Pieces of BGSU

Every week I am sent a reminder about ordering my graduation announcements and every week I do the same thing – delete it.

I don’t want to announce that I’m graduating because I still have time, and I still don’t want to believe it.

How could four years have already gone by? How could I already be making decisions about jobs rather than class schedules?

It seems like only yesterday I was being dropped off outside of Kohl Hall with all my trendy Target room décor, and now I don’t even know what city I’ll be living in.

When I was a freshman, graduation seemed so far away and now, it’s right around the corner.

The past four years my planner has been packed full of class times, student organization meetings, events and work and now looking forward, it’s blank.

For the first time in my life, I have no idea exactly what I’ll be doing in the next few months and years.

I say exactly because I do have a few job options, which has made this graduation aspect not as terrifying. However, now I have options to weigh and decisions to make.

No longer do my decisions include what class time do I prefer to go to, 9:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m., rather what job is going to give me the best experience for my future or offer me the best pay.

That is why I delete the emails every week. Academically and capability-wise, I know I am ready to graduate and make a positive difference in a company, but it is still hard to fathom my time as an undergraduate falcon has literally and figuratively flown by and I’m now getting ready to make my first big steps into the real world.

On May 4th at 3 p.m. I will be sitting in the Stroh Center next to my best friends who I had almost every class with, did every group project with and always hung out with – the same friends I met at orientation four years ago.

Until this day, at this time and with these people, I don’t want to announce I’m graduating. I want to take the next month and a half as slow as possible and savor every moment until I actually walk across the stage. Only then, will I acknowledge I’m graduated because only then, my undergraduate time is up and I am forced to believe and accept it.

Your first year at Bowling Green is full of many exciting things. Among those is the most exciting of all: living with a roommate and in a residence hall for the first time! The experiences and memories you gain will carry on through college, NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE!

As a freshman my roommate and I decided to preference Kohl Hall as our first choice, which to this day is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my three years at BGSU. We were both ecstatic when we got our living assignments and had been placed right where we wanted to be! As we got closer to the school year we were making all the typical decision: what color scheme we wanted our room to be, who was going to bring what,and so much more; however, we also decided we wanted to be part of the Chapman Learning Community through Kohl Hall.

Kohl Hall is home to two learning communities: Chapman Learning Community and Educators in Context and Community (previously Partners in Context and Community). In order to reside there you must be a part of one or the other.

My roommate and I both chose Chapman because it is a volunteer-based community. Basically, you choose an organization that is offered that is of the most interest to you and that you could see yourself working with during the semester. Once enrolled in that selection, you meet a few times a month to do volunteer work or listen to speakers from the organization.  We chose to volunteer with The American Red Cross, our second best decision of college! Not only did we learn more about the organization through speakers, we also got to participate in Red Cross events! Our claim to fame our freshman year was being the Red Cross’ mascots during Red Cross events, Bloody the Blood Drop and the Red Cross Safety Squirrel! This by far is one of the greatest memories I have of college!

Living in Kohl Hall has more benefits than just being a part of an incredible learning community. You also have the EXCLUSIVE (ONLY available for Kohl Hall students) opportunity to take certain perspective courses on the first floor of the residence hall. What is better than being able to roll out of bed five minutes before class starts, putting your slippers on, grabbing your supplies, and going downstairs? Nothing!!

Not only are there classrooms located on the first floor with class sizes usually no more than 20, but the professors’ offices are also located on the first floor as well! This is incredibly convenient when you have a question about homework or an exam and you only have to go down a flight of stairs, or two, to get an answer!

Also located on the first floor of Kohl Hall is a workout room, again exclusive only for Kohl Hall residents! This is great because there is no time wasted walking to the rec! The kitchenette is another feature of Kohl Hall we took advantage of! Kristen, myself and our “third roommate” Jacqui would bake in the kitchen on a regular basis and also held a “family dinner night” once a week.

With the recent construction of new buildings, Carillon Place Dining AND Pinkberry are located right in front of Kohl Hall! It is also located right near the vast majority of all academic buildings!

I can honestly say I left freshman year with two new best friends, both of whom remain my best friends to this day and more memories than I’d ever be able to account for. College is not necessarily whether you live in the newest residence hall, rather the people you meet and the memories you make. Think of it this way: years from now you won’t remember the residence hall, but I guarantee you will remember the time spent meeting new people and making new friends!