Sorry for my lack of posting the past, what, month? Two months? Everything fades into ambiguity at this point. Finals, papers, projects, etc.
Last night, I went to a party, and on the way, I noticed the oddest thing: Redifer Commons, in South Halls, was totally empty. Not a soul to be found. Even the televisions were off! Never in the past four years here have I seen one of our public spaces so totally empty!
That got me wondering: minus 24 hour businesses (Sheetz, Duncan Donuts, etc.), there aren't many all-day-and-night public facilities at our disposal here in the US. These Universities are the few places I've heard of this phenomena in the US, although even places like Pitt have to close down for the students' safety. We don't. It's safe here! (Mostly!)
And that's something to be exploited. We students have the ability here to really work and collaborate all night! The thing that drives me about PSU is that it always has something going on. It's this perpetual motion that inspired "Conlon Nancarrow at the LHC," the piece I won an ASCAP award for this semester. It's this continuous drive that pulled me through my four years here. It's that boundless energy that kept me striving for more, and ultimately benefited me more than anything.
And then this morning, I went to the HUB to do the Classical Hour like I always do: 7am-9am. And the HUB was closed. Closed. That's when the reality of graduation really hit me. Now, they've acknowledged my done-ness as well. It was one of the oddest realizations of my life.
Students, heed my advice: stay up late and do crazy things. I spent more nights sober this year (as a 22-year-old) than I ever had before to work on projects and classwork, and I'd kick in work on random pieces or poetry or videogames or whatever else I could get my hands on. While I could've been more productive, I also gained a wealth of knowledge of many different things. This is the place where this type of thing can happen! Public Universities!
Right now, PSU is in 'Party Mode,' something that's been resonating with most Universities in the US recently. But we do so many other things (academically, artistically, etc.) just as well, and probably better. If there is a change to be found, it begins with you. Grab a handful of people and start doing things you love. Write plays, tape experimental films, write that academic paper on the influence of Douglas Adams on contemporary scientific research. Do it!
Overall, I guess my four years at PSU weren't so bad. I made many friends, quite a few I imagine will be lifelong relationships, and I've worked with a number of organizations and clubs on a plethora of events. There is a lot of awesome stuff going on here, you just have to look.
And as for the 'bad energy' I've sensed here: move off-campus and tune it out (or move into Schreyer's housing). I hate to say that, because so many awesome, beautiful things can be done easier living on campus, but it's something I probably should've done for the sake of my sanity.
And hang out in places open 24 hours-a-day. You may never get to again.
My future? I'll be at SUNY at Stony Brook working on a MA in Music Composition, and possibly a PhD.
Goodbye PSU, and thank you. As much as I'm looking forward to commencement, I'm overall pleased with my development over the past four years.
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