Nick Gets His Head on Straight for the Summer

One warm evening this past May, I stood in front of the Wren building as I watched one of my closest friends deliver a speech to his classmates. I was far away, standing by the Botetourt Statue as I looked on the cap-and-gowned Class of 2010 assembled below him.  I felt like I was eating my last meal before receiving the death penalty. It was like witnessing the foreshadowing of my own death. I couldn’t appreciate the ceremony, nor the tradition behind it. I had numbed myself from the whirlwind of emotions that blew through the week leading up to graduation weekend, but I still felt upset. I didn’t want to be there, but where else would I have gone? All of the people I wanted to be with were there. And as much as I disliked being there that evening , the truth is that there was no other place I would have rather been. I had one of those soothingly melancholy moments where I was reminded of how beautiful this place is.

After he finished, I didn’t linger. I left and spent the rest of the evening setting off fireworks over Jamestown Beach with a couple of friends.

The next afternoon after the Commencement Ceremony, I felt like I needed to escape. Being on campus only reminded me that something great just ended for some of my friends and that I was next.

Nearly a year before that night, I left to study abroad for awhile. I’m not really sure how it came together or what really made me want to go, it all just kind of fell into place and then suddenly I was about to embark upon the biggest trip of my life. Initially, I was very upset that I had to forfeit an entire semester away from the College. I had met so many incredible people, and had the opportunity to do so many incredible things that part of me didn’t want to leave. But after road tripping across England, punting on the river Cam, working on a Beaujolais vineyard, and chasing Cezanne’s legacy armed with a pallete, a paintbrush, and a canvas, I returned to a snow-covered DC in December thinking, “that was totally the right decision.”

Returning to school in January was sort of a rude awakening for me. In addition to adjusting back to campus life among other changes, I began to fear graduation; that of my friends in the Class of 2010 and my own which had just started to emerge on the horizon for me. By mid-May, I couldn’t think anything, but “you’re next, Nick.”

Now it’s June, over a month after 2010’s graduation.  After spending some time at home I’ve returned to Williamsburg and I think I’ve got my head on straight, for the summer at least.  I had some time to have space to myself, and re-assess my attitude going into my last year at the College. I mean, it’s not like I have any other choice really. What am I gonna do, NOT enjoy the time I have left? What’s the point in being miserable all the time right? I’ve vowed to take my time and cherish every little thing that this school has to offer for the next twelve months. This summer I’m fortunate to be an intern at the admissions office, really allowing me to spend as much time with the College as possible. I love the people I’m working with. I swear the admissions deans are some of the coolest people on this campus, and it’s a shame some people go through their college careers without ever meeting them. One of my friends inspired me to take up skateboarding again. At night I’ll skate through campus and enjoy the freedom of having it all to myself. Just earlier this week my favorite band, The Roots, dropped their 9^th album (How I Got Over is so freaking good, pick up a copy). Things right now are so good it may as well be my birthday. I’m really excited about spending the summer here in Williamsburg, and as for senior year, well…I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. In the meantime, I’ll be bumpin music in the basement of the Admissions Office.