The Beginning of the End

So, tomorrow’s the day.

The beginning of my last semester of undergrad.

I feel like a large portion of my recent posts have included me complaining about school extensively. Anyone who reads my blog regularly knows that I just can’t wait to graduate, to have a job and be out in the real world, to get out of college and experience something new.

You know what, though? I’m actually kind of excited to begin this semester.

I don’t have classes on Monday for one thing. I mean, a three day weekend every week? Who could complain about that?

Well, I’ll still be making the most of my Mondays despite not having class. I’m doing a really cool distance mentorship this semester–I’m taking a class with professors from other universities via a web conference and students from schools across the United States will also be participating. With another Morris History major who is also participating, I will be doing local research on Morris during World War I and together we will build a website based on our research, in contribution to a larger digital media project. We have readings on digital history due for the first day of class on Wednesday, which I began looking through today. It’s been super interesting reading so far and I’m really excited to delve into this project! Not only will I continue to put my historical research skills to the test, but I will also learn a lot about digital media–important knowledge to have, particularly as many employers are looking for these skills as they increasingly search for ways to implement technology into their companies.

Tomorrow, I’m going to head into the archives to get some research done in anticipation of our first class period. I also work tomorrow at my on campus job in the archives and I have some hall director stuff to do. I’m for sure going to keep busy despite not having class…a three day weekend every week sounds nice, but I know I’d get bored with having nothing to do multiple Mondays in a row. Once the semester gets into full swing, I’m sure it will be nice to have Monday to get some homework done, too.

I’m only taking two class on campus this semester and they’re both on Tuesday/Thursday. I’m really looking forward to my Modern Britain course; I’ve always been interested in British history, though I’ve never had the opportunity to learn about it in a formal setting (besides like, two minutes in a world history course or two). I haven’t had the professor who is teaching the course since freshman year; even though she’s a really challenging prof, I know I will learn a lot from her. I signed up for this class not just because I was interested in the subject, but also because I wanted to take a class with her one more time before I graduate.

My English senior seminar is called “Imagining the Earth;” I was initially signed up for the other senior seminar also taking place this semester, but I had to drop it because it interfered with my distance mentorship course meeting time. At first I was really disappointed, because I was really looking forward to taking that class. However, I’m going into Imagining the Earth with an open mind. I’m going to be reading a lot of poetry (and in general, I most definitely prefer prose) with a concentration on environmentalism. I mean, it’s not my first choice of reading material, but I think it definitely has the possibility to be very interesting. I’m viewing this English senior seminar as an opportunity for me to explore a new topic while also getting to know another English professor whom I’ve never taken a class with before.

I only have twelve credits. No classes on Monday. My schedule is so much less demanding than last semester.

It’s my last semester of college and I want to make the most of it! I’m excited to get out into the real world, but I have sixteen weeks to enjoy before that–sixteen weeks to spend time with my friends, to learn as much as I can, to soak up everything that I love about Morris…all the reasons I chose to come here in the first place.

Before I know it, May 9 (a.k.a. Commencement day) will be here. With one walk across the stage, I will go from being a Morris student to a Morris alum, class of 2015 (well, at least symbolically speaking…we already got the lecture about how commencement is just the ceremony and how we wont be considered actual graduates until final grades are submitted and we pass and everything).

Before all that pomp and circumstance, though, I want to live in the present and enjoy the time I have left here as best as I can.