Hopefully, my racing friends will appreciate the title analogy. You see, this school year just completed was a lot like an extra power burst executed by IndyCar drivers for a short time period. The extra horsepower, in theory, gives them enough power to complete a pass, and is over in a blink of an eye.
As it relates to the school year, I needed several short power bursts to make it through what was unquestionably the toughest year at Marquette yet. It was also the fastest – I feel like I don’t even remember enough of it to properly recall things. Just a blur. But, the tough moments made it incredible.
You take a big step as an upperclassman, moving up from the ranks of residence halls and Sodexo-provided cafeteria food. You move into apartments, away from house parties into bars (okay, I haven’t got that far yet… next month), and into another level of responsibility and independence without the RAs there to watch your every move.
For me, I had yet another transition – no shock to anyone who knows me – to go from one roommate to three in a room in Humphrey. And first semester, living with Gags, Swee, and Mark was epic. Can’t relate how awesome it was. Swee went abroad spring semester to Madrid and Pat came back from Ireland, bringing his own story and style. It was different, but still mostly good times.
Academically, it was a challenging year coupling my commitments with the Marquette Tribune and Phonathon with classes. Fall I reported for the Tribune on a new beat, the consumer beat, which I highly enjoyed, and then moved into a leadership role as an assistant editor in the spring. I still consider it a fairly meteoric rise from the ranks of rookie reporter to helping the next group of prodigious talents with their work. I had a lot of fun and really got to appreciate the work of the seniors in their editorial roles.
Campus as a whole was really rocked by three things this year – the death of freshman Andrew Siebenaler, the retirement announcement of University President the Rev. Robert A. Wild, and the ongoing saga that has been the Arts & Sciences dean rescinding.
As a reporter, I had a role in all three stories even if I wasn’t the lead writer on any of them, but that is neither here nor there. What I saw with those events was, for the first few times in my Marquette career, the uniting of the student body in a combined group for a common cause – support for a victim’s grieving family, a president who has still given back immeasurably to this university, and rallying around whether something was done for the right or just reasons.
It was in those moments more than others this year that I saw myself as part of the “We are Marquette” mantra and mission statement, and felt better about the work I personally was doing to accomplish that.
And this is where I have to give thanks for everything I’ve done being able to help me take the next step. Without the Phonathon leadership position, I don’t think I would have been able to become an editor with the Tribune. Without the Tribune, I don’t think I could have landed the role I have helping Michelin in racing. And without all of those, I don’t think I would have an internship to look forward to for the fall with The Business Journal.
Looking back, I think I will feel more nostalgic about junior year as time passes, because so much of it was a whirlwind of getting things done without enough time to enjoy or appreciate everything I really accomplished. That’s probably the best description of the year just passed. Not the most eloquent piece of writing ever, but there you go. Cheers.
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