Billy

This past Saturday I had the honor of attending UNH’s Alumni Scholarship Ball for the third time. Typically, as the name suggests, only alumni of the university, some faculty/staff, and the Board of Governors attend. But I’ve managed to attend every year since I was a sophomore. Both this year and my sophomore year I attended with Admissions. My junior year I was the “plus one” for a friend of mine that was invited to attend since she had received an alumni scholarship for the year.

There’s something somewhat surreal about attending the ball. Each year they recognize various alum and their accomplishments since they have graduated. Some of the stories that these men and women have are truly amazing. Many of them have made themselves out of nothing and thank the university time and time again. And then, in return, they gave thousands of dollars back to the university so that students can afford to actually attend. I definitely hope that someday I’ll be in that position.

For now, I think I’ll worry about paying off my loans, though.

Earlier in the weekend, I logged into Jostens, Inc., the company that Student Activities contracts to print our yearbook, and browsed through the virtual copy of the yearbook. I looked through the pages and the hundreds of photos and while I can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief knowing that it’s complete, I still feel a little nostalgic knowing that it’s my final publication with the university.

I woke up early on Friday and took a walk through the university before breakfast and was just amazed with how much the place has changed since I started here in the fall of 2009. New buildings are up, older buildings have been gutted and renovated, departments are moved and shifted. It feels unreal that this time next year, I won’t be making the same walk anymore. This is my last spring.

Take it from me, make the four years last. Because when they’re finally over, you feel like all you did was blink and suddenly you’re four years older and about to graduate college.