You're Gonna Miss This

A few hours remaining. I am sitting in my living room at my house in Paradise. Everyone around me is doing something – cooking, cleaning, watching t.v., playing video games…I sit here typing on my laptop. I'm gonna miss this...

I went to my high school the other day. Saw some teachers, old friends; walked through the halls, the parking lots, the classrooms. I miss it.

Final Review. The last day of the Corps for the year. This summer is my first summer away from College Station. I have not been away from College Station over one month ever since August 2005. Texas A&M has been my home away from home. Where my best friends are. It's where my "family" is – my brothers and sisters in B Co. I went to Rudder one last time – where I work and spend a large part of my time. I walked through some of my favorite parts of campus: Academic Plaza, by Kyle Field, the Quad. After everyone was out of the dorm I walked through 4th Stoop, one last time. It was surreal. Even though I'll be back in the fall, I knew, I was gonna miss this. Hell, I already do.

This semester. Crazy. Triumphs. Failure. Success. Definitely a learning experience, just like everything I've gone through during my career at A&M. I only took twelve hours. Ended up with a disappointing 3.0. I made an unexpected C in a class I expected to get an A. I made Commander of B Company. I did not make Fish Camp counselor. In the end, I realized once again that everything does work out for a reason. This summer, like planned, I will be going to Marine Corps Boot Camp in San Diego, California. I am leaving – tonight. My graduation, as of now, is set for August 15th. I am missing the first part of FOW, which I was extremely pissed off about. I have my buddies that will take care of everything while I'm gone; however I just really wanted to be there when the freshmen arrived. It's a sacrifice that I have to make, but I have no doubt that everything will be taken care of until I get there. I am a bit nervous about Boot Camp. Its nervousness mixed with excitement. It will be interesting to see how everything plays out. I've read and heard a lot of stories, so it'll be fun to get to fully experience it.

After Boot Camp it's back to school. I am a senior now. A senior. A SENIOR! I still can't believe that I have been in college for 3 years. Like a year ago, I am still not ready to be done. I am trying to extend it to five years as much as I can, for a few reasons: so I can live like a normal student. Another possible reason is that I have been thinking about running for Student Body President. It would be my fifth year, so I wouldn't have to Corps commitments. It seems like something I would really like to do, and I have already had several people who would like to be a part of my campaign. It seems like an exciting experience, whether I win or not. It's a year away, but planning has to start at the latest, by September. I guess we'll see.

For about five years now I have been compiling a list of things I want to do before I die. My main new year's resolution was to work on this list, updating it, and adding to it. I was inspired to do this by, as gay as it sounds, the movie "A Walk to Remember." The main character has a list, similar to the one I am compiling, of things she wants to do before she dies, because she has leukemia. Well anyway, I was re-inspired by a preview from the new movie "The Bucket List:, and I decided to work on it. This is mainly so I have it written somewhere where I can look at it. I'll add to it periodically. Here is what I have so far:

1. Visit all 50 states.

2. Serve in the Marine Corps.

3. Swim with dolphins.

4. Get a 4.0 at least one semester.

5. Get a Master's degree.

6. Start a scholarship fund.

7. Write a book.

8. Run a marathon.

9. Max the Marine Corps physical fitness test.

10. Six-pack abs.

11. Spend at least a month in Mexico with my family.

12. Spend a year in another country.

13. Do mission work or some kind of rebuilding in Africa.

14. Skydive.

15. Build my aunt a house.

16. Give money back to A&M.

17. Raise a child

18. Teach

Now I am just trying to savor up every aspect of my life. Spending time with my family My time in the Marines. My senior year. My job. And most importantly, B Company. As much as I hated high school, I do miss it. As much as I love college, I can't even imagine how I will feel once its over. Until August, God Bless and Gig 'Em!

Inspired by the song "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins