Questions remain as graduation nears
COMMENTARY
Jonathan Sampson

It’s official. One of my roommates may not graduate.

You see, he received an e-mail from financial services the other day that spelled out the situation.

“This is just a reminder that your account must be paid in full by Monday, May 5th, in order to graduate. Your balance now is $0.16.”

What a horrific oversight. He was so close to getting it all done, but after dropping some $60,000 on a college education, it all hinges on this one last payment.

But for most graduating seniors, this is par for the course.

Everywhere you turn, there’s a decision to be made or another task to be completed, and each one seems to hold eternal consequence.

In the middle of the stress, there’s also plenty to think about, from those pressing questions about graduation to the little nagging ones I never got answered during my four years here.

For instance, if I put the TCU Alumni sticker on my car now, does that mean they have to let me graduate?

What if I haven’t received my walk number?

If my cap and gown don’t fit, can I get different ones? Or am I stuck looking stupid all day?

What if I’m next to some guy I met at Frog Camp in the graduation line and can’t remember his name?

What if he knows everything about me?

How can TCU charge what it does for tuition and still seem to have such a tight budget?

What do they do with the money from parking tickets?

Would people really spend $1,000 on food each semester if they didn’t have to?

Who should I send graduation invitations to?

Should I have ordered them before now?

Do I really want to donate money to TCU already?

Is there any way I could still use the rec center over the summer?

As an apartment?

For free?

Are we sure I’ve completed every requirement on my degree plan?

And, of course, how ashamed will my parents be if I end up working at Starbucks with a college degree?

This time of the year, it’s tradition for the graduating seniors in the journalism department to write their last column. Some offer advice to those still blessed with a few years of college life, others share their regrets and a few vent over the horrors of this university.

But for me, I’ve enjoyed my time here, have enjoyed much more than I’ve regretted, and at this point, still have more questions than answers.

So, without getting cheesy and sentimental, I’ll simply say this: If there’s one thing I’ve learned about life while at TCU, it’s that life is about the people around you.

Over the past four years, when things got tough, the two things that really mattered in the end were my relationship with Jesus Christ and my relationships with the people around me. Those are the things I take with me, and those are the areas that shaped who I was in college.

College has been an exciting time, but I’m also looking forward to whatever is next ... as long as “whatever” involves a really nice job with benefits.

Jonathan Sampson is a graduating senior news-editorial journalism major from Commerce. He can be reached at (jonathan@alumni.tcu.edu). See, he already has an alumni e-mail address. That means they have to let him walk, even if he still owes TCU $2.19.