A Retrospect of My Life at Southern

Graduation is near, and by the end of June, Southern will be added to my list of memories. Lately, I have been looking back on my time spent here.
Sometimes I look at old photographs from my freshman and sophomore years and see how I perilously use to live. And I see pictures of the people that I have left and soon will leave behind. From time to time, looking back makes me think of the improbable life that I use to strive to have. Looking in the mirror allows me to see the life that I am now living.
Faint reminisces bring me back to the people who use to be or could have been in my life but because of prior mishaps are not currently here, and more than likely won’t ever be. Every now and then, in passing, I look around and see people that I was friends with during my freshman year. Seeing them overwhelms my psyche with memories and shortly after I find myself trapped in the past.
Back when only one out of 10 of us had cars, even though the car was a small raggedy 2-door Honda Civic, we would ride seven or 10 passengers deep on the weekend just to go dancing and flirting at the club. And if a person invited one of us to go back home with them, we declined.
Every night we would stay up until approximately 4 a.m. laughing and talking about any and everything. And if the next day was a school day, we would wake up at seven o’clock in the morning and get our exercise in by walking from Totty Hall all the way to the front of campus for our 8 a.m. class.
We found time to chill with each other during class breaks by either going to Mayberry, or the Union (if we still had money on our card) for lunch. And at the end of the day, when classes were over, and extra activities were through, we would talk about our day while we forced ourselves to swallow the dinner in Dunn cafeteria.
Sometimes in the middle of the night, if the food from Dunn didn’t settle well enough in our stomachs, we’d ride to Jack in the Box because it’s the only fast food restaurant open 24 hours a day and close enough to campus. If we ever got bored, we’d just go to Walmart and stay in there for hours. Usually, we’d leave without purchasing a thing because none of us had money.
But now I am not the, “Stay up/hang out all night party-going freshman” that I use to be. Now I am a graduating senior with my own apartment, a stable job, a truck and a dog to keep me company.
On weekdays, I wake up early and go running with my dog, then attend class to say hi to people I know, study, go to work and go to sleep as soon as I can.
The friends I once knew have either dropped out of school, are always busy at work, found other friends or have changed to the point where we do not get along anymore while some of them have remained the same immature freshmen that I once knew, while I have matured.
As I get to know unfamiliar faces, my heart sighs because I wish I had taken the time to get to know them a long time ago. Perhaps we could have been good friends. But I realize time is ticking, and these persons must go inside my pocket of “could have been” that is hidden away in my heart.
Though I have changed, I sometimes wish that I could go back to the person that I use to be. Back to the times when life wasn’t about paying bills, but just having fun. The time where having money wasn’t everything, but keeping friendships alive was.
The truth is, I would do anything to relive those moments I had with those whom I use to call, “friends”, if even for a moment. However, I know that is not possible because we all have grown and changed.
My advice to those of you whom have made close-knit friendships with people while attending Southern: if your friendship is genuine never let anyone or anything tear you apart. If and when you argue, make-up and forgive each other because as we can see, everyday, such as in the Virginia Tech massacre, life is too short to hold a grudge against someone.
And when change comes, because it will, grow together and not away from each other. Hold on to the memories you’ve made and continue to make more because it’s during your college experience you should meet the friends that will be there for the rest of your life.
To all of those who have been, and to the few who are in my life…even to those whom aren’t… “May God bless you.”
…Live Life With No Regrets…