I'm going to be honest: this school year has been the greatest year of my life thus far. From the people that I have met to the late-night adventures I have had, every ingredient of 2017-2018 combines for the perfect cupcake of happiness. Actually, scratch that. I don't really like cupcakes. So, maybe one of those chocolate brownie-covered cookies?
While it will be wonderful to be at home and not have to share a bedroom with someone else (sorry, roomie), these next three months will be a scenery change from what I have grown accustomed to in the last nine months. College life is a universe of its own; here's what I will miss the most this summer.
1. Phoenix
I feel dirty even mentioning the city I live in (because let's face it: who really misses Phoenix?), but where else can I run into traffic ANY time of the day no matter what direction I am headed? Phoenix, you sure have spoiled me. Also, your coffee shops are fantastic.
2. My new favorite coffee hot spots
Speaking of coffee, there are so many new places that I have discovered this semester alone, and they all have their own unique vibes that warrant specific moods to visit each one.
Lux, Grand, Encounter, DUTCH BROS? You all have my heart.
3. Visiting Dutch Bros at 2 a.m. for no reason
Everyone has one of those late-night sugar runs at least once a semester. For me, it probably happened once a week. My favorite stop? Dutch Bros on Camelback. RIP their 24 hr. service; now the latest I can go is 11 pm. "Late night"? More like the night is just getting started at that point.
4. TACO FREAKING TUESDAY
This is the night that makes your dreary Mondays and your Tuesday blues all worth it. Tacos. Enough said.
5. Running into EVERYONE you know
6. Treating other people's dorms like your own
Yes, we live in the same building and on the same hall, but my friends' dorm rooms just feel so much better than my own.
7. Going to church with a million other GCU students
While some students chose their churches based on the lack of fellow college students, I fell in love with New City Church because of the extensive college student population. Once again, I could count on running into at least one person that I knew while being at church. Fine, I'll admit it: I'm a people person.
8. My people
Each of these experiences exists because of the people I have found. The people who are ecstatic about early-morning, mid-day, and late-night adventures no matter the mileage. Without you, I would probably be unemotional about leaving for the summer. Because of you, I have cried buckets while FaceTiming my parents. Thanks a lot.
9. GCU's cat population
Most of all, though, I will miss the hundreds of sweet, kind cats that make me feel so... okay I cannot keep up with this awful charade. I hate the cats. I will not miss the cats. I hope the cats have all mysteriously disappeared by the time I return in August.
Here's a list of the things I will NOT miss over the summer:
- Paying for laundry
- The awful smells that linger around every food establishment on campus
- The cats
- My 7 am classes
- THE CATS
- Walking a mile to get to my car in the Timbuktu Parking Garage
- The Habit Burger
- THE. CATS.
The greatest part about the flood of emotions I'm feeling right now is that I am feeling them in the first place; I wait in anticipation for the next time I get to see Ethington Theater, this city, and my friends. Though we GCU students complain an awful lot about the Phoenix heat, the GCU parking situations, the lack of good food on campus, and the smells that haunt Lopes Way, deep down, there is a love for this fantastic school that has brought us together for however long we take to get our degrees. Until next fall, Lopes out, my friends.
