I did not want to come to the University of Virginia. I had my heart set on another school, but I guess the universe works in mysterious ways. Somehow, way back in the fall of 2003, I moved into my room on the third floor of Emmet on what was perhaps the hottest day of the year. And the rest is history.
During the past four years, I have had by far both the best and the worst experiences of my life. A lot of those worst experiences were beyond anyone's control, but I'll chalk up the best ones to having something to do with this fine institute of higher learning.
The next couple weeks hold a lot of "lasts" for the Class of 2007. We'll take our last final exams, eat our last Gus Burgers without a care in the world and bid a last goodbye to undergraduate life. I have the particular duty of writing my last word for The Cavalier Daily. I'd like to end it with a bit of gratitude:
Thank you to the staff of The Cavalier Daily. Each of you, during the past three years, in various ways, has made me want to become a better writer. Keep up the hard work.
Thank you to the members of another particular organization I have been involved in, which due to paper guidelines I cannot name. The beauty of clubs is not their purpose, but rather that they are a gathering of so many different people committed to the same cause.
Thank you to the players, coaches and staff of the Virginia football family. Although I have been a Wahoo since before I can remember, I never had the athletic ability to represent the University in the ACC. Thanks for making me feel as though I was some small part of your success, even if I will never achieve my dream of playing offensive line.
Thank you to my roommates in South Africa, even though none of you go to school here. You enlightened me and broadened my horizons. You challenged me to become a more responsible and more informed citizen of the world.
Thank you to each professor I have had, especially those in the religious studies and history departments. I have learned more from you than any book could have ever taught me. Despite my dazed look in your 9 a.m. classes, I was paying attention.
Thanks to a particular TA in the religious studies department who introduced me to the wonderful world of religion, taught the class in which I met one of my best friends and wrote more than one recommendation inflating my credentials. If you ever need a recommendation in return, you know who to call.
Speaking of my friends, they deserve a pretty hardy nod of gratitude, too. Without them, not only would my college experience have been very different, but I would be a very different person. Who would I be if I weren't an Alderman-dwelling, Thursday night-partying, football-loving, "Sex and the City"-watching, inappropriate joke-telling, up until midnight-talking friend of yours? I wouldn't be me.
Thanks to all of the people to whom I say "hi" to whenever I see them, even if I don't know them that well. Twenty thousand seems a lot smaller when you run into a familiar face each time you're on Grounds.
Thank you to my family, who say they hate being mentioned in my column but I'm pretty sure secretly love it. Thank you for always giving me that extra push to finish a project or confront a problem whenever I needed it. Despite my desperate attempts not to follow in your footsteps to the University, turns out they led me in the right direction.
Finally, a big shout out to Mr. Jefferson. Every time I walk on the Lawn at night, with the skylight in the Rotunda shining, I am thankful I am a Cavalier. Tradition has always meant a lot to me, and this University does nothing if not try to make you proud. Stand up job, old boy.
That's it. One day when I'm rich and famous some news reporter will ask me if I was really this sappy and I'll have to admit I was. Until then: peace out, cub scouts.
This is Laura's last column. She can be reached at lsisk@cavalierdaily.com.
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