When we are young, we count down the days to summer. The last day of school is the best day of school, and we all run home with grand plans of vacations, adventures and most importantly, homework-free months. So what changes when we get older? Why does that countdown to the last day of school switch to move-in?

While some would argue that every college kid in America is as excited as we are, we at DePauw like to think we are special. We like to think we go to the best school in the world (and we do). And this point is proven when I talk to my friends who aren’t Tigers. They want to go back to school, oh sure. But they don’t have that pure anticipation that we do. On my last day of work, I was talking with my boss, a DPU alumna, about how excited I was to get back. She couldn’t stop raving about how eager she always was to return to school, especially her senior year. My coworker thought we were nuts, claiming that by her senior year she was out, and had no desire to go back. Now, I don’t know her reasoning for her need not to return. But maybe, just maybe, it was because she wasn’t at a school that she loved like we are. We love our school so much. So much. An unhealthy amount. But it’s good. And it’s the way it should be.

As an anonymous female said on Erodr, “I wished away the summer waiting for camp college. I plan on wishing away the next week as well.” This is not an original post. If you looked at Erodr at all this summer, it was constant countdowns and reminders that from late August to mid May, we live in the happiest place on earth. And we Tigers love to remind each other of that whenever possible.

I have no doubt a lot of us were doing amazing things this summer- great internships, jobs, trips. Time with family and friends. And a lot of time with Netflix. Some of us may have been in the place we grew up, while others may have ventured to a new city. And yet, even though we had a great couple of months, we want to be back in the Castle. I was living in Malibu, on the beach, and yet I wanted to be in Greencastle, Indiana. Just let that sink in. Am I crazy? Maybe. But I just couldn’t shake the “DePauwsickness”. Whenever I told my mom I was homesick her ears would perk up, and then, she realized I was homesick for my twin size bunk bed in the beautiful mansion I call home. I would take living in the Pi Beta over a beachfront apartment any day. Because there are only three years of your life that you can live in a house full of your best friends. There are only four years that you will be within walking distance of everyone you know. College isn’t real life, and DePauw is certainly no exception. And that is why we like it.

I am not advocating wishing away days, weeks, and months on end. Live in the moment, enjoy every day, etc. etc. But there is nothing wrong with looking forward to something. And how lucky are we that we have something so great to look forward to. See everyone soon.