It’s hard to believe I’m going to be starting my third year of college by the end of this summer. I still remember the day that I left high school and my home to come to Gannon. I remember how I thought that college was going to be terrible and I wouldn’t make any friends and I was going to be the worst college student ever.

None of that turned out to be true though. College is just a milestone in your life and not some big, mean monster out there ready to eat you. But to think that I am halfway done with my undergraduate courses is just shocking and crazy. Now that it is summer break and I don’t have to study for finals anymore, I have some room to think, and this has been on my mind for a while.

I originally thought that my four years of undergraduate classes would seem like an eternity. And sometimes when I get caught up with classwork, it really does. But when I look at the big picture, I realize it’s not so bad. And I remember the awesome times I have had in these past two years.

Not to mention that my older sister, who attends Youngstown State University for music education, graduated this semester. It just seems surreal sometimes when you put all of this into perspective. You realize that the education you’re getting here at Gannon doesn’t take up much of your life, but you learn so much.

That being said, I’m looking forward to meeting our incoming freshmen! I was there, and I know what it is like. In two years, the freshman class will be where I am now, and I’ll be off somewhere doing something totally sweet, making the big bucks – that’s what I keep hoping anyway.

Don’t take your time here at college for granted! You only have a few years to fill that head of yours with the knowledge it takes to do your dream job. I have faith in all of you.

Dave