There are a lot of things I’ve learned in my time at Gustavus, most of which have nothing to do with the classes I’ve taken. Some things I learned in the first week, some things I learned yesterday.

As a first-year, I struggled to find friends who treated me well. I was going to transfer, I was going to leave this institution and never look back. But then I was hired to work for The Weekly, and I decided to stick around. Thank God I did. Because if I had left, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I wouldn’t know the friends I do today, and I wouldn’t be as prepared for the real world as I know I am today.

The value and merit in having a liberal arts education from this small, private college is that you have the opportunity to learn in everything you do, both in and out of the classroom. Friends are just as much teachers to me as the professors on campus, and the professors are just as much friends as they are educators. Don’t ever be afraid to go to them for help.

Gustavus is not just academics; it’s a chance to figure out who you are and what you want from your life. It’s the ability to realize that sometimes, it’s more important to go out and have fun than it is to stress and worry about a paper or test. Don’t commit yourself to your classes and only your classes. You miss too much fun if all you care about is the final grade.

Sometimes, all you’ll want to do is sit on your futon and watch Scrubs with your friends for hours on end. It’s OK to do this. Sometimes you’re in the zone and you’re working hard and you’re kicking ass and you’re making the grade. It’s OK to do this, too. Finding a balance between the two is key.

Sometimes the balance doesn’t happen, though. The scales tip and you lose sight of one thing or another. On days like this, it is important to focus on the positive. Dress up, look good. Mean it. In fact, dress up always. The better you look, the better you feel, and the more confident you will be in your assignments and social endeavors.

Gustavus is a chance to find what you like and what you don’t; who you like and who you don’t. There are so many choice individuals on campus who are worth getting to know—don’t waste time hanging around those who make you feel less than your best. Another piece of advice: don’t constantly wear headphones when walking on campus; you’ll miss too many opportunities to meet and talk to the tremendous students and staff that make up the Gustavus community.

This community is so much more than individuals working toward their degree. It is dance parties and 1:45 a.m. calls to Erbert and Gerberts. It is frost-your-owns and anonymous notes in your P.O. box. It is changing your major again and again and again. It is Sue in the Caf, and streaking in the Arboretum, it is Midnight Express. It is LineUs and the Firethorne, and it is coffee in the Courtyard. It is trivia teams at Patty’s and study sessions at River Rock.

Gustavus is whatever you make of it. It is truly an extraordinary place for extraordinary people. It will be missed. By myself and my friends, and by you, I’m sure. We make ourselves quite the home here—with kitchenware and bedding and wall hangings and classes and involvement in activities and organizations. It is not just a school, it is home. And in graduating, we are moving away from home as completely different people than we were when we moved in. Gustavus changes and shapes us for our futures and helps us become the people we want to be. So thanks, Gustavus—for liking me, for helping me to like myself and for introducing me to the people and things in my life that matter most.