Okay, so my friend Sheila's doing her best to survive graduate school, and it got me thinking about my college days...both undergrad and my Masters program. I pondered on it lots, and this poem came to me. I hope you enjoy...
"Senioritis" really does exist in college, don't you see?
Reminiscing about those four long years of my life,
I recognize that there were great times--mingled with the strife.
My time at Ricks, it started rough, but it got better fast.
I only earned an Associates, but thought my knowledge vast.
I said goodbye to roommates dear as I quickly left Rexburg
And transferred my credits to Utah State, also known as "Perg."
USU ain't God's school like Ricks or BYU...
But their COMD program is swell, which I wanted to pursue.
The first semester in Logan was difficult, but I fell in love
With this major, it is true; it fit me like a glove.
Onward and upward I progressed, I gave it all I had...
And I applied to grad school, which made me wonder, "Have I gone mad?"
The waiting period was the worst, not sure where I'd get in;
When USU said that I could stay, I said out loud, "I win!"
And so I walked to prove my worth on graduation day.
I jumped a plane to Anchorage upon the 5th of May.
The summer of 2004 came quickly to an end.
An Alaskan adventure is what I had, along with some new friends.
Back to Utah State I went, as nervous as I could be!
Grad school, I figured, would be hard...oh silly, silly me!
In undergrad, I'd done my best, and earned high grades, you see?
But now, it seemed, I studied twice as hard to barely earn a 'B."
I wept a lot and sometimes wondered, "What am I doing here?!
Two years of this? It cannot be! It's killing me, I fear..."
And so I bawled to friends and Mom, they said I'd be okay;
And I knew, for sanity's sake, sometimes I'd have to play.
Semester two was not so bad--I thought that I'd caught on
To what grad school was all about--how could I be so wrong?!
Research was a class I took in the summer of '05.
If it had lasted one more week, I'd no longer be alive!
Second fall semester was a beast, I do confess...
With work and class and clinic I was feeling like a mess!
And then a boy came into play; I had no time for that!
We tried dating for a while, and then I dumped him flat.
If I thought weeping was my dearest friend the year before,
It was nothing to my life now--I couldn't have cried more.
But Heavenly Father got me through that semester straight from Hell;
I came out on top and alive--and even feeling well.
On down to Provo I did go to intern in "Rehab."
I learned a lot--but most of all: dysphagia is so drab.
(Swallowing evals and treatment, it really made me heave...
Seeing goo come out of one more trach?! I swore that I would leave.)
Two months at UVRMC and then my time was done.
I'd learned a lot, and done my best; I was ready for some fun!
Back to Brigham to finish my thesis and sponge off Mom and Dad;
Defending it was not a treat, it made me feel so sad.
But I presented it with a flourish and a bang.
And when I finished and actually passed, I thought, "Hot DANG!"
And then my time to relax was hovering right upon me!
Until mid-June for my last class, I was considered free!
May 5th, it rolled around, just like it does each year;
But this, the year 2006, I had real reason to cheer!
It was the day that I was hooded; a Master I'd become!
I'd worked so hard, I'd lived through Hell; it left me feeling numb!
If this ain't cause to celebrate, then tell me what is PLEASE!
In honor of my accomplishment I caught up on some zzz's.
A week-long jaunt to Canada with 2 great friends of mine;
Vancouver is a gorgeous place, with lovely trees of pine.
We stayed at a cheap motel in Burnaby, you know...
The very place where the crooner Mike Buble did grow.
Somehow I became the navigator of this fun road-trip.
The scaling of the Nanaimo map was certainly a trick!
I loved my time up there, you know; my first trip in so long!
My friends, they made me learn the words to a great Canadian song.
Then back to Utah we had to go; it was a long drive back.
We'd had such fun on little sleep; I needed to hit the sack!
It was about the first of June I thought, "I need a job
As a Speech Pathologist," but looking made me want to sob.
And then my phone, it rang; it was Professor Littledike
To tell me of a gentleman who, if I met, I'd like.
