I’ve had a lot of bad things happen to me at Trinity. My first year, someone stole my cute wooden laundry basket out of the Laundromat. My mom gave that to me for Easter. And it’s ridiculously hard to get presents on Easter when you’re agnostic. My second year, someone attempted to steal my Snuggle dryer sheets out of a different Laundromat. If not for the brave intervention of my part time lover, part time roommate, they would have been gone forever. (By the way, if either of the thieves from the above crimes is reading this, these scars will never heal.) Trinity also gave me swine flu. Everything else though? It’s been pretty damn good.

You know how sometimes you’re just really hungry and so you eat the first thing you see and it just turns out to be absolutely amazing? All you wanted was to not be hungry but instead you got the best food ever. That’s kind of what Trinity was to me. I just wanted to go to college, and instead I get an amazing experience and the resources I needed to help secure the rest of my life. I mean, holy cow, if I had any idea what Trinity had to offer before I came here (other than the perfect distance from my family) I would . . . well I already came here, but I would have appreciated the choice more at the time. The small size and intimacy of Trinity have given me the chance to work closely with or interact with amazing people. Dr. Kevin McIntyre, Dr. Harry Wallace, Dr. Paula Hertel, and Dr. Jinli He (these are shout-outs) have helped me develop so much as a student and someday-professional adult. Having the chance to know them, take classes with them, work with them, or work for them have helped me get into my dream graduate school. Thank you so much! But if you see me in person, don’t acknowledge that you read this because it’s horribly embarrassing and I have an image to protect.

Just as important, but in a completely different domain, the friends I’ve had the chance to make at Trinity are the ship, if you know what I mean. In my first semester here, I met my boyfriend of over three years and the best roommate money can buy. Over the next couple of years I’ve had the chance to be around such a crazy variety and depth of people. Everyone is so vivid and unique and extremely fun that I wish they sucked more so I could regain some feelings of superiority. More shameless shout-outs? Well, if you insist. I love you, Mary Catherine Bailey. You make me want to come home at night, even after three years. Bethany Dawson, I will never forget what you did to me with the clown suit. Maybe someday I will learn to forgive you. Lovely suite and my lovely hall of both this year and last year, you guys are the best. I would personally allow every one of you to join my survivor’s group in the apocalypse (not legally binding). Thuy Anh and Kristy Yi, we had the best summer ever together! And of course there are so many more awesome people, but I have to save room for two very important semi-people.

(If you do not like the cats, you should stop here.)

Simba and Felix, my dear Murch kitties, I love you the most. You’ve been there on my best of days, full of love and sincerity for the wet food in my hand. You’ve been there on my worst of days, refusing to come near me when I call to you. I saw you grow from antisocial barely-born kittens to sort of fat cats. I’ll miss you dearly, please don’t ever forget us or more importantly, me. I await our Christian the Lion reunion (see youtube if unfamiliar).

Rebecca Carey is graduating with a degree in pyschology and Chinese.