As graduation inches closer and closer, I'm starting to actuallyget a little bit sentimental. There are always ways to find faultwith The University of Memphis, and there are always things towarrant complaint, but I'm starting to realize that there are somethings I'm going to miss.
I'll miss having discussions with such diverse groups of people.Before The U of M, I never came into contact with so many people ofdifferent races, religions and backgrounds.
One of the coolest things about my experience here has beeninteracting with these people and learning their opinions andbeliefs. Although they were sometimes different from my own, it wasan eye-opening experience and a lesson in tolerance.
I'll miss meeting and working with the faculty members,especially those in the journalism and foreign languagedepartments. Before I came to The U of M, I thought the facultymembers would all be mediocre, only working here because theycouldn't work anywhere else. But over the past four years, I havelearned how grossly untrue that is.
I've been able to work with and be taught by some of the mostimpressive professors I'm sure I'll ever meet. So many of The U ofM faculty members are dedicated only to the education of thestudents and not to the frivolities and disputes that can surfacein a college community.
As my boyfriend begins to look at out-of-state and private lawschools and their ungodly costs, I'm also beginning to appreciateThe U of M's tuition. We all complain about it going up every year,and that does stink, but we're still getting a good education for avery low price.
At just over $4,000 a year now for tuition and fees, U of Mattendance definitely gives you more bang for your buck. Becausecollege is definitely what you make of it, meaning you'll getexactly what you put in, I'd say $16,000 for four years wasdefinitely worth it.
I'll miss going to Tiger Basketball games as a student.Attending basketball games was one of the activities that reallymade me appreciate going to school here. On those occasions, itseemed everyone put their differences aside and joined together asa student body to cheer on their Tigers. The basketball team is oneof the most valuable institutions at The U of M.
I'm also really going to miss working here at The DailyHelmsman. My college experience would have been so mediocre withoutit. I feel sorry for people who don't get involved in something oncampus because it makes the college experience so much morerewarding.
Through my experience here, I've learned much more than just mypost-graduation trade. I've learned management and "people" skills.I've made friends of the staff members of The Helmsman and thefaculty members of the department. And, at times, it's been prettyfun. I'm definitely going to miss it.
Too often, we focus entirely on the negative points of thisschool. Maybe it takes four years to finally realize the positiveones.
