Bobbi did it yesterday, now its my turn

Woodburn Hall, West Virginia University

So yesterday I was reading my friend Bobbi's (now goes by Liz, I think -- but forever Bobbi to me) blog and she went all nostalgic. And since WVU's graduation is also coming up this weekend, I figure that it is my turn to do the same. Looking back, I cannot believe that I have been out of college for almost a year. To be completely honest, I really would love to go back a few years -- do it all over again. In the exact same way. Maybe minus a little drama. But I really wouldn't change much. I woud still go to Mason and meet Bobbi, Anna, Lindsay and Marina. I would still walk in on my roommate my last semester at Mason having sex with her "friend" visiting from home. I'd still make the transfer up to WVU. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. Because I had some fantastic times throughout college. I studied and went to class and got good grades and did all of the "good college student" things. But I made some fantastic memories along with it. I mud wrestled with Anna and Bobbi during a hurricane (which really was some wind and a lot of rain -- the usual that happens to a hurricane once its over land). I was "George Jetson"ed off a treadmill in the middle of Mason's gym -- and laughed it all off.

At WVU, I met some of the greatest people in my life. I definitely was busy while I was up there, but I loved every second of it. I hated JRL 215 (AKA Facebook 101) and our Adjunct Prof. (The woman who insisted that the Naval Academy was somewhere in New York and swore that college freshman & sophomores needed 3rd grade grammar lessons -- The dog barked. The dog is barking. Yadda, yadda.), but through that, I met Marie and Libby. And through Libby I met Caitlin. And those three were some of my closest friends at WVU. But beyond classes, I experienced the ultimate college experience. I went to dinners and did random fun things with my friends -- and laughed a lot. I went to a few parties, I was involved in clubs. I was part of a fantastic college ministry. I watched a fraternity go from colony to chapter and become filled with some fantastic men. I saw couches and dumpsters burn -- I did not set any of them on fire. I wouldn't trade those moments in my life for anything.

Looking back, I think my favorite thing about WVU was the pride and comraderie of the state. I went to football, basketball and soccer games. I watched WVU's men's basketball team get to the Elite 8 my first semester, I watched them win the NIT, and I watched them beat Duke this year. I went to the Gator Bowl, where we took over ownership of Georgia and cheered on proudly as we moved beyond the "Coach Rod divorce drama" and beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. And I watched the state come together and surround the families of 13 men after the Sago Mine disaster with love and support.

I kept wondering why I was having so much trouble accepting the fact that I had to move away after graduation. And when I think about all of the things above -- which do not hold a candle to all of my actual experiences -- I remember why. Despite the fact that things are changing and that growing up sucks, the fact that WVU is WVU makes me want to keep going back. And I'll drag my friends back with me as many times as possible so that we can recreate those memories and create new ones for years to come.