The year in review...

Well with last week bringing a head to my studies, I can safely say that I am DONE with this school year. Success! Passing! Go Team! Sure, I don't know my grades yet (I got an A in Air Force class. There's not even a chance it's NOT an A.) but I feel that, despite the stress that happened to be floating about the room those few days last week, I did much better on all three of my tests than expected. Which, I swear, I hope turned out well because Physics needs a 60% or better so I don't have to take it again. And... let's just say I don't want to take it again.

Urg. Anywho... in retrospect. I actually sat down today to read through my original blog posts to see if I found anything interesting. I'm quite glad I kept this blog/journal this year, because it remembers things a lot better than I do. (That weird dream I had... so creepy!) What I'm noticing is not so much that I've changed since then... but I chuckle at how little I knew about ROTC then. Ah. Good times.

College has been interesting. It's been really the first time I've been free to do whatever I want for the first time in my life. Stay up till 5 am? Fine. Go see a movie? Fine! Eat dinner at 11 every night? Sweet! Study for three days straight? Coooool.

I've met a lot of new friends, including some truly awesome people. (more on that on the dramatic end to this post.) I've got to experience a lot of new things, hear a lot of new perspectives on common things I thought for true. Most obviously, I suppose, is my political beliefs. Back home, I watched Fox News and heard from Rush Limbaugh on the radio a lot. Here, at good ol' Liberal Michigan, I hear pretty much the exact opposite from a majority of people. What have I learned? That neither side is always right, every plan makes sense from some angle, and nobody is evil. Michelle told me "You've become more liberal," last time I was home. I suppose so. I plan to happily reside in the center of things and try best to use my common sense.

And so now... a tribute to my friends from this year, who I won't see again for likely 4 months. They likely won't read this, ever, but I feel like it should be down in words somewhere. This is a journal. I'll look back on this and laugh sometime. Ha. Hahaha.

The guys:

To Andrew Baker: Our resident overstudier, Political Science major who takes himself too seriously and has more stress than any one person should be able to stand. I highly enjoy our political debates. Hopefully summer will provide some nice relaxation for you so you can come back with your sanity intact next year.

To Carson: The man who always seems to know everything about everyone in this dorm. Really. No idea how. I should have listened to you earlier. (Foreshadowing!)

To John Morin: You, sir, make me wonder how you even got into Michigan, much less ROTC. But, for some reason I've kept you around... so obviously you're doing something right. Here's hoping you got that GPA up.

To Schroeder, Kyle: From the Tri-cities, to Robotics, to Air Force, to here, you are obviously my long lost twin half brother from a particularly wacky soap opera. You may be an egotistical [word] sometimes, but 'gosh darn it' if that's not part of why we like you. We're gonna miss you, and good luck at the Air Force Academy. *salutes*

To Mike: Where to begin? 7 years now we've been friends, and we just proved common thought wrong by proving that we can get through a year of college as best friends in the same dorm room without snapping each other's heads off. I'd say that's good progress. You're always there for me, you know WAY more than you should, and you never hesitate to make sense in surprising ways. Your girl troubles amuse/worry me, and I sincerely hope you figure it all out in the end.

The girls:

To Kathryn: Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if we made sense. Hanging out with you, Carson, and Baker provide no end to crazy things that don't make a lick of sense. You're never down, and you and Carson are always a font of (slightly insane) wisdom. Be awesome, and hopefully I'll see you this summer (you don't live too far!)

To Megan, Nicole, Sophia, and Julie: The other 4 girls from Frost. I never really hung out with any of you regularly enough to have good individual comments, (don't punch me! Aah!) but all I can say is: you guys are awesome.

To Katelyn: Ah, what can I say. I'll say it again, I've as dense as a nice hunk o' granite. There are way too many things I could say within this post... and this one is getting long enough already. Let's just go with: You much, much smarter than me, more mature by far, as capable as anyone I've ever seen... and yet for some reason you put up with me. I don't think I've stopped smiling yet.

So yeah. If that wasn't obvious... family and fellow readers I'd like to inform you that last night some short time after midnight, I asked Katelyn out. She said yes.

:D