A college experience
Erin McCarthy
Issue date: 5/6/09 Section: Opinion
It's finally here. After five years, four arduous math classes, three low-paying jobs and two majors, I am finally going to reach my one goal: graduation.
My time here in Macomb has been filled with memorable experiences and distinguishable characters, and upon my departure I would like to share some of these with my fellow graduates and the underclassmen who I am leaving behind. This is Western Illinois University as it happened to me.
Freshman Year
Living in Thompson Hall and finally tasting freedom from the parents, I learned the hard way why you should never room with a friend from high school. I also learned that you should never try to drink booze in a dry residence hall because the RAs will catch you every time. Sitting at the smoking table and playing guitar proved to be the most effective way to meet friends, and when I attended the infamous Wheeler Block Party that year every single one of them was there.
Sophomore Year
Making the brilliant decision to live in Higgins Hall, I no longer worried about those nasty judicial referrals. Unfortunately, this shows up on my transcript as I fell off of the Dean's list and nearly lost sight of why I came here in the first place. Luckily I got my act together, began playing at the Café's Open Mic Night and realized that there is more to life than underage drinking.
Junior Year
Having the freedom to move off campus, three friends and I lived in a nice house with a big backyard. This proved to be the perfect starter home, since it was far enough off campus to never be the party house, yet it was close enough to walk to class. Without the distractions of on-campus living, I made several important decisions that year, including switching my primary major to journalism, joining Campus Greens and becoming a peer mentor. This was also the year that my friend Chris and I created a band, and we haven't looked back since.
Senior Year
With every year that passed, everything seemed to improve. My grades were back where they belonged, I was in my first student leadership position, and I lived with three of the coolest people from Iowa anyone has ever met. We had the best backyard and the best friends, and we made the best food and had the best time. This was also the year that the majority of people I had met throughout the years graduated, transferred or began internships. It wasn't until that first senior year that I realized everything was eventually going to come to an end … but not yet!
My time here in Macomb has been filled with memorable experiences and distinguishable characters, and upon my departure I would like to share some of these with my fellow graduates and the underclassmen who I am leaving behind. This is Western Illinois University as it happened to me.
Freshman Year
Living in Thompson Hall and finally tasting freedom from the parents, I learned the hard way why you should never room with a friend from high school. I also learned that you should never try to drink booze in a dry residence hall because the RAs will catch you every time. Sitting at the smoking table and playing guitar proved to be the most effective way to meet friends, and when I attended the infamous Wheeler Block Party that year every single one of them was there.
Sophomore Year
Making the brilliant decision to live in Higgins Hall, I no longer worried about those nasty judicial referrals. Unfortunately, this shows up on my transcript as I fell off of the Dean's list and nearly lost sight of why I came here in the first place. Luckily I got my act together, began playing at the Café's Open Mic Night and realized that there is more to life than underage drinking.
Junior Year
Having the freedom to move off campus, three friends and I lived in a nice house with a big backyard. This proved to be the perfect starter home, since it was far enough off campus to never be the party house, yet it was close enough to walk to class. Without the distractions of on-campus living, I made several important decisions that year, including switching my primary major to journalism, joining Campus Greens and becoming a peer mentor. This was also the year that my friend Chris and I created a band, and we haven't looked back since.
Senior Year
With every year that passed, everything seemed to improve. My grades were back where they belonged, I was in my first student leadership position, and I lived with three of the coolest people from Iowa anyone has ever met. We had the best backyard and the best friends, and we made the best food and had the best time. This was also the year that the majority of people I had met throughout the years graduated, transferred or began internships. It wasn't until that first senior year that I realized everything was eventually going to come to an end … but not yet!
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