It’s the beginning of Finals Week, and I’m already half-way done. I had my first test early this morning and I feel pretty good about it. After collectively spending around 10 hours in the library this weekend, I definitely knew my stuff. Now it’s down to one more exam on Wednesday, and I’m done. With college. Whoa.

This whole, being a senior thing, is really different. After Wednesday I’ll just be waiting around for the family to get here and then waiting to walk across the stage and get my diploma. In a week I’ll be considered an “alum.” A “college graduate.” In past years, I’d be studying for four or five tests (only having two is a record LOW for me), and trying to pack my suitcases to go home for a little bit. It’s so weird to think back to how differently I’ve done things each year.

Freshman year was crazy. I had four tests, and wasn’t going to be finished until 5 p.m. Friday afternoon. My dad was coming to help move me out and bring me home. All I remember about that week is being SO excited to leave this place. I needed a break, I needed to be home. I needed a huge serving of “real” Mexican food. I had my summer job lined up, where I would get to work with my younger sister, and I was so excited. The only question I hadn’t answered yet; where was I going to store all this stuff I had accumulated over the last two semesters?!? Ehhhh, oops.

Luckily, my Dad and I found a storage space that was about 15 minutes from campus. As long as I could remember the place and unit number for next fall, we were good to go. So, my advice to you: If you live far from where you go to school, find a storage unit around three to four weeks before you move out. That is definitely something you want to have lined up in advance. I’ve even heard of people who have cars at school that leave their car in the storage unit. That way you don’t have to pay to park it anywhere. Brilliant. Do what you gotta do.

My sophomore year I decided to do an internship that would require me to live somewhere else for the spring semester. This was kind of a crazy time for me, it cut my year in half and all of a sudden I had to move myself out of my dorm. Again, I wasn’t done with finals until Friday, so I had all week to stress out about packing up all the things I had unpacked only a few months earlier. That didn’t happen until Thursday night. Yes, I procrastinate. Luckily, my roommate is also my best friend, and offered her house as my next “storage unit.” This worked out perfectly, as I had no car and no way of actually moving my stuff from point A to point B. Her aunt gave me a ride to her house, and I flew home from there for Christmas break, putting college on hold until the next summer. My advice to you: when you know you will be moving in/out/in/out multiple times in one year, minimize the things you have to the things you need. It will make your life a lot easier.

By my junior year I had finally learned a few things. We moved into our apartment in August, and it would be the fourth place I had lived in 10 months. That’s a lot of moving. And let me tell you, I have never been more annoyed with the amount of things I own. Where does this stuff all come from?! Anyway. We decided to renew the lease for this year, which meant NO MORE moving for us! Oh, what a beautiful thing. The only packing I’ve done since then are the two (um, HUGE) suitcases that I bring home with me for breaks. You’d be amazed at what I can fit into those things. Seriously, master-of-packing. Right here. Roll your shirts and pants (instead of folding), and you can fit twice the amount. 

Now here I am, faced with the fact that my things have not moved, but have accumulated for two years. I don’t want to box them up, for more than one reason. It’s so weird to think I’m done here; this is not where I “live” anymore.

My best friends won’t always be my roommates. My apartment complex won’t always be full of other students, and there won’t always be housing events like “Free Breakfast” during finals. 

I’m still working on where I’ll be living next year, while trying to ignore the fact that I’m finishing up here.

Posted by Mary Ellen Nunes at 05/06/2008 01:58:58 PM |