I sit here tonight on my couch, relaxing after a long year at Rose-Hulman. The leather beneath me has acclimated to my body temperature; the music, Digitally Imported’s streaming techno feed, flows smoothly in the background. I just finished sorting through several stacks of documents, carefully filing away the pertinent information into my filing cabinet. Looking through the old contracts, pay stubs, tax forms, greeting cards, and receipts, I am reminded of how many things I have experienced and done in my life.

I found my travel itinerary from my first plane trip, a visit to Texas in 1989. I found documents from my Eagle Scout application. Related to Scouting, I found reminders of my trips to Philmont in New Mexico and to Minnesota’s BWCA. I found my first pay stub, my first credit card statement, and my first financial investment statement. I found my formal invitation to become a Brother of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.

My favorite discovery is perhaps the most telling of how much I have changed: I found my high school photo ID cards. Most of my close friends here at Rose have seen my old driver’s license photo. I enjoy showing it to them as a visual indication of how much the college experience, especially my involvement with Pike, has changed me. The usual reaction is one of shock and laughter. However, though my old driver’s license photo was bad, it can’t compare to my sophomore high school ID photo. Wow. My driving permit photo, taken ten months after the sophomore ID photo, is equally awful. Yet, I am glad that I was the person in those photos. Had I not been that person, I would not have experienced the things that let me grow into the person I am today.

This time of sentimental musing and rummaging was sparked not just because of my need to organize my files. Instead, it is the beginning of a realization, and possible acceptance, that my life will soon fundamentally change. Granted the forthcoming change is still a year off, but it might take me a year to fully internalize the ramifications: I will not be in college forever. Yesterday, I attended Rose-Hulman’s commencement ceremony. I watched many good friends walk across the stage, receive their diploma, and enter the real world. I have known these people for three years and have grown close to many of them. Now, when I leave Terre Haute for the summer, I must face the harsh reality that I might never see some of them again. It is very hard for me to accept this realization, much harder than when I left high school. When I left high school, I believed that I could see whomever I wanted to when everybody returned to Maple Grove around the holidays. I thought that I could stay in close contact with my friends via the links of the Internet. Three years later, I communicate regularly with only four of my high school friends, occasionally with perhaps a half-dozen more. That’s it. This time around, I tell myself that it will be different. I tell myself that I will work harder to maintain contact. Certainly, the tools are better: I can stay informed by my friends’ blogs. I can instantly say a quick ‘Hello’ with AIM. I pledge to make the effort to keep the lines of communication open.

At the end of December, I made a list of things I wanted to do in the near future. Here’s a recap of those things and the progress I’ve made:

• Learn to skate. I’m getting better, little by little.
• Get a motorcycle. No bike yet, maybe it will happen this summer if it fits into my fiscal reality.
• Go to more hockey games. Being in Indiana makes this difficult, but I managed to go to a Wild game in April.
• Learn to play hockey. No progress here.
• Learn to snowboard. I’m getting better. The trip to Steamboat helped a lot. Rumor has it that there will be another ski/snowboard trip next year. Initially, we had talked about going to Whistler-Blackcomb in British Colombia, but discussion has shifted to Breckenridge in Colorado. Either way would be great fun.
• Learn to juggle. No progress here.
• Tour Europe. No progress here, though it still might happen in 2004.
• Learn to race. No progress here either.

Okay, so some things have seen more advancement than others. All in due time…

Next year I will be switching rooms at the Pike house, moving from the third floor to the second floor. I will be rooming with my little bro Tyler. Tyler and I decided that we want our room to be open and inviting, so the redesigned loft, lighting, and furniture arrangement will be such as to encourage social interaction. To that end, I decided to refinish the floor. Currently in that room is carpet covering a hardwood floor. I like hardwood floors, so I plan to remove the carpet then sand, stain, and urethane the wood beneath. The project will probably take some time, but I think I’m up to the challenge.

After all, without challenges, life would be boring.