Pardon me while I reminisce :)

Well, needless to say, I have been feeling rather sentimental with my graduation quickly approaching this Saturday, so I ask for you forgiveness in advance as I enter a world of reminiscing. It’s rather funny because this blog is actually the first time I have taken to sit down and think about what will be happening five days from now, and I can’t tell you how many memories ran through my head before I snapped back to reality and remembered that I was supposed to be blogging. Of course I am excited to be graduating, but there is of course, a part of me that does not want to either.

I am truly awed by the gigantic heap of knowledge that I have somehow managed to jam into my brain over the past few years. I have also realized that after numerous years of science courses I have not only earned a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences and Biology but a degree in science geekiness. The world of science excites me greatly and I continue to enjoy learning anything and everything about it. I have also discovered the world of research while attending this university. Before I came here, I had no idea the vast world that research entailed and how easily it was to get involved. After I leave here though, I will have lent a helping hand in three cutting-edge research labs with a new found passion for the world of scientific discovery.

I have to admit my favorite part of college lies within all the people I have met. I am without a doubt surrounded by the most amazing people in world that all happen to mean the world to me. They have been there through all too many ridiculous shenanigans, and they have also been there through the times that were a little less pleasant. I also cannot forget about many of those that maybe weren’t there through everything, but still influenced me in some way. Through them and my experiences, I have learned much more about life and myself than I would have never been able to fathom before I left for Madison from the suburbia of Mukwonago, WI.

So, I could go on and on about what I have learned life and about myself in the past few years, but I think that would most likely fill a novel, so to spare you some time, I will reveal only three. I think one of the most important things I have learned, something that has turned into one of my life’s maxims, is that it is essential to laugh through all of your tears. This motto my best friend and I developed together and it is probably the reason we have maintained sanity throughout these past four years. Its acts as a reminder that even when things in your life seem to be taking a nose dive that there are numerous others that are still soaring high that you need to smile about. It reminds us to not dwell excessively on the matter, and in the end, no matter how bad it gets, you will make it through, you will dust yourself off, and you will be okay. Keep your head up, keep that smile on face, and never stop laughing because it’s going to get you through the hard times and it’s just a waste of your time not to.

Secondly, the second lesson, I actually learned from my grandfather, yes I realize he is slightly older than a college age friend, but this man is wisest man I know and I feel this is a worthy lesson to discuss. About a year a half ago, my grandfather was diagnosed with Type 4 lymphoma. After undergoing months of chemo, he was finally allowed to come home as he entered remission. A few months later, he was readmitted back into the hospital, his cancer was back and a brain tumor had developed. Our family was devastated when we received this news, and it was even more difficult to know this man who had been my superhero had broken down and cried in the hospital room when his odds were revealed to him. He showed a mere ounce of being human before he transformed back into the superhero that I recalled. There was no way he was giving up, his hope did not falter, his positive outlook did not dwindle, and his passion for life still burned zealously. And I am lucky enough to say, that after his second treatment, he has gone back into remission and the brain tumor is nowhere in sight. So, what I have learned from my grandpa is to never stop fighting for the goals that you want to accomplish, that you can beat the odds, and to never take a day for granted because you are not sure when it will be the last. Also, did I mention that this man was a war veteran and survived polio…yeah, definitely a superhero.

Thirdly, I have learned a lot from all of you in English 201. You’re thoughts and opinions that you shared during class gave me numerous perspectives and provoked new ways of thinking. My cohort of course, I enjoyed working with all of your immensely and I thank you for all of the laughs and encouragement while working on a potentially stressful project. And Christine, you taught me a crazy amount of rhetoric as I actually had no understanding of any of its concepts before taking your class, your passion for the subject help to make my education a little more well-rounded, not to mention, you brought me to one of my new favorite books that I may not have read otherwise. And lastly, I thank you for giving us the freedom to create. It’s rare that we get the opportunity to do write or work on a project with so few rules, it was a hard concept for me to grasp at first, but then I kind of took it and ran with it, truly enjoying the freedom.

So, as one of my friends taught me in eighth grade, if you do not want to say goodbye, you can always say hasta luego…

Hasta Luego