18 - The Michigan Daily - Best of Ann Arbor - Thursday, April 13, 1995
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The Michigan Da
Just a few thoughts about four exciting,'
I'm sure there are a few students who
are lost somewhere in there amongst
the more obscure stacks. The only
problem is that those handy little cu-
bicles are always filled. Where else
are you supposed to sleep?
Best Place to Study:
Law Library
Best Place to Work Out: CCRB.
Whooo. That's the sound of your breath
being violently exhaled. Clump! That's
the sound of your body impacting with
the pot-holed cement. Where are you?
Standing at the door of the CCRB, ex-
haustedjust from having walked to this
place from the Hill. It certainly !ooks
like a good place to work out ... from
the outside.
Best Campus Tradition:
Naked Mile
Yeah, it sounds erotic and all, but
think about it! This is Michigan,
people! Ghostly, sun-deprived
celulite, body parts shriveled in that
chilly Michigan air... it's a load of
fun for those who don't have prob-
lems keeping food down.
Best Cause / Issue /
Movement:
Hash Bash
Yeah, man, Hash Bash is like right on.
All those groovy speakers draw thou-
sands of stoners out of the Arb for a
day of protesting and pot smoking on
the diag. We're so lucky to have a day
like this. I mean, even the Reefer
Bunny showed up!
So, here it is, my final column
of the final Weekend etc. of the fi-
nal year of my attendance at the
University of Michigan. As all my
loyal readers know I have been la-
menting for the past few weeks
about the end of my illustrious col-
lege career and now it is all com-
.,+
Best Professor:
Don Kubit
He's the master of communications
... the Fabio ofjournalism ... the Pulp
Fiction of professors. Too bad he
doesn't work here anymore.
Best Blow-off Course:
Communications 103
Intro to Comm.
Hey, grab the Blue Notes everybody!
It's time to sleep through Comm. 103!
Actually, the communications depart-
ment has been trying to reform its
blow-off, bunch of jocks image re-
cently, and that includes a more chal-
lenging work load for Communica-
tions 103. Boy, it's a good thing stu-
dents are starting to take the commu-
nications department seriously around
here! Too bad they'll have to transfer
to Michigan State next year.
Best Course:
Communications 290
News Writing
Informative, entertaining, and the best
way to learn about running a news-
paper. Maybe someday someone at
the Daily will take this.
Best Residence Hall:
West Quad
Friendly atmoshpere, nice looking
athletes, and just a few short steps
away from the delicious food at the
Union... what more could you ask for
in a residence hall? (Well, aside from
a talking elevator, of course).
Best Library:
Graduate Library
Well, it doesn't quite have the party
atmosphere of the Ugli, but the Grad
Library sure has a lot of books. In fact,
ing to a final conclusion in this here
column.
I have been dreading the ap-
proach of this particular column
because I wondered how I could.
eloquently sum up four amazing
years of my life in words that will
never actually be able to describe
them. I'm sure some of you have
been looking forward to the end of
my "thoughts," while some of you
have graciously told me you will be
sad to see them end.
For a moment I would like you
to indulge me while I attempt to ex-
plain to you what it has meant for
me to have this column which I con-
sider to be an extreme privilege to
write.
For the past four years, I have
endeavored to do my share in bring-
ing the campus its news and infor-
mation. Sometimes I did it by writ-
ing about cultural events, some-
times by guiding the staff of the
Daily as its editor in chief and
sometimes by sharing a little bit of
myself through this column. What-
ever my method, the motive was
always the same, to uphold my in-
tegrity and try to spread even the
tiniest bit of information.
What has been wonderful about
the column is that what you read is
really me. It is not censored, it is
not fake. My friends tell me that
reading my column is just like hav-
ing a conversation with me. Now I
know that some of you don't like
it, and while I wish that my style
would appeal to everyone, I know
it doesn't. But, if nothing else I
have been true to myself. Anything
else would have been a disservice.
With the approach of gradua-
tion, I think it is fairly common to
witness people doing a lot of evalu-
ation and reevaluation. Those of us
who are moving on, some to more
concrete destinations than others,
think about what we have done here
and what all of it has meant to us.
Now there is the tendency to go
overboard with this which must be
avoided, but a little reflection is
healthy and normal.
The pressure for seniors to reflect
is great. Everywhere we go people are
asking what we will be doing with our
lives. Personally this question is get-
ting old, as I have no clue what to tell
people other than that I have got a few
irons in the fire. But nonetheless it
makes me think.
Recently I was in a meeting with
a University official who asked me
how I had enjoyed my time at Michi-
gan. He was curious to know whether
I was leaving with a positive or a
negative feeling. Initially, I gave him
my patent answer about how I am re-
ally going to miss Ann Arbor and that
it is more a part of my now than it has
ever been.
However, once I got home and
continued to think about it, I realize I
could have given him a much more
multilayered and complex answer.
Because the truth is that leaving is not
easy, especially when I know that clo-
sure is not really possible.
If I were to truly give an answer
about how it feels to be finishing
up my degree I would have to talk
about a whole host of things. The
emotions involved in such a part-
ing can be traced all the way back
to freshman year. Had someone
asked me then how I would have
felt at graduation, I would have said
relieved and glad to be free of a
place which felt large and
unscaleable.
Now, the university isn't quite
so unmanageable. In fact, it seems
quite small to me now. Four years
ago, I never would have known that
Backroom pizza hits just the right
spot after a late night at Mitch's. I
never would have known that snow
in April really is a pain in the butt.
I never would have known what it
was like to have dinner with Presi-
dent Duderstadt at Inglis House. I
never would have knc
was like to run one of
student newspapers in
How I view the un
certainly changed even
an institution it has
changed that much. Fou
as I get ready to head o
things sure look a lot
me. Four years later wh
periencing are no longer
are lasts.
Realistically, not muc
am doing right now has t
time I do it because I can a
back. But, it is the last ti:
these things as a student
what makes them special
These days I walk a
pus with my mental
busily jotting down eve
the memory I am recorc
to be able to remember
idly so that I will be at
them years from nov
thinking about lasts can
I
multlayeed nd cmplx anwer