Sections

Someone from the Hoot reminded me last week to write my “angry senior farewell”. To be honest that request would require me to go completely against my nature and betray the people who have made the last four years the high point of my short life. Brandeis is a wonderful place, and it will be a sad day when I leave it.

I have lived a transient life. The simple question at a party of “where are you from” usually provokes a sigh from me at first, followed by the long paragraph of places that I once called “home.” This conversation usually produced a bored recipient and feelings of deep reflection, tinged with sadness, from me. Nevertheless, the chance to finally settle down has been something of a failed quest on my part, with the exception being Brandeis.

Have you ever looked at something, a sports team, a new car, a new friend and thought: “this seems right”? That is what I thought when I first visited this school in the summer of 2003. During that mad search for colleges I was confused and bewildered by the sheer number and diversity of schools and what they offered me. Brandeis was just a bit outside my magic numbers of GPA and the SAT, but like many long shots, it stayed with me as a persistent fantasy.

When I was accepted my choice was automatic. At the age of 18 I thought that I had finally made it, that my years of hard work and the shittyness of High School had now set forth for me a future of success and happiness. My first year at Brandeis was a breeze academically, and I felt as though I had finally found my place to shine. Unfortunately there was much for me to learn on the social end. Mistakes that I made that first semester haunted me throughout that year. But that experience was worth it in a way. I was forced to develop a personal discipline and decent moral background that has helped me since. Though these efforts I was largely able to cast off the reputation that my stupidity had created, and by my sophomore year I had a large group of loyal friends.

Life was a consistent and lovely experience at Brandeis until I decided to take a chance and go abroad at the beginning of this year. That choice changed the careful dynamic that I had worked to create around me, and for the worse. But I have rebounded by once again using the lessons that I learned from this school to adapt and succeed in difficult circumstances.

This school has meant a lot to me. A large portion of my greatest triumphs, as well as my most prolific failures have taken place here. I have appreciated every moment that I have spent at this school. Instead of some nasty diatribe against the people with whom I have had difficulties with, I must thank every staff member, professor, family member, and friend who have made this such an excellent experience. I dreaded this moment a month ago, as I saw graduation as a retirement of sorts for fun and friendship. Today however, I look forward to the rest of my life outside of Brandeis. Once again the odds might be stacked against me after I graduate (thank you Bush for this wonderful job market and this awesome economy in which I somehow have to pay back my loans). But if I am able to find people like my friends here on the outside, life just might work out.