Maybe it's my old age, or maybe it's the fact that I'm a cocky bastard, but I feel like now that my four years here at Tufts are pretty close to being done, I've become relatively wise in the ways of the world.
Or maybe not the world so much as college. Or at least Tufts. Or maybe I don't really know much of anything.
But whatever.
I've learned some things at Tufts, believe it or not, and I've learned that there are certain things from the last four years that I know I'll always remember; and there are certain things I'll probably forget as soon as I get across that stage in May.
And I've learned that the things I won't remember include whether I got a B-plus or an A-minus on my midterm, or what that C I got did to my GPA.
And I won't think about whether or not I should have stayed in that night to study an extra hour for my quiz the next day, or whether I should have skipped that concert to finish my reading.
No, I won't remember any of that stuff, I can assure you. I've got much better things to remember.
I'll remember not doing my work on a cold Saturday so I could drive to Wellesley with Munch and Ethan to watch the Walpole Rebel football team and drink the world's worst hot chocolate before heading back to Walpole for some of Mama Machunski's steak tips and chicken.
I'll remember heated games of Looney Tunes Basketball and Mario Kart races with Joe and Nick and Atherton, not to mention the Rocky marathons.
I'll remember J.R. nailing me in the nuts with a snowball at about 2 a.m. in the middle of a snowstorm.
I'll remember every Warren Miller and TGR movie.
I'll remember Mets-Yankees, World Series, Game Five, at Shea Stadium with Boca, and I'll definitely remember having a test moved to eight in the morning so I could make it to Yankee stadium to see the Red Sox play the Yanks in Game One of the ALCS, again with Boca. (I'll also remember that the Red Sox won that game behind a brilliant performance from Tim Wakefield, but who's counting...)
I'll remember those Celtics playoff games at the Fleet Center with my brother, especially when Pierce hit that three against the Sixers.
I'll remember showing up at Fenway for a Red Sox game with my brother, only to discover that it was fan appreciation day, meaning we got to walk around the field and shake hands with the players and coaches. (I have to remember this one because, naturally, I didn't have a camera that day.)
I'll remember taking that road trip to Bowdoin with Ethan and Manali to cover about 700 games that were taking place there that day.
I'll remember everything I ever did with Aly.
I'll remember one legendary Junction concert at DTD.
I'll remember falling 10,000 feet through the air in 30-degree weather on that skydiving trip with Ellie and other TMCers freshman year.
I'll remember every sports department chill fest.
I'll remember every one of my three wilderness orientation trips, but especially A1 2003.
I'll remember eight crazy laps at this year's naked quad run.
I'll remember my late nights spent in the basement of Curtis Hall, and all the people I worked with.
I'll remember winning 12 consecutive games of beirut last year with Fowler.
I'll remember Amanda's incessant laughing.
I'll remember taping that ridiculous TV show every week with Colin and Elliott, wishing that it didn't have to go on the air, but still being glad I got to do it.
So what the hell is my point, other than to give shout outs to my friends in my last column?
My point is that I'll remember way too many things to list here, and not a single one of them involves any kind of grade that I ever got or didn't get on anything.
Of course your classes are important, and of course you should work hard and do well in them. But (to turn myself into a clich?©) college is what you make of it -- no more, no less. You could argue that classes are the least important part of the college experience. I won't do it here, but you could if you wanted to.
In 25 years I probably won't even remember any of the classes that I took, but I'll remember my friends and the things we did together.
It might not seem like it right now, but skipping that day of studying to take a road trip with your friends will probably be one of the best things you could ever do.
So if you have a few years left here at Tufts, live it up. Skip class to go see a Red Sox game. Sacrifice that A to go play in the snow. Go crazy. Fall in love. Have your heart broken.
I promise that you won't regret it.
