Well, technically my year is already over, as my last final was yesterday (Exploring Religious Meaning with Dr. King, whom I will here again congratulate on the recent birth of his son). I walked out of that exam and suddenly realized that 1/4th of my college experience is over.

When, exactly, did that happen?

I remember President Towey saying during orientation how these four years will be both some of the best of our lives, and also some of the shortest. I already agree with both those statements, especially the former (and especially over the last few weeks, and no, you don't get details--but you know who you are, heh). Since I started here at Saint Vincent, I can definitively state that I've felt an average level of sheer happiness much higher than anything I remember feeling over a similar period of time. The sheer joy of intellectual stimulation and like-minded people are none to be trifled with. I went with precious little of that for years.

A shout-out: if you're reading this, and not a college student yet, and you dread the drudgery of the "everyman" life but also dread college for some inexplicable reason...go to college. You won't regret it.

Moving on.

I have a new fondness for lists in these blogs, probably because, while I love every minute of SVC, I've been a little burned out recently. Too much work, school and otherwise, and the mental stress of finals...you know how it is. That being said, lists are a great way of saying stuff without having to, like, you know, write anything, or at least compose anything. So...here we go! Things about SVC that I declare Win and Awesome, as seen and experienced over two semesters.

1. Father Wulfstan, my adviser. This formidable man teaches Shakespeare, Tolkien, science fiction, English etymology classes, and other things. He's even doing literary criticism next semester, which I managed to squeeze into. He has a pet balrog, and now a miniature Battle Gandalf as well. All my trips to his office generally result in me just staring in awe at the contents of his bookshelf.

2. Mr. Eric Duffy, professor of philosophy and logic. If you have a genuine interest in either of these subjects, take his classes. Duffy knows his stuff (that's actually an understatement and a half), and is a seer of souls. He can read your mind like it's a picture book...believe me. Great professor and a great guy.

3. The cafeteria. I know, I know...probably a lot of people won't agree with me here, but man are those hot dogs good.

4. The basilica. I've been over this before. The basilica is a stupidly neat place, Catholic or not. Great place to sit and cogitate. Also, the monastic offices are so incredibly cool to listen to.

5. The graveyard, because creeping yourself out is always fun.

6. Dr. McDaniel, despite his Yankee fandom. I shall convert him one day. Has a tendency to...hmm...wander in his lectures, heh, but (like all the SVC faculty I've encountered) the man knows his stuff like nobody's business. Plus, he numbers Paradise Lost and Dante's Inferno as among the best literature ever...the guy is clearly a winner.

7. Buildings made from brick and stone. This encompasses the entire Saint Vincent campus, obviously. I love stuff built from rock...we didn't have much of that back home in Maine, because the only rock up there is granite, really, and it's ridiculously difficult to quarry and shape.

8. Short Irish/Italian women imbued with extreme cuteness, gifted with beautiful hair, and possessing an amazing ability to cut through my often thick bullcrap.

And, on that note, I'm headed out for the night. Have a good summer, everone, and God bless.