We're Halfway There

To my esteemed colleagues and friends of the same age and academic standing:

We are officially finished with two years of our college career. Two years. Two years of homework, stress, tests, quizzes, papers, projects, and presentations: completed. To those of us who are doing four years, we're halfway done. We've completed two years of hard work. There are only two years left, and then it's out into the real world for us. No more cramming to get that last bit of information into our heads ten minutes before that huge test. No more staying up until 3:00 in the morning to finish that huge paper that's due at 8:00 the next morning. It's the real world, ladies and gentlemen. Life only gets harder.

But for now, let's focus on the fact that we've accomplished so much in these two years. We've braved the chaos that seemed to want to swallow us whole when we arrived at college for the first time. We made friends in those first few weeks and months and, God-willing, still have them by our side. At times, we patiently accepted the intensity, the ferocity that is known as "college work," and other times, we simply broke down in anger, frustration, or exhaustion. But we continued on with a dogged determination, refusing to admit defeat to that enemy we know as procrastination. It seemed inevitable, at times, that he would fully conquer us, but while he managed to win a few battles, we eventually won the war.

Christmas, Easter, spring break, and then it was summer time! We all reunited in love and fellowship and exchanged stories, good and bad, about our freshman years. We reacquainted ourselves with our old habits and once again settled into a three-month summer of fun, games, talks, family, and friends. But then it was over, and we were back at college again.

The second year was much more comfortable for most. We met up with old friends and exchanged stories, also good and bad, about our summers and how amazing they all were. It wasn't long before work began to pile up due to our old foe, Mr. Procrastination. Yet we would not be conquered and soon found ourselves studying for finals in May. Through many games of sand volleyball, many horrible meals in Janzow, multiple injuries from the physicality of our lives, and many laughs and tears, we finally finished our second year by reaching, for some of us, the halfway point in our college education. It wasn't always easy, but we've now reached that milestone and we're still chuggin' on strong!

So here we are. Two years older than when we started our freshman campaign on our campuses. Two years wiser than when leaving our high school hallways. Two more years of maturity under our belts, for in these two years, we've suffered through more than just impossible homework. Best friends have grown apart. Enemies have become allies. Relationships have been pushed to their boundaries and beyond, strengthening some while devastating others. But here we all are. We're alive, we're healthy, and we're basking in the sunshine of summer 2011. May it be another summer of memories: bonfires, birthday parties, cat-and-mouse games in cars, hide-and-go-seek in the dark games in church basements, capture the flag games on golf courses, movies, talks, four square, friends, families, and more. We deserve a little break, so let's make it one heck of a vacation. Summer, here we come!