The spring semester’s classes turning into credits and the trees changing color means only one thing – summer is almost here. And as a first-year student of Guilford College I would like to thank everyone for a great school year. Kudos to the teachers and the students, to the Underground cooks, and yes, even thank you to P-Safe . for not busting me. The parking tickets were usually my fault so I can’t hate on you for those either.

This year I had ups and downs just like everyone does.

As an athlete, there is a slightly bitter taste in my mouth from having a losing season. Nonetheless, we played hard and it was a great thing to be a part of.

Athletics, however, are only a small part of college life and I found many other ways to enjoy Guilford.

Between lake gatherings and bonfires, savage Wednesday nights at Inferno, and even nearly falling off of the Ragan Brown Field House roof, I’d say it has been a full year.

The honest truth is it has been a really fun year. Whether that’s the point of college or not, I’m still not sure. But why shouldn’t it be? I think college is about learning how to have fun while also accomplishing the tasks set before you.

Being from Louisiana, I find “partying” to be ingrained in my lifestyle and at the beginning of the year I wasn’t sure if these Guilford people were going to be able to hang with my stuff. Until I realized Guilford is a party.

It is a party in a different sense of the word, though, a more holistic kind of partying. You see in Louisiana, partying entails drive-thru daiquiri shops and invisible underage drinking laws. The more people I met at Guilford, the more I realized that these people (and I’m talking about the whole Guilford community) seem generally happy with or without alcohol.

Before coming to Guilford I had an image in my mind. For those who have seen it, I pictured it like the school in the movie “PCU” (Politically Correct University). And now that I’ve been here a year I’m willing to say it’s a little bit like PCU.

For instance, at PCU the Ultimate Frisbee Team was one of the more prominent sports on campus. When I first saw our Biohazard team training, I was training for soccer and I felt tired just watching them run.

The school in the movie has a guy they call “naked guy” which Guilford also has. I actually saw him doing a birthday-suited back flip into the lake just last week.

At the end of the movie, there is a big party that is reminiscent of a Guilford Serendipity. George Clinton plays while people from all walks of life, who represent each stereotypical group formed by the more hypercritical high school years, come together and celebrate.

I probably watch too many movies, but I feel like this idea typifies the atmosphere at Guilford – many people, some young some old, with many different ideas, finding there way through the often maze-like college life together.

Heading into this summer, I have one thought in mind for every Guilford constituent-it is the Louisiana state motto, Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez: Let the Good Times Roll.