That word is supposed to bring about so much joy and so much happiness. The only emotion I am feeling right now is sadness.
I didn't really know how to address this blog. What are you supposed to say to the hundreds of people who have helped me in the last four years of college? I arrived at college 19 years old and no clue of who I was. My parents brought me up to Tommy Hall where I met Willie Versen at 231 Tommy Hall and he became my new roommate. My parents left and then I was at a new school, alone, and not a clue what I was going to do. This day feels like it was yesterday, and almost four years later, I wish it did just happen yesterday. The following blog is a letter from me to people in my life from CSBSJU who need to hear a thank you. These are the people who big or small, helped to get me where I am today as I leave Student Teaching and leave SJU and begin a new adventure. I apologize in advance if I miss anyone, which will happen.
Dear CSBSJU,
Over the past 4 years, you have been my home, my favorite place on Earth, and the cause for who I am today. You have helped me grow so much as a person and there are some people on your campus that deserves to know how much they impacted my life.
For Tommy Hall 2 residences: You guys were the first people that I met when I got to school. You got me through Orientation, and you got me through the tough times of missing home. To this day, some of you guys are the people I look forward to seeing most when I am on campus and will be the ones I look forward to seeing when we are Alumni. Willie Versen, Nathan Holthaus, Bryan Rask, Willie Starbird, Evan Miller, Trevor Barth, Alex Nicholas, Jared Berg, Seth Marx, Ben Krebsbach, thank you to all of you. One time it was a casino trip where we didn't leave until midnight, and other times it was the great conversations that we had while eating dinner or watching movies late at night because we didn't want to do our homework. The memories that we made on Tommy 2 were some of the greatest memories that I will carry with me as we leave this wonderful place.
For the professors: I was going to take the time to name all of them and I still might, but without the professors I had, there is no way I would have made it through school. To keeping your doors open when I was having trouble with a paper, to getting to know me on such a personal level that they would be able to detect my moods instantly. To the professors I had when Megan passed away, you helped me catch up after missing a full week of classes and I can't think of any big school that would have taken the time to email me every day to let me know what we missed and to care about how I felt. Some of the best conversations I have ever had happened in the classrooms in your classes and in your offices. The amount of respect you have for all the students at this school is beyond remarkable. When we did a good job, you emailed us and let us know how great our work was. When we needed to improve, you were there to help us succeed. That is what you always wanted. You wanted success from us, and at the end of the day, you were going to push us until we reached our goals. I can't even name my favorite professors because almost all of them had a positive impact on my life in one way or another.
For the Education Department Staff/Students: From day one I knew that I wanted to be a teacher and the education department at CSBSJU made me feel welcome every step of the way. It started with EDUC 111 and ended with student teaching, and at every step, you were by my side. I have talked to so many education majors/minors who have expressed the same things about the people in the department. If you have ever met Connie behind the EDUC desk, you know that she is one of the nicest people in the entire world. Even though I didn't agree with some of the things that we had to do over the course of my four years (Cough cough edTPA, cough cough classroom management plan) I throughly enjoyed going to all my education classes and learning from the professors in the department. I spent hours with strangers in the education library who ended up becoming good friends. We struggled through the same assignments and motivated each other to keep going when we were struggling. Ryan Finnefrock, Amanda Dvorak, Claire Kelly, Kelsey Peterson, Caitlin Krieg, Alison Ley, McKenzie Lecy, Sarah Higgins, Miah Winterfeldt, Alex Robbins, Alice Foran, Rachel Michaelis and the many others that I forgot, you are what made classes so fun. Thanks for always helping me while I struggles, and for helping me along the way! Saying goodbye to all of you on Wednesday afternoon isn't going to be easy.
To the members of 446: I don't even know where to start with this group of guys. I signed my lease with the 4 of them at the end of Sophomore Year without even knowing them except that they were golfers. Sam and I got invited to live with them and decided to take it. My Junior Year at SJU was by far my favorite year of college because of these guys. From countless hours of NHL and COD, to staying up late playing poker and going to holiday at 6AM. Our walks to and from Sal's were always hilarious and the conversations that we had over the course of my Junior Year were amazing. Some pranks were played for sure (Taking Andrew's Pheasant meat and hiding it, Switching Sam and TK's room around and taping Sam's room shut) along with a ton more but Sam and these 3 "strangers" ended up being the people that I got closest with. These 4 are the ones who will be part of my wedding and the 4 who I will see the most once I leave CSBSJU. There is not enough words to describe what Andrew, TK, Dom, and Sam mean to me and how much fun I had with them during my time at 446.
Scott Hegg and Ben Wenker: Honorary Members of 446. These two always made Friday and Saturday nights more fun. Ben is one of the funniest guys that I have met, and Scotty and I have gotten so close over the past two years. He used to be the one I would call annoying because he was so obsessed with Georgetown Basketball and I could hear him screaming freshman year from upstairs. Now I see that his passion for sports is just as strong as mine and we have grown close because of it.
Lauren Gavin: It is weird to think that I didn't even know you a couple years ago. We have countless pictures together and every one of them is great. We have spent countless hours in the library together keeping each other on task and distracting each other at the same time. I have been able to count on you when I need someone to give me the honest truth, and you are always there to support me in whatever I do. Thanks for being there over the past two years. I know that we will keep in touch after school is done.
Janie Driver: I met you at lunch my Sophomore Year and you are honestly one of the nicest people I have ever met. Our trip to Stout to visit your sister was great and I will never forget you. Whether it was a quick lunch or a two hour homework/gossip session, I cherished every second with you. You are one of the closest people to me and I can't express how happy I am that you got a teaching job next year. The kids are going to absolutely LOVE you. Catching up with you over the summer is an absolute must.
There are so many of you that don't necessarily fall into any of these categories. Grace Todora, Charlie Hines, Dillon Hager, Justin Juan, Jack Holmen, Charlie Raeker, Alyssa Hoppe, Margeaux Minea, Molly Reger, Brian Vargason, Jill Sampair, Jordan Wachholz, Julie Thurmes, Sean Tillman, Adam Bachmeier Ryan Nesheim and many many more. Anyone who I have seen in the library or walking around campus and have stopped to talk to. To anyone who I have seen at Sal's and had a nice conversation with. All of you make the memories that I have at CSBSJU.
So here is to you CSBSJU. It is now Tuesday afternoon and I have finally finished my letter to you with many tears of happiness as well as tears of sadness. Sunday is going to be a day to celebrate but it will also be a time to say goodbye. The campus is never going to be the same after the 18th because the class of 2014 will no longer be there. We will come back to alumni events, for Tommie/Johnnie game and to see how the campus has changed, but we will never get the four years back. The late nights out on the town and the 4AM Waffles at the Local Blend. From FAMSAK to Case Day you will always have my heart CSBSJU.
Thank you for an incredible 4 years, I will love you always.
-Jared-
