What could be my last blog...

Hey!

I felt my title today could either be in relation to the end of the year coming, or to my life ending after finals. I don't know the answer yet.

In all honesty, this week is going to be pretty relaxed compared to the chaos of last week. I have one two hour test a day for the next three days, and then I get to go home. Piece of cake. It's funny, because when you're on college, the administration tries to make finals week as stress free as possible for students. However, that only causes the professors and instructors to shove all of their non-final-related quizzes, projects, and papers to the week before finals. I guess the same can be said for some high-schools. Finals seem to just be a formality. In any case, this week is going to go by fast. However, I also know the end of this week will only bring the beginning of a crazy summer of trying to make as much money as I can in as little of time as I can.

I'll just try not to think about it. It's been a nice year of working about 40 hours a month, and I'm not looking forward to changing that. One thing I am looking forward to, though, is doing a lot of traveling this summer. My brother is on a traveling AAU basketball team and has tournaments every weekend from anywhere around Indianapolis to Sioux Falls. My family usually tags along as his groupies. We'll see how long it takes me to develop a phobia of car rides with them.

I guess I should probably reflect on this year too, not to give any readers whiplash or anything from the subject change.

I always thought people who said their first year of college changed them were special cases. Like, I expected some changes in style, weight, or intelligence, but never expected to become a different person. Perhaps I should rephrase that, I think I've actually just become myself. This first year has helped me with my identity more than anything else in the last 19. It could have been the people I spent my time with or some of the classes I took. I personally attribute it to becoming independent. I learned a lot about saving money and spending it. About eating regularly, or getting enough sleep. My parents were never any more overbearing than anyone else's, but it was a big deal for me to suddenly not have someone giving me the final say on things, and not having to ask permission.

Apart from changing, I also had some experiences this year that really shaped me here at Luther. Norsemen has to be at the top of the list. I shoved anything to do with music, let alone choral music, out of my head in high school because I was convinced that I wouldn't want it due to the fact that choir directors make less than Doctors. It's funny how it took me until now to realize that a career shouldn't be built on finances, but on what will make you jump out of bed in the morning before your alarm goes off. I've also taken some classes that have helped me decide what's not for me. I also learned that playing piano can come in handy if you enjoy supplemental income, or just want something to do on a Wednesday at 11:45 pm.

It's been a great year, and as always, I hope the college search is going well for everyone!

Have a good summer,

Jake