Anticipation is everything. Two weeks ago, we could barely wait for Spring Break to start. This week, we better buy our tickets because the Fling concert is "just three weeks away!" As spring begins in earnest and summer follows not far behind, one thing I'm especially not excited for is rapidly approaching.
Last week, as my mom was driving me to the airport for my final flight back to Philly, she reminded me that I only have two months to go before graduation. Thanks mom, but I'm not exactly counting down the days. Only, the thing is. I kind of am. As it turns out, it's really difficult to dread graduation when there are so many other things to look forward to. Whether it's the next episode of Lost or finally finishing that last horrible final, there's always something I just can't wait for. I can't help it.
Maybe this is more than just a defense mechanism. Senior Week is Penn's obvious attempt to delude seniors into believing that graduation is something worth drinking to. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Call me crazy, but I can't help but wonder why exactly Penn's landscapers couldn't lay down the manure last week instead of this one. Something about it just doesn't smell right. It's almost as if they want us to avoid the Quad and Locust Walk and hurry to class with our hands over our noses. And to think, Locust Walk was something I was going to miss.
With only two months of college left, anticipation collides with procrastination. Every Sunday, I think, this is the week I'm going to make it to happy hour, write that last paper, spend enough time with my friends. If not this week, than at least I'll do it the next. Until, of course, there is no next week and it's time to pack up my room and schlep everything to what once seemed an awful lot like home.
I know that graduation isn't the end of the world. There will always be parties, days off and vacations to look forward to. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't put in the extra effort to appreciate what's left of college while we can, instead of rushing from one big thing to the next. Once in a while, it's nice to stop and smell the roses. Or the manure, whatever the case may be.
