As my last dead week comes to a close and May Term shines like a beacon on the horizon, I begin to think back on my four years at good ‘ol SimpCo.

While I will happily say that the communications and theatre departments at Simpson did give me a quality education; one that I think will come into good use when I graduate, I also realize that some of my greatest college experiences don’t come from the classroom, but from the college experience I had elsewhere. 

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the five best decisions I made while at Simpson College.

1) Going Greek. Greek life will probably always be a point of debate at Simpson. You have your nay-sayers. The ones who usually actually know the least about it and decide instead to just bash it, assuming it’s just like what we see on TV and the movies, without attempting to even get to know a Greek member or see how fantastic it really is.

 And then there are the Greeks. The people who made the decision to join a Greek house, and have since reaped the rewards. The family away from home. The 50 best friends, the late night talks, the formals, the workweek memories, the raids and so on and so forth. And this is what I’ll take with me. The memories with guys I’ll never forget and hopefully never lose touch with, knowing that they’re all still just a phone call away.

2) Traveling abroad. Spending a semester in London was easily one of the best decisions I ever made. Getting a chance to travel through Italy, Germany, France and Belgium opened my eyes to what the world really thinks of the USA and some amazing memories I’ll never forget. Plus getting the chance to meet Adrian Brody, Christian Bale, and John Cusack wasn’t too bad either.

3) Putting memories over grades… on occasion. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got before starting college was, “What are you going to remember in 50 years? That night out with friends? Or the test you got an A on.”

I’m not saying I’ve blown off every test and project I’ve had during my time at Simpson. I’m just saying that I’ve never gotten too worked up over them. And I may have chosen the bar over the book at times. I’ve learned that the test is going to happen either way, I’ll survive the class and life will move on. So, my advice to underclassmen is the same. Don’t freak out, live it and enjoy it why you can.

4) Joining an organization. While I’ve actually probably went a little too overboard with the whole joining, I really think everyone should at least join one they can stick with all 4 years. Being on CAB all four years has been amazing. I’ve made friends that I probably wouldn’t have, went places I probably wouldn’t have and it’s also helped me realize what I want to do when I grow up.

5) Experiencing Spring Break. Going on a Spring Break trip has also been something I’ll never forget. Road tripping to Florida with 12 of my good friends has given me some great stories I’ll forever be able to laugh at. Just being lazy for a week and getting away from Iowa was amazing. And the memories of our high school neighbors and their 40-year-old moms will always leave me smiling.

So, while Simpson did give me a quality education, I think what’s really made it worth the money is the memories. The memories I made with friends. So, while I thank the communications and theatre departments for educating me and preparing me for grown up life, I want to thank some others.

Thank you brothers of SAE, my CAB family, those that went to London with me, Jesse Forbes and the Zoo, the PCB crew and anyone else who I’ve encountered the last 4 years; it’s been a wild ride.Let’s finish it right.