It’s funny how our roles as Wallys change. Once upon a time (three autumns ago), I entered my freshmen year at Wabash. Only one word could really capture my excitement as I left my home in Memphis, TN: anxious. From my spring visits in high school, I felt that Wabash had a certain energy; it’s quite intoxicating. Being in Memphis all summer, I felt deprived of that energy.  During the week before Freshmen Saturday, I was so apprehensive. By the time I arrived at campus, I was anxiously trying to ditch my mom so that I could partake in the college experience. So, my first role as a Wally was simply being a wide-eyed freshmen waiting to dive into a new life at Wabash.

        Only a few weeks at Wabash, my role of a wide-eyed freshmen slowly turned into timid-eyed pledged. Oh, the woes of pledgeship! Moving into Beta Theta Pi, I was initially shy around those in my home. I was a little uneasy about making jokes (Mid-Western humor differs from Southern humor.) I felt out of place because I attended a performing arts high school; I played the piano throughout my middle and high school career. Everyone that I met at Beta played at least two sports throughout their middle and high school careers. However, as pledgeship progressed, I found myself having these thoughts:

 “Could you imagine walking into the cold dorm and seeing all these bunks and knowing they were going to be filled with your new best friends? Could you imagine having a friend so close to you who will pull you through your biology homework because you decided to skip class that day? Could you imagine having a friend so close who will clean the vomit off you when you have too much to drink? Could you imagine having a friend giving you a ride and buying you something to eat when you're broke?”

This quote was taken from my Wabash blog freshmen year. Even by August 23, 2006, my role was changing yet again to being a committed pledge brother.

By senior year, times haven’t changed that much. The themes of friendship and excitement will surely echo throughout my senior year. This year, I’m going to be an Orientation Leader. It’s like coming full circle. Three years ago, there was a senior who started me on my path at Wabash. Now, it’s time for me to do the same. So, one week before I return to campus, I’m anxious. I’m ready to see my friends… my pledge brothers. I saw them only a couple of weeks ago, but when you have been through what we’ve been through together, you really can’t get enough of them.