It appears as though it is again my time to send in an update. I was going to send in photos of me hanging from the top of the Chase Tower, but they just don’t compare with Bitting’s climbing shots, so I think I will hold off.

I have officially worked just over 4 months now and it has been quite an experience. I think my Daniel Petrie “Big Picture” takeaway from Wabash was that life is a continuing educational experience. Or, said slightly differently (and because I learned in 6th grade when they repeatedly tested my GWAM to only sparingly use the delete key)—every experience in life is yet another learning opportunity. Now in my fourth month, I am sitting at my third desk working on my fourth project, and this one is surprisingly complex. I’m currently in a hybrid position between marketing and PR managing our community outreach program that will take me on short trips across the country through October. In short, entrepreneurial companies are full of energy and initiatives, slightly erratic, and at times ambitious beyond reason. All this results in one interesting tutorial on raw business and the pressures even small companies feel to achieve real growth.

One of the joys of living in Indianapolis is its proximity to Wabash. I came back for a great Homecoming win this past weekend and saw a surprising number of guys from my class (including Esbaum!). This pushed me to extended contemplation with friends on how things have changed. I think now would be a great time to point out the things I have been missing about college since starting this crazy thing called life.

First, schedule flexibility. I have to be honest, I don’t have to be at work at a specific time, or leave at a specific time during this project. The expectation is that the work is completed, whatever that takes. But there is something blissful about the notion of waking up even just once a semester before a 9am class and deciding, that day, that you are wonderfully prepared and do not need to attend that class. Now that is true freedom.

Second, friends. I was pretty close to a lot of guys that were not in my class. In a dark irony, forging those relationships led to two problems: 1. I do not see my friends every day and 2. it is a constant reminder of what I am missing (sometimes good, sometimes bad).

Third, academic discussion. Professors, lunch talks, evening lectures—all those things that I tried to go to but too often found an excuse not to attend or talk with enough. Even those late-night debates about the most random topics that only made me stay up later to do homework are