As you may or may not have known, last Saturday, May the 7th, I graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science. Lately I’ve been very retrospective; trying to comprehend what was accomplished and remember all of the great times that I have had.  

Firstly, I am tremendous grateful for the world-class education that I received. I had many great professors who genuinely cared about my learning and have set me up well for the next stage of my life. It was not always the easiest but I learned as much as I could and I feel as if my theoretical tool box has been filled, ready to tackle the next issue presented to me. 

Next, my family has always been so supportive of me, in whatever aspect it may be, inside the classroom or out. Without them, there is no way that this is even possible.

Lastly, I will forever cherish the memories and the friends that I have made during my time in East Lansing. The people that I have met are second to none and I could never forget the impact that they have had on my life. Along with these people are the experiences shared. As I type this, I cannot help but smiling from remembering the time so-and-so did this-that-and-the-other. To try to show this to my buddies, I wrote each of them a letter detailing memorable occasions to try to articulate our friendships and presented each letter to their respective owner the morning of graduation 

Just this week, one of my all-time best buddies moved out of the college house that we had shared the past 2 school years with a few other guys. He had previously been gone for long stretches of time due to a 6 month internship, so I was used to him not being around, but walking upstairs to see his room completely empty was rather unbelievable. At that moment it hit me; I hope to remain friends with all of these guys for a long time, but never again would we see each other everyday, be roommates, and to a certain extent, brothers.

Listen, I hate change. I dwell on the past longer than I probably should. But as Semisonic always reminds me, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.” From this end, my next destination is Iowa State University to pursue a Master’s Degree. 

As this chapter of my life is sealed, I am forever grateful for the education I have received, the numerous friends I have made and memories that I could never forget.

Forever, Go Green!