I have officially ended my junior
year in college. Which means next
year is the final round -- senior year.
As cliché as it is, I am in shock as to how incredibly fast these three
years have flown by. They say time
flies when you are having fun, though, and I can honestly say my time so far at
the University of Georgia has been the best compilation of experiences of my
young life for a myriad of reasons.
Now, this is not to say it has been all fun. I have also been pushed harder than I ever have, coming into
my own and excelling not only as a student, but also as a young
professional. I have had to deal
with classes I was not the least bit interested in (I’m looking at you, Marine
Biology), had tests and projects scheduled on every day of any given week, and
I have had to go outside of my comfort zone, outside of my bubble, and learn
about the world around me. I’ve
both made mistakes and had to deal with the mistakes of others. But college is a learning experience in
its entirety, from the lectures to the relationships we foster.
UGA is so much more than just a
college. Yes, it is an institution
of higher education, but it has also become my second home. It’s the littlest occurrences that make
me love and appreciate every day I am on that campus.
It’s seeing the campus transform on
a game day. Standing in Sanford
Stadium and being one drop in the sea of red and black. Circling your fist overhead and yelling
out as the whole stadium echoes its bellowing “Gooooo dawgs! Sic em! Woof woof
woof! (Spelled out, the
onomatopoeia doesn’t have quite the same effect…) It’s
wearing those black cowboy boots and red sundress, proudly donning a [insert
sorority name] loves the Dawgs pin.
That’s because it’s not just a game, it’s a culture. That’s why people say they are so
excited for game days, rather than
the game itself. If it were all
about the game I’d be in big trouble.
(Offense, defense, touch down…that’s it, right?) No matter where you are from, what your
major is, or what year you are, we are all united by the pride of the Bulldawg
Nation, and that’s amazing.
Game day is such a small part of
the UGA experience, though. It’s carefully
side-stepping to avoid falling victim to the curse that looms under the curve
of the Arch. Ringing the victory
bell with so much more power than you realize you possess that it lifts you
right off the ground. It’s having
a splash in the fountain to culminate a 21st birthday celebration. Taking
a shortcut (which is usually never shorter) just to pass through the Founder’s
Garden when the flowers are in full bloom on a sunny spring day.
It’s walking the streets of
downtown under twinkling Christmas lights. It’s watching bike racers fly by so quickly on Twilight
that you can’t even capture a picture. It’s becoming a total foodie when it
comes to Athens cuisine. (Might I
recommend the spinach dip filled bread bowl goodness that is Speakeasy?) Window- shopping in the boutiques,
fully knowing you will never find the time to come back and go shopping. It’s going to the hole-in-the wall
places to hear your friend tell a few jokes. Going across the train tracks to find a forgotten rope
swing.
It’s running into someone you know
every day, along with meeting someone new every day. Walking down Milledge and seeing the freshly painted banners
adorn the Antebellum style Greek Houses.
Standing in the nosebleed section just to see your favorite country
artist perform in the first ever concert at Sanford Stadium. It’s knowing that even though I am only
one of 35,000 students at this university, somehow, in some small way, I am now
a part of this institution’s history and legacy. At least, that’s what I’d like to think.
All of these things and more are
Athens. There is a cheesy canvas
on Pinterest that says: Athens, a place that gets into your blood and stays forever. Despite, perhaps, it likely
applies to every other college town in the country, I believe that it holds
true for Athens. That's why
they call it the Classic City. Classic. Timeless. Tradition.
I look now to my senior year and
think about how there are so many more things I want to do in my remaining time
here. So many more things I want
to learn and experience. But I
realize that even if I had 5 more years (or 10, or 20), I would never be able
to do everything Athens has to offer.
After all, isn’t that what keeps alums coming back year after year? They want to see one more game,
enjoy one more beer downtown, and walk through North Campus one more time. It’s because Athens has gotten in their
blood. And stayed.
