Since my last entry on student teaching, a lot has happened! I finished my second half of student teaching(excuse me if I don't elaborate... it was probably the worst experience of my life) and graduated college. Wait.... what? That still does not sound right to me... I am a college graduate.
I spent most of my college career wishing it away. I was in a long term relationship, and dreaming of the day I would be done with school and be able to get a job, get married and start all of the next phases in my life (and "HA", said God as I attempted to make plans). Needless to say, here I am, three and a half months out of my college career and I'm already DYING to go back in time and soak up every last second of it all over again.
I've always been told that my life long friends would come from college, but I had such great friendships in high school that I never truly believed it. Yet here I am, almost 5 years past my high school graduation, and I only have about 4 friends from high school I still keep up with. All of my other friends I've made through moving out of Memphis, out of my comfort zone, and coming to Murfreesboro for college.
When I was in high school my core group of friends came from my teammates on the soccer teams. I was worried that I would never really find a group of girls and guys like the ones I bonded and meshed so greatly with in high school. Boy, was I wrong. Joining Kappa Delta was the first thing I did at MTSU that gave me a true "friend base". As soon as I accepted that bid, I immediately had a chapter of over 100 girls that had my back regardless of the situation or the opponent. Just accepting that bid wasn't enough for me though. I had to have more; I had to give more. I put all of my blood, sweat and tears into my sisterhood. I was on committees, held appointed offices, held positions on the Panhellenic side of recruitment and held a council position. I played every intramural sport physically possible, and even put so much into them that I ended up in the hospital a time or two along the way! Getting involved in greek life caused me to meet thousands of new people that I instantly had a common bond with. I was rewarded with so much more than just the friendships too. I was able to help the community through not only my chapters philanthropy, but every organizations philanthropy. I was able to be a mentor to girls who were younger than me. So clearly, I would be lying if I said Kappa Delta didn't have an impact on me, as a person, and on my college career in general. I am who I am today because of the friendships and experiences that Kappa Delta brought to me.
I can't even start to list the number of not just friendships, but life long friendships, I now have because of the experiences I had in college. The memories are endless. It all started with my bests friend, Sarah, by my side in the Monohan dorms. I remember the first night of recruitment, bid day, the first tailgate I attended was a black out game (that included a drink we refer to as "slime" which was always a pleasure to drink), getting my big sister (who I had never even met until reveal night), Wing Fling (my chapters big philanthropic event), moving home that first summer (which I HATED), my first recruitment summer retreat (which could not have come soon enough), my first recruitment as a sister, moving into the Womack Lane Apartments (aka the hood of campus) my sophomore year with Carrie and the day she became not only my roommate but my sister in KD, making dinners for "the boys" every week, KUC lunches, crush parties, semi formals, homecomings, formals, and mixers. That's just a few memories and that doesn't even get me half way through my sophomore year. Anything and everything is a memory. Memories I wouldn't change for anything. College was by far the best times of my life.
All of that sped through my head while I was sitting in the 3rd row on the left side of the Murphy Center floor watching hundreds of my classmates walk across the stage.
I started out my graduation day beyond excited to walk across the stage and be able to say I had done it! The past four and a half years of my life smacked me hard in the face when my dearest friend, Clint Adams, walked across the stage. Clint and I met our freshman year; he was Brandon's best friend. As soon as they called his name, my heart started to beat fast; and when he stepped on the stage, all bets were off. I balled like a child. Clint had been a HUGE part of my college life. A part of my life that was now drawing to an end. I can't pinpoint the exact time that we went from acquaintances via Brandon, to friends via Brandon, to friends without Brandon, to what I consider one of my closest guy friends; but that doesn't even matter. Just about every fun college memory, Clint is a part of.
As I was sitting there crying watching Clint walk across the stage I began to think about all of the friendships I have created while at MTSU. I have been blessed with so many amazing friendships and I can't even begin to describe how much they all mean to me. I have been to hell and back with them by my side. My sorority sisters/fellow greeks, non greek friends, and Early Childhood Education friends are a major reason of why I am where I am today. I've met the people who love me for me, hold me accountable, and always have my best interests at heart. They've held me at my lowest, and celebrated with me at my highest. They've gained my trust, my love, my appreciation and they truly mean the world to me.
So here's to the best four and a half years of my life to date. The sleepless nights. The endless memories. The lifetime of friendships. The hours of laughter. The years of lessons and the start to the next phase in life.
