Philly omelettes, 15 main, Campco, drinking in the snow, Young Drive, Red Sox riots, hockey games, concerts at the Whitt, the Garrison wind tunnel, Libby’s nachos, the Knot in the summer, ATO (long live), cocktails, DJ downstairs, the parking b*tch, Halloween weekend, Dick Cannon, fifths with friends, Theta Thursday, Pita Pit, the Dimond library, Wagon hill, Sunday fundays, the BEST four years of our lives, and ~*th3 niigHts w3’ll n3veR r3memBer with th3 pe0ple w3’ll n3ver f0rg3t~. Here’s to us! And just remember, it’s not good-bye UNH, it’s thank you.