Two Down, Six to Go

Dear Mount Family,

You changed my life. I’ll never forget it.

Love,

Steinke

P.S: I realized that I’m growing up. I’m a young adult in college, and my childhood is done. Sure, that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to have fun. Quite the contrary, I plan to have just as, if not more intense fun mixed with just as if not more intense responsibilities during these next few years. It’s a weird feeling, like a click inside me that I can’t control. Maybe it’s grace. Maybe it’s biology. Maybe it’s all in my head. Oh, and remember how I wrote a bunch of notes about being scared of losing stuff and not being able to make it work? Guess what everyone, I’m not scared anymore. I know I can do it, and it’s awesome. And simple. I think it has to do with the idea of home, or something similar. I’m getting closer to the point where I’ll be able to take home with me, at least for a while. Home is where I have people who love me. Meaning, all over a bunch of states. It’s kinda cool. Stepping off the plane in Washington, I breathed in the air and felt like I was purging something from my system. Weird, huh? I love it here, the atmosphere. But you know, I miss the birds during the day. Yes, I miss Maryland. I miss the Mount. I miss walking across campus for food, sleeping more in the Honors Lounge than in my bed, Mass at night on Sundays with Café afterwards, watching the world around me grow old and die and regenerate itself even more beautiful than before. Maybe it’s easier to miss the Mount because a bunch of things here at home are changing, too. It’s like my past is slowly dying, and only exists in my memory. Sure, it was bound to happen. But it’s weird to go through it.

P.P.S: So what else have I learned this semester? If we didn’t know what true friendship means, we do now. I can tell who my best friends are because they know more about my flaws and weaknesses than I would ever admit or even know about, and they love me anyway. No matter how hard I try, I can’t stay mad at my friends when they want to make things right. Age is just a number except for drinking and sex. In small, controlled amounts, alcohol won’t send you to hell. Neither will slackening the hold on your hormones. Always pick up your dry clothes, because the Mount WILL eat six pairs of jeans and two pairs of shorts (when I came to school I had ten pairs of jeans. Now I’m down to one. What gives?). Always talk things out, but sometimes it’s better not to argue or even express your opinion. The grade is worth the effort, but not much more. An A feels awesome, but a 100% still feels better. Procrastination will be the death of me, so I’m in rehab. My opinions on virtually everything are fluid, even though I’ll say otherwise to keep my pride. Rock climbing is awesome. No matter how old you are, band trips are amazing. Emphatic listening works. Care enough to ask. Put yourself on a shelf and give and give and give and take a Sabbath. When things get rough, taking a walk is a good idea, and there’s no harm in having it end breaking down on the steps of Bradley at 3am. I don’t have to tell you everything, but I have to let you in. Always keep at least enough perspective to ask your friends to beat some into you. Bleu Cheese rocks and veal is mean. Take some time to figure out your standards, and stick to them. Then, when it’s safe, reevaluate. God will give me no more than I can handle, I just have to choose to handle it. I don’t know where I’m going to end up after college. Afterwards, I may go days, weeks or months without thinking of you. But I will never forget you. I think there’s a difference. So for these next few years, let’s raise our glasses and live it up. It’s the one shot I’ve got to experience the college thing with all of you, and I couldn’t ask for better companions for the ride.