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Don't start off the beginning of your last semester of college by getting pneumonia, if you can possibly help it. It tends to put a damper on things (especially when you can't breathe after walking up the Steps of Doom from Dole). But here's a lesson: Be cheerful in spite of your physical condition! When I look back on my college career, I've learned almost as much from the incidents along the way as I have from my professors. Here are some of the biggest things I've learned.

First year: Don't be afraid!
To paraphrase F.D.R., the only thing you have to fear is fear itself. I was terrified, quite frankly, when I walked into a college classroom for the first time, six weeks shy of my 16th birthday. I was certain that college was going to be hard and that I wouldn't like it and I would be a nervous wreck and ... you get the picture. Once I overcame my fear, though, I had a wonderful time in my Comp. I class (that's where I learned that I love correcting other people's mistakes!).

Second year: Don't quit, even if it hurts.
I don't even want to tell you how busy I was my senior year of high school. I took my first-ever reporting class in the spring, and it was definitely the hardest class I'd ever taken. I realized that, to be a journalist, you have to talk to people! I don't know why I'd never realized that. Because I'm a naturally shy person who hates telephone conversations with a passion, I had trouble screwing up the courage to go interview people, and it got the better of me on my second story. I was so overwhelmed I just wanted to stay at home in bed. But my mom made me tackle it head-on anyway. I don't know if I've ever been prouder of a grade than I was of the A I earned in that class.

Sophomore year: B's don't mean you're bad.
I've never been fond of math, but I found myself taking Statistics -- along with 15 other hours-worth of courses. Try as I might, I couldn't remember the formulas I needed whenever we had tests. And I'm pretty sure my calculator hated me as much as I hated it. So I didn't escape with a spotless GPA that year, but I did get my Associate's degree, so who was I to complain?

Junior year: Yes, Amelia, you can drive a car by yourself. Also, you can survive courses at a University, not just a junior college.
This may sound funny, but up 'til two weeks before the fall 2006 term started, I didn't have a driver's license. I hadn't needed one until then. The first day I drove myself to school was the day before my mom went into the hospital to have major surgery. Nervous, anyone?
I also survived J415 while taking graduate-level history and English courses. It was an enjoyable year, if a little nightmarish at times.

Senior year: Deal with the unexpected.
I didn't expect to get home at two o'clock in the morning after a late night at the Kansan. I didn't expect to spend my Friday nights alone in a mostly-empty newsroom, even if it is set up for multimedia. I didn't expect to get pneumonia. I didn't expect KU to do so well in football or basketball (although my mom predicted the championship victory way back last August). I didn't expect to have the privilege of going to the ACES conference in Denver on the J-School's dime. There are lots of things, good and bad, that I didn't expect, but if I've learned anything in my five years of college, it's to be flexible and get back up if you get knocked down (metaphorically or physically).

I've had some wonderful professors and amazing classes. I've handled medieval manuscripts. I've learned more about Roman Military History than I ever wanted to know. I've made many friends and no enemies. I've acquired the skills necessary to have a livelihood and to keep learning even after May 17 and 18, 2008, have come and gone.

So farewell, KU -- it's been nice knowin' you. And I'll probably be back.