I arrived before the construction cranes and barricades, before reduced parking and before the Main closed.

Four years seemed like an eternity to me my first semester, and now it seems like only yesterday.

I remember a time before the BLUU (and before Frogbucks) when it would have been impossible to walk through the lounge outside FrogBytes without seeing at least 10 friends. Those of you who have been here long enough to remember the Main and FrogBytes (and the Wok, Eden’s and Deco Deli) days will hopefully remember them as fondly as I do.

I feel incredibly blessed to have spent the last four years at TCU. I love this place, the friends I have made and the memories we now share. The best advice I can give is study hard and play hard and learn how to do both to the best of your ability.

As I check my senior to-do list knowing I have days left at TCU, I have a short list of things which made my four years pretty sweet which I would recommend to you:

1. “Bard on the Rocks” on Halloween night. It’s a 20-minute scene from William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”, which takes place at Froghenge and stars the Provost himself as the infamous Scottish king. (How often do you get to see the Provost wearing a kilt and wielding a torch?)

2. Watching the Christmas tree lighting.

3. Walking to Fuzzy’s on a snow day.

4. Participating in a campuswide Capture the Flag.

5. Forgoing long hours in the library to study in Froghenge. (Trust me on this one.)

6. Going to the sunrise service on Easter Sunday. (Don’t worry, you can go straight back to bed as soon as it’s over.)

7. Staying up all night writing a paper in the library. Sounds horrible, but some of my best conversations occurred at 3 a.m. while avoiding my assigned work.

8. Going to a home football game.

9. Seeing a show or concert on campus (dance, theatre, band and choir). And not because you are required to for a survey class.

10. Engaging a faculty or staff member in a conversation that has NOTHING to do with classes, etc. They have the most amazing stories to tell.

My list could go on and on. As I countdown to May 8 I am recalling a few lessons I learned in my time here: Everything takes longer than expected, papers (unfortunately) don’t write themselves, organizing social events is hectic, mac-n-cheese cannot be made with sour milk, send-home is amazing and you will miss it when it’s gone, and the semester only seems long for about two weeks, then warp speed takes over.

I do not recall grades on papers or class projects. I know I (mostly) did my best. I do remember my friend kidnapping me and taking me to Trinity Park to ride the kiddy train when I needed a break and was too stressed to realize it.

I remember watching all of Dexter Season One in one sitting with my roommate when we both had other “more important” things that “needed” to get done. I am not saying that studies are not important, but balance is essential.

My advice: laugh more and cry only when needed. Freak out, and then move on. Balance your act so you can enjoy your time in and outside of class because it will be over before you know it.

Jule Nelson-Duac is a senior theatre major from Granbury.