04/18/08

So here it is. The dreaded graduation column.

To tell the truth, I have honestly always hated these kinds of pieces. I always said I would never write one, no matter what. The column where I impart my four years of Baker wisdom upon the masses to help guide you through your days here at ol’ BU.

I really hate myself right now.Baker was not the first choice for me. It wasn’t the second, the third, the fourth or even really the fifth. To be honest, Baker was my safety school (Well, I think I applied to KU too.)

Baker was where my sister was going to school; she played basketball here, was an Alpha Chi Omega sorority member and was a pretty good student. So, you can imagine why I didn’t want to go here at all.

I was taking a nap on the couch when my mom came home and woke me up a few weeks before graduation from high school. “Andrew, where are you going to college?” she said with a not-so-friendly look – the kind your mom gives you when she isn’t joking, when she wants answers, and she wants them now.

“Fine, I’ll go to Baker,” I replied. And that was that.

So, here I am. Four years later. Four years brighter. Forty pounds heavier, gracias PBR.

But, have I truly learned anything?

I know I have learned how to write a long research paper. I know I have learned how to pass a class I barely went to. I know I have learned that the basement of the library is open 24/7, thank God. I’ve learned that I have horrible taste in television (really, really, really, bad taste in television).

So, here it goes, my wisdom from my days here in the city of Baldwin City (Seriously, that’s the name of our fair town.)

I know most people say, “There’ll always be another class, but there’ll never be this party again!” And mostly that’s true. Mostly, I’ve found that it doesn’t really matter. Party on a Tuesday, skip class on Wednesday. By doing this, you find out how to balance your social life with your academic life (screw up, learn from it, move on).

Play golf at The Sands. A lot. It’s free, it’s fun and it’s BYOB. I have had some of the most fun times at The Sands with my friends just fooling around and playing horrid golf.

By the way, once you’re on the sand green if you’re inside one pin length, it’s a one putt, if it’s outside it’s two putts. This makes for great debates.

When you turn 21, eat at the Salt Mine. The food is great; the price is even better.

The Mine is awesome, and you don’t have to always get smashed. My friends and I go up there for just a couple of beers, and sometimes we go up there with the best intentions and come home at 3 a.m. with nachos and a Bomb Burrito. Either way, it’s great.

Don’t forget that we are smack dab in between Lawrence and Kansas City. Smack dab. Mass Street is great. So is Legends or the Plaza. Go see the lights on the Plaza, definitely go to Mass after the next KU championship next year. (It was a great time, I’m sure of it.)

Write a column for the Baker Orange. I’ve done it for three years, maybe? And although no one reads my columns other than my parents, Nate Michel (my nemesis) and a few other close friends, it’s pretty nice to get things down on paper, even if it’s just for yourself.

Oh, and finally, don’t get caught up in the bull.

There’s plenty of it, especially at Baker. Whether it be the unprofessionalism of our administration from time to time (especially lately), or the problems you have with greek life and whatever crap they’re trying to pull these days (party policy, hours to move in, etc.), your friends pissing you off, whatever, it really pales in comparison to what is really happening in the world.

Read the news, vote (every damn time, I don’t care who you vote for, although I’ll hopefully be working to get you to vote for my candidate), pay attention!

Because it is our own ignorance that tears us down, and building ourselves up can only come from within.

I’ll be back for one more column, but if not, it’s been great. Thanks for reading, Mom and Dad.