As a member of this class that had our time in college stripped from us due to circumstances out of our control, I’m happy to be back, but I’m sad this is the end. I think I speak for many of my peers when I can’t help but feel slighted, but life goes on, and it’s time for us to enjoy the precious time we have left while keeping our fingers crossed in hopes we don’t lose this year too.
If you find yourself on the opposite end of this spectrum as a member of OU’s two freshmen classes (or three depending on who you ask), you are experiencing your week of firsts, and for a long time everything will continue to feel brand new. Don’t take any of it for granted. Before you realize it, you will be on the other side of 21 as a washed up senior trying to make every day count, and, yes, in some ways you will miss the days when everything felt new and exciting.
It’s far too easy to spend the early weeks in Athens feeling anxious, wishing you had an established friend group and wishing you didn’t have to use a less than legal ID to get into bars. But those weeks quickly turn into months and years. Almost out of nowhere, you find yourself nervously looking at your student loan balance and applying for jobs wishing it went by a little slower. When the light is at the end of the tunnel, there are a lot of things you won’t miss about living in the dorms and being denied from half the bars on Court Street, but there’s also a lot you will miss.
Having a house uptown where you are free to do whatever you want, navigating campus with precision and confidence and knowing you can legally drink a beer are all amazing feelings, but they can’t quite compare to the frantic thrill of taking on Athens for the first time.
It’s almost inevitable to not appreciate the moment. Without using a cliche about the “good ole days,” it’s worth knowing that every phase of your time in Athens will come with a powerful and somber nostalgia once it’s passed. So, make the most of every day. In 2024, you’ll be glad you didn’t try to rush the early moments.
Noah Wright is a senior studying strategic communication at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Noah? Tweet him @NoahCampaign.