self-portrait

it's starting to hit me that i g r a d u a t e from this school in 7 days.

7 days is all i have left as a college student

+ as much as i thought i was SO ready to leave this school,

i realize,

i'm not.

i'm not old enough to be a graduate,

not mature enough to have a degree,

+ yet, i am.

i've had a count down, metal + physical countdown

for next wednesday.

i've been asking myself, did i take this experience for granted?

did i wish for it all to end to quickly?

i remember the countdown for college,

the packing, the moving, the excitement.

it ends just like it begins.

i've realized i've experienced some of my lasts here already.

the last time struggling to get any classes with any of the teachers i wanted,

the last lunches at the crossroads buying their ridiculously, overpriced food,

the last sammy block parties,

the last of the group projects (won't miss that one),

the last time i'll have to listen to someone start a discussion off with,

well, on my mission,

the sunsets,

the last, it's another great day to be on this beautiful campus- president clark

i know some day we will miss these experiences, the good times.

i'm jealous of my younger friends that their college years are just beginning.

+ while i'll be throwing my cap in the air, for the younger students, this is a reminder that

 the years ahead of you, you shouldn't waste + for the seniors to enjoy the most out of the few months 

(or days) we have left in college.

5 reasons to not take college for granted. 

1. going out during the week.

there really won't be another time in our lives where we can just stay out + up 

until 2 am on a tuesday night. in college, there is an excuse for free food + a dance party for every night of the week. in real life, the weekends don't start on thursday. go out on that tuesday, 

just because you can.

2. roommates.

never again will it be socially acceptable to have a hammock hanging off your porch and rail guard, christmas lights up all year round + letting someone else clean your dishes. more importantly, having roommates (IF they're good ones) is the best. i don't know about you, but i met some of my closest, lifelong friends in the dorms, north gate + nauvoo apartments + living with my best friends 24/7 was pretty great. appreciate those days or nights when it's a good idea to watch that tv show from 2 in the afternoon till 4 in the morning eating nothing but oreos and hot cheetos. appreciate the laughter, the memories, the pranks, the good times.

   3. sleeping in...heck sleeping thru class...

the real world won't be cool with that. 

you'll work 9-5 or longer. 

sleep longer + enjoy it all.

4. being able to walk to your friends houses, let alone living in the same city.

this is probably the one that gets me most.

jay + i just moved 2 minutes away from some of our closest friends + that already killed me.

most likely, within a few years of graduating, all your college buddies will be everywhere + anywhere across the state/country/globe.

you won't be able to walk over to their house real fastly because you're bored.

5. the parties.

there will be parties after college, of course, but they won't be parties that you can find your outfit in your underwear draw or the local D.I, the parties just won't be the same (aka you will have to behave with some sort of adult dignity).

+ what other time in your life can you leave one party, walk a block,

+ be at another?

6. the spirit of rexburg

whoa, i pulled another on you, the cliche, spirit of ricks, one on you.

but you should know that this feeling? 

the positive vibes?

those won't be welcoming your monday's after you graduate.

the professors, the dean's, the T.A.s,

those will all be gone.

along with all the fun experiences college brings you, the reason you are here is to learn.

this school will help you grown, learn + find yourself.

if you aren't enjoying + making the most out of college, change that.

many times i myself have called rexburg a bubble,

but in this bubble has been my world 

+ i've loved it for all that's inside it.

while this bubble has given me an education, 

it's given me freedom.

this has been my freedom.

this has been my experience.

oh + you'll really like it here

self-portrait