He was looking for someone just like me to work in his employ
In a private clinic located in Idaho Falls; oh joy!
I met this fellow she called Matt in Logan that same day.
This interview was nice and relaxed, and I heard what he had to say.
The pros outweighed the cons by far; he offered the job on the spot.
It seemed much too good to be true; things to consider were a lot!
I told Matt, "It sounds great; I'll let you know real soon."
I pondered and I prayed on it, and told him, "Yes!" mid-June.
In honor of the job I took, I thought I'd buy a car.
I purchased an '03 Altima because it's above par.
The hooding? Check! A job? Check two! But still I had a class
To finish before I could move, and I needed a 'B' to pass.
It was tons of information to squish into five weeks.
So much to do, so little time; my brain, it sprung a leak!
But pass, I did! Oh joy of joys! I finished, it's for real!
It was July the 17th I began my career with zeal.
I started out on Bannock Drive with Shawn, Pauline and kids.
I love that family so much! We played and we watched vids.
If I thought all of this before had seemed like a piece of cake,
I hardly could believe my luck with the friends that I did make.
I'd moved into a singles branch, the coolest one in town.
I ran a 5k "fun run" in the mud, barely concealing my frown.
These people seemed great, I liked them lots; but running makes me spew!
But they stuck beside me all the way, these friends of mine so new.
I moved into a cute new place with Tina and with Brooke.
So far, so good; just one month in--already I was hooked.
My job is great; it truly is the job from in my dreams.
My boss, co-workers, clientele--I'm lucky, so it seems.
And as the clock moves forward, and weeks turn into months--
I know it's not just luck, but God is blessing me upfront.
You simply cannot comprehend how my life feels complete.
I've never felt like I've fit so well; it's wonderful and neat!
My pals, they're full of life and spunk; we have a grand old time.
We hike and camp and ride our bikes, and skydive--how sublime!
And so, you see? My world is great! So worth the pain and stress
Of 6 long years in college; for enduring I've been blessed!
Worth it in the End
by Gina O.
Working hard for four long years to earn a Bachelor's degree...by Gina O.
"Senioritis" really does exist in college, don't you see?
Reminiscing about those four long years of my life,
I recognize that there were great times--mingled with the strife.
My time at Ricks, it started rough, but it got better fast.
I only earned an Associates, but thought my knowledge vast.
I said goodbye to roommates dear as I quickly left Rexburg
And transferred my credits to Utah State, also known as "Perg."
USU ain't God's school like Ricks or BYU...
But their COMD program is swell, which I wanted to pursue.
The first semester in Logan was difficult, but I fell in love
With this major, it is true; it fit me like a glove.
Onward and upward I progressed, I gave it all I had...
And I applied to grad school, which made me wonder, "Have I gone mad?"
The waiting period was the worst, not sure where I'd get in;
When USU said that I could stay, I said out loud, "I win!"
And so I walked to prove my worth on graduation day.
I jumped a plane to Anchorage upon the 5th of May.
The summer of 2004 came quickly to an end.
An Alaskan adventure is what I had, along with some new friends.
Back to Utah State I went, as nervous as I could be!
Grad school, I figured, would be hard...oh silly, silly me!
In undergrad, I'd done my best, and earned high grades, you see?
But now, it seemed, I studied twice as hard to barely earn a 'B."
I wept a lot and sometimes wondered, "What am I doing here?!
Two years of this? It cannot be! It's killing me, I fear..."
And so I bawled to friends and Mom, they said I'd be okay;
And I knew, for sanity's sake, sometimes I'd have to play.
Semester two was not so bad--I thought that I'd caught on
To what grad school was all about--how could I be so wrong?!
Research was a class I took in the summer of '05.
If it had lasted one more week, I'd no longer be alive!
Second fall semester was a beast, I do confess...
With work and class and clinic I was feeling like a mess!
And then a boy came into play; I had no time for that!
We tried dating for a while, and then I dumped him flat.
If I thought weeping was my dearest friend the year before,
It was nothing to my life now--I couldn't have cried more.
