Two weeks of class down and 12 to go, not that I’m counting. At any rate, these first days of school have passed so quickly — not to mention the last three years — and I know the rest of the semester will fly by as well. As a senior, I’m torn between wanting this year to be over and the demands and stress of a full course load, work, and extracurriculars to end, while also being faced by senior year nostalgia, which makes me wish that this year will crawl by so I can prolong leaving Gustavus for the real world as long as possible. Meanwhile, I still must find time to make some big decisions about my future, which right now is looking pretty uncertain. Questions of finding a graduate school, job, and place to live, and anxiety over the GRE/LSAT/MCAT and job interviews are in the minds of all the seniors this time of year, myself included.
On a lighter note, I love Gustavus and St. Peter in the fall! The fall colors are starting to appear now, and the valley is becoming an even more beautiful place to live. This is by far my favorite season — the crisp air, wearing cozy sweatshirts, the Nobel Conference, going to the apple orchard for crisp fall apples and, of course, football games. Despite the disappointing loss to St. Thomas on Saturday, I’m optimistic about the Golden Gusties this year. And, despite my ever-chaotic life, I’m going to take the time to savor every moment of my last fall at Gustavus Adolphus College.