Making new friends in the back row

by Rob Stewart

As a somewhat jaded, graduating senior the excitement I felt while opening the e-mail containing the list of my fellow graduating Simpsonites surprised even me.

However, I was even more surprised when I read the list and realized that I had no idea who the two students slated to sit beside me during the ceremony were.

I had pictured graduation as a day to celebrate with family and the familiar community of friends I’ve made while at Simpson. Instead, I’m sitting next to two people I’ve apparently never met.

How is that possible at Simpson College, with a little more than 2,000 students, that I could graduate next to two people I couldn’t pick out of a line-up – not to insinuate that either of these students has ever been in a line-up. I guess I don’t know, but I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I guess it just shows that maybe Simpson isn’t as small as we think. Apparently, no matter how many Stand Arounds you go to – personally I went to four, they serve snow cones – and no matter how many Campus Activities Board events you attend, you can’t meet everybody, but you might win something at BINGO.

Maybe, I’ll track down these two mystery students before our big day. I suppose they might think I’m batty, but I’d like to make friends out of the people who will share this momentous milestone with me way back in the S’s. I’d like to make these two my row buddies.