Once more into the breach...

I feel that this famous Shakespearean line does well in summing up the quickly approaching school year; at least for me.  With this semester, I enter into my final semester of "real classes" and, pending the passage of the Praxis that I took this morning, student teaching in the spring.  After that, the real world.  Yikes.

Though it's my last year of college, I find myself in the middle of a bunch of firsts.  For the first time ever, I'll be attending the same school as my sister, who is an incoming freshman at SBU.  It's mind boggling to me that   my sister is grown up enough to be a college student.  In my mind, she's still supposed to be yea tall and in the sixth grade.  She's super excited about it and I'm glad to be there as her "guardian brother" as my mom likes to put it.  It's also the first time that I won't have my brother as a roommate, and the first time he won't be going to school with me.  Sad day.  Now I know people like to insert the "twin" lines and ask if we can read each other's minds and stuff, but it's more than that.  He's more than my brother; he's my best friend in the world, and I'll miss him as much as anybody (even when he played the same guitar riff over and over...).

I have to say that I've thoroughly enjoyed my college experience, with the help of friends that I've made over the years that I've been in school, especially at SBU (Yes, it's taken more than five, thanks to a Major change. A point that my graduated brother likes to emphasize occasionally).  From the pick up games in the gym to the memorable concerts to the late night runs to Burger King, thank you.  To my classmates, hallmates, and Chorale friends; it would have been impossible to do without you all, and I thank God every day for the impact that you've made on my life.  I only hope that I've blessed you half as much as you've blessed me.

So, Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up...um...with our...uh...English dead.  I think this video sums it up better.