But Heavenly Father got me through that semester straight from Hell;
I came out on top and alive--and even feeling well.
On down to Provo I did go to intern in "Rehab."
I learned a lot--but most of all: dysphagia is so drab.
(Swallowing evals and treatment, it really made me heave...
Seeing goo come out of one more trach?! I swore that I would leave.)
Two months at UVRMC and then my time was done.
I'd learned a lot, and done my best; I was ready for some fun!
Back to Brigham to finish my thesis and sponge off Mom and Dad;
Defending it was not a treat, it made me feel so sad.
But I presented it with a flourish and a bang.
And when I finished and actually passed, I thought, "Hot DANG!"
And then my time to relax was hovering right upon me!
Until mid-June for my last class, I was considered free!
May 5th, it rolled around, just like it does each year;
But this, the year 2006, I had real reason to cheer!
It was the day that I was hooded; a Master I'd become!
I'd worked so hard, I'd lived through Hell; it left me feeling numb!
If this ain't cause to celebrate, then tell me what is PLEASE!
In honor of my accomplishment I caught up on some zzz's.
A week-long jaunt to Canada with 2 great friends of mine;
Vancouver is a gorgeous place, with lovely trees of pine.
We stayed at a cheap motel in Burnaby, you know...
The very place where the crooner Mike Buble did grow.
Somehow I became the navigator of this fun road-trip.
The scaling of the Nanaimo map was certainly a trick!
I loved my time up there, you know; my first trip in so long!
My friends, they made me learn the words to a great Canadian song.
Then back to Utah we had to go; it was a long drive back.
We'd had such fun on little sleep; I needed to hit the sack!
It was about the first of June I thought, "I need a job
As a Speech Pathologist," but looking made me want to sob.
And then my phone, it rang; it was Professor Littledike
To tell me of a gentleman who, if I met, I'd like.
He was looking for someone just like me to work in his employ
In a private clinic located in Idaho Falls; oh joy!
I met this fellow she called Matt in Logan that same day.
This interview was nice and relaxed, and I heard what he had to say.
The pros outweighed the cons by far; he offered the job on the spot.
It seemed much too good to be true; things to consider were a lot!
I told Matt, "It sounds great; I'll let you know real soon."
I pondered and I prayed on it, and told him, "Yes!" mid-June.
In honor of the job I took, I thought I'd buy a car.
I purchased an '03 Altima because it's above par.
The hooding? Check! A job? Check two! But still I had a class
To finish before I could move, and I needed a 'B' to pass.
It was tons of information to squish into five weeks.
So much to do, so little time; my brain, it sprung a leak!
But pass, I did! Oh joy of joys! I finished, it's for real!
It was July the 17th I began my career with zeal.
I started out on Bannock Drive with Shawn, Pauline and kids.
I love that family so much! We played and we watched vids.
If I thought all of this before had seemed like a piece of cake,
I hardly could believe my luck with the friends that I did make.
I'd moved into a singles branch, the coolest one in town.
I ran a 5k "fun run" in the mud, barely concealing my frown.
These people seemed great, I liked them lots; but running makes me spew!
But they stuck beside me all the way, these friends of mine so new.
I moved into a cute new place with Tina and with Brooke.
So far, so good; just one month in--already I was hooked.
My job is great; it truly is the job from in my dreams.
My boss, co-workers, clientele--I'm lucky, so it seems.
And as the clock moves forward, and weeks turn into months--
I know it's not just luck, but God is blessing me upfront.
You simply cannot comprehend how my life feels complete.
I've never felt like I've fit so well; it's wonderful and neat!
My pals, they're full of life and spunk; we have a grand old time.
We hike and camp and ride our bikes, and skydive--how sublime!
And so, you see? My world is great! So worth the pain and stress
Of 6 long years in college; for enduring I've been blessed!
1 comment:
You have a very fine talent! I enjoyed reading your life history! I hope you've saved this for those who come after you! (Tracie's MOM)
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