Sarah Says

Class is starting Wednesday for ECU students, and as relieved as I am to finally be done with the boring lectures and hours of homework I’ve got to admit that I kind of miss it. My last semester was filled with sleepless nights and jam packed days, as I worked two jobs and took 18 hours and I loved every minute of it.

If you were to ask any of my friends they would probably say that I’m telling a boldface lie, but it’s true. As much as I complained about being overworked, underpaid and completely burnt out – I was having the time of my life.

I spent every minute outside of class hanging out with friends, eating out and sleeping in. Now that I am a part of the “real world” that people have been telling me about for years I find myself spending most of my time outside of work simply laying in bed watching TV. To be quite honest, after working 40 hours a week I just don’t have the energy to do anything but rest on my days off.

As students began moving back into Greenville this weekend and I watched my younger sister move into a dorm on campus I couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic. As my first summer in the “real world” begins to wind down I’ve been thinking about how different my life has become within a three month span. Things haven’t gotten better or worse, just simply different. It’s strange how one day you are living one life and in the blink of an eye you are living a completely different one.

I decided to make a list of the things I’ll miss most about college/ECU life. Here it is:

>Knowing that one of my friends is awake at any hour of the night and willing to take a trip to IHOP or McDonalds.

>The East Carolinian (the campus newspaper): After working at the newspaper for three years the editorial board ended up feeling more like family than friends. I miss late nights in the newsroom eating peanut butter M&Ms or chocolate pretzels, downing Diet Coke and watching Dane Cook skits on YouTube in an effort to laugh to keep from crying.

 >The squirrels that scampered across the walkways as I rushed to class.

>The long walks across the campus mall on days when a light jacket, jeans and a t-shirt were the perfect attire.

>The chimes at the entrance of Joyner Library.

>The Bate Building. I got lost in that building at least 3 times every semester I spent at ECU.

>Walking through Uptown Greenville and stops at The Tipsy Teapot.

>Friday and Saturday nights at Five 19.

>The huge chocolate chip muffins from Java City.

>Rocking ECU hoodies on a daily basis because they make up about 50 percent of my wardrobe.

>Going to class in pajamas with nothing but a pen in hand.

>Digging through my wallet in search of quarters for the parking meter. I can’t tell you how many tickets I ended up getting during my four years of college.

>Barefoot on the Mall