The last time I was at Butler was May 10, 2008 - aka the graduation date of many of my friends. It didn't seem like a big deal. I mean, they walked over to Hinkle Fieldhouse (as we do almost every Saturday during basketball season), sat in chairs, heard some people speak, took some pictures, and then were back a few hours later.
Fast forward to August 24, 2008. I am leaving for my study abroad experience in Spain on MONDAY, and so I knew I had to visit Butler before I left. 3 months away from my BU friends this summer was hard enough; seven would be impossible. However as I drove back to campus, I didn't think about how much things might have changed in three short months.
1. I am not living with my amazing roommates from last semester again . I will be in Spain, Jill is living at home and Katie has a house just down the block from Hinkle with some other friends from our sorority. It's weird to see her not living at Pi Phi, because since I'm a year younger, she's lived at the sorority house ever since I've known her. Seniors typically do live out of the house, but most of my friends didn't, so it will take some adjusting to (even though she's only 5 minutes away).
2. The freshmen, I mean, SOPHOMORES have moved into Pi Phi! All of our new initiates from last spring, including my Little Sister Jackie and my good friend Christy, are all grown up now and living in the house! It is crazy (and exciting) to see so many new faces when I walk through the tv room at 2 am or eat lunch at the house. (We also have a new food service that is really good, and our kitchenette was restocked with lots of yummy snacks. mmmm easy mac! now that's change I can believe in...)
It's kind of fun being the old one around the house, though, because I get to show the newbies all the ropes of living at Pi Phi. I really realized I was "the old one" when we went over to a party at the neighboring fraternity, where lots of my guy friends live. I was with a group of 4 sophomores and after a few minutes, I noticed that they were following ME around and I was introducing them to my friends. I remember very vividly a year and a half ago, when I was the new one who didn't know anybody and I would trail behind MY big sis all the time! ahhh, how quickly we grow up in college.
3. Those friends that graduated? They are real grown-ups now. The good news is that all of my friends that graduated in the spring are employed, and many still live in the Indy area where I can see them. The bad news is that they are now part of a totally different lifestyle that I like to call being a grown-up. They have to work 9-5 which means: no afternoon Starbucks runs, no lunch dates in Broad Ripple, and they definitely can't stay up as late as we used to on weekdays. I called my Greek big brother at 11:30 pm and he was already in bed studying for the LSAT.... "Who are you, and where did the old, carefree, late-night Peter go??," I thought.
I guess in my imagination, my graduate friends would just float around in post-Butler limbo and things would be the same as always. But, I suppose I'm glad to be proved wrong if it means they are on their way to all the amazing things that come next, like grad school or their dream careers. I also found out that these friends are still there for me ... I just have to call them between 5 and 9 pm before their bed times ; )
4. I'm not in charge of everything! Last year was so crazy. I was editor of the yearbook, VP of the Student Foundation, co-editor of the literary magazine, headed up several major projects for my band fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, and worked three on-campus jobs. (I never slept.)
This year, my study abroad absence from campus has left me rather unattached... At Welcome Week every year, we have an event called Block Party where all the student organizations have tables where you can sign up for more information and get involved. Last year, I was all about Block Party, running between three tables, shaking hands, passing out candy and fliers and trying to recruit as many freshmen as I could. It was so crazy-busy (and totally indicitive of my life that year). This year, I just walked around and enjoyed watching OTHER people take the lead. Leadership positions are so much fun and one of my favorite things about my Butler experience, but I am so excited to have some time in Spain to just focus on me, and not have to worry about a whole campus.
5. I AM A JUNIOR. Wait, what?! Yeah, I am a JUNIOR IN COLLEGE! Halfway done. Can you believe it? I can't. I feel like I should have more figured out.
Fortunately, amid all this change I have realized that I couldn't feel more at home at Butler. After two whole years at BU, everything just feels SO comfortable. It's hard to even explain, but I just feel like I've been there forever and there's nowhere else I'd rather be. I love walking around campus and remembering all the good memories dating all the way back to Welcome Week my freshman year. I love going out and seeing familiar faces and getting hug-attacked by so many people I love and have missed over the summer. I love walking through Jordan Hall, because - believe it or not - I will miss going to class there! (I also love that no matter how in-shape I am, taking the stairs to the the 3rd floor of Jordan still makes me winded... it's every LAS student's best workout! ha) . I love that I can actually find my way around Indy (and know where to find the best cheap meal). I love that with three days on campus, I still didn't have enough time to see all the people that I love at BU, because there's just too many of them.
The night before I left, I was hanging out with my friend Albert and reflecting on how much I had enjoyed being back at Butler, even if only for a few days. I told him, "I don't really mind leaving Chicago and my family as much as I am sad about leaving Butler. I mean, this is my home now." He thought that it was sweet and should be printed on Butler postcards... I think it's true and should be on my blog ; )
I MISS YOU ALREADY, BUTLER!
Have a fabulous fall semester, everyone! Keep me posted so I don't go into BU-withdrawal, okay?
Posted
Aug 29 2008, 01:07 AM
by
ChristinaL