It’s happening. The moment I have waited for since I got to this campus in the first place.
*drum roll please*
GRADUATION IS HERE!
I have traveled through the five stories of stacks in the library, I have pulled a few all-nighters against my will, I have deliberately procrastinated until I could no longer do so, and lastly, I have passed all of my classes with (somewhat) ease. In my opinion, I’ve earned the right to graduate from this beautiful college I consider my home away from home. Texas Tech has done a lot for me. I changed my major at the end of my freshman year, and found out I write better than I sew. I’ve been made fun of by Chancellor Hance in the best way possible. I successfully made an online portfolio through my current place of employment, and I’ve made relationships I hope to hold on forever.
I’ve completed four full years at this school, and would like to consider myself a true “Techsan,” but it was brought to my attention this statement is far from true. During my time at Tech I’ve been just about everywhere on campus, I’ve visited the Depot District, I’ve definitely done the “Broadway Shuffle,” and I’ve been to my share of restaurants in the area (local and chains). But, I discovered I had not participated in a few local events either. For example:
First Friday Art Trail
The First Friday Art Trail is a favorite in the local Lubbock events category. I’m an artsy-fartsy, entertainment-loving kind of person, so the fact that I had not attended one of these kind of made me disgusted with myself. This art trail is a self-guided, public art happening that has upped the game of the Texas art scene. This event is made up of art, music, and fun that is completely free to the public. For this First Friday Art Trail there were 15 different venues that displayed different kinds of art and atmosphere. My personal favorite was the Charles Adams Studio Project. The structure reminded me of an old gas station that had been fixed up and remodeled. There was a ton of chalk pastels, acrylic paint, and sculptures. The best part of the exhibit? The 5&J Courtyard outside of 5&J Studios was there with homemade pizza provided by Crusty’s. The brick oven pies were absolutely delicious. I wish I would have attended more of these art trails during my short time in Lubbock.
Palo Duro Canyon
Another activity I had held out for basically eternity was hiking Palo Duro Canyon. The canyon is about two(ish) hours away from Lubbock depending on how fast you’re driving. I had been to Palo Duro with my family when I first visited Tech for orientation. When I say that we visited, I literally mean that we drove through the park briefly and were on our way. This time, I was there for a more extensive amount of time and got a killer sunburn, and by “killer” I mean awkward and fugly. I went with my boyfriend, Will, on a Saturday that had a high of 90 degrees with not a cloud in the sky. This might sound like an awful environment, but it was actually pleasant. The West Texas wind is good for some things. There are many trails the public can take around the park, and there are even trails for horseback riding, biking, and even zip lining.
My boyfriend and I chose the “Lighthouse Trail.” This is one of Palo Duro’s most famous trails due to the structure looking like an actual lighthouse formation.The actual hike at ground level wasn’t bad, but once we got to the climbing part, I’ve never felt so out of shape in my entire life. Granted, I’m not the most athletic person in the world, but I’m also not a stranger to the Rec on campus. Once Will and I got to the very top of the canyon, it was breathtaking and absolutely exhilarating. It was definitely some work, but it’s worth it.
Those were my two major things I wished I would have experienced earlier in my college career, but there are other little things I wish I would have done as well. Spend as much time with your friends as humanly possible. Go out. On a weekday, and do karaoke at Crickets with all of your best friends. To the professors who actually taught you something worth remembering — write them a note. It will mean more to them than you know. Call your parents. After all, most of them paid for your education, the least you could do is thank them for giving you a future.
This time seems to flash before your eyes, cherish those memories and don’t hesitate to make some new ones in this short amount of time. What’s part of YOUR senior bucket list? Leave a comment below to let us know some of your favorite memories and what you wished you would have done your last year of college.
About Lauren Estlinbaum
