Everything's Changing

Well, the time has come.  Everyone is moving back to campus, settling into their homes for the semester and looking brightly towards the days ahead.  The freshman moved in on Saturday and everyone else began their move in today.  I don't live on campus anymore, but I had writing tutor training so I was on campus anyhow and it suddenly hit me that in a year, this won't be mine.

Yes, Texas Lutheran University will always be my alma mater and the place that I grew up, but the leadership will pass on to the next generation of students.  I will move on with my life and my academic pursuits, but TLU will still be here growing and becoming better for that next round of students.  

My friend Stephanie and I grabbed an early dinner at Hein today and I think that's when it suddenly hit me how different the campus has become just over one summer.  Where there used to be wood paneling there's now bright burgundy paint and where there used to just be grey there are now smiling faces of TLU students along with the phrases "Learn Boldly" and "Live to Inspire".  From filters in the water fountains to flags showing students engaged in a variety of pursuits on every one of the tall lamp posts lining the campus's sidewalks to an entire brand new residence hall--everything's changing.

And I know that it's silly, to think that this place will always be a part of me when I've only been here for 3 years.  But that's just how it is.  This is my home.  This is where I began to discover who I was and who I am and who I want to become.  This is where learned how to forge beautiful friendships and that sometimes those friendships will change and that you just have to accept that, no matter how much it hurts.  This is where I began to learn that I can conquer anything if I believe that I can.  This is where I learned that even when circumstances seem impossibly overwhelming, there will always be someone there to support me and help me and love me.

Tomorrow morning I'll go to my last opening convocation here at TLU.  Then in the afternoon I'll have my last first day of class here at TLU.  And while I'm feeling rather bittersweet about this being the final round, I'm determined to make this the best year yet.