Oh how time flies
The saying has always been, “time flies when you’re having fun.” Man, whoever coined that phrase knew exactly what they were talking about. It feels like just yesterday I was driving halfway across the country in a fully loaded-up car, moving into my shoebox of a dorm room and answering the “why Wisconsin since you’re from Pennsylvania?” question every other minute.
This weekend those same friends who I met in Chadbourne Hall three years ago and I celebrated our final “Chadpad Parents Weekend” as seniors. I was always told the first people you meet freshman year will likely not be your closest friends in the end, luckily for me, that was not the case. Chadbourne gave me my best friends, unbelievable memories, countless laughs and so much to look forward to. Â
Moments like tailgating before football games, scurrying around State Street during bar crawls and closing down our fav places during a night out (thank you City Bar), make me weepy but also make me feel so grateful. It is so nice to know I will look back on my four years at UW–Madison and know I have had the most incredible time with the most amazing people. I feel so fortunate to have so many people and activities that make leaving Madison in May so difficult.
I know writing this story now, only in October seems a little preemptive, and it probably is. I am surprised I have not cried and had more moments of sadness yet, but I am sure they are coming. Over the last four years I have made sure to take advantage of everything Madison has to offer. I never want to look back at my experience and say “I should’ve” “would’ve” or “could’ve” done something else while I was here.
So far, that is yet to be the case. Continuing with that idea, I am making sure to say “yes” to as many things as possible this year as well as prioritizing things I find fun and exciting. I have found myself in the past overloading my schedule with things that I believe will be “good for my future” or “help me in my career.” While I am still doing those things, I am not allowing them to get in the way of the things I won’t get to do again once I leave college. I am making sure to do the simple things I am going to miss next year. Stay in the moment, be in the living room with my roommates rather than being tucked away in my bedroom, group study dates (even though I study better alone) and taking weekend trips with friends even when I have a lot of homework. Everything will always get done, and I’d rather be a little extra stressed on Sunday than miss out on a weekend of memories in a new place.
While I am sad to know my college gal era is soon coming to a close, I have the greatest memories to look back on. I cannot wait to continue celebrating and mourning my final year in Madison with some of the best people I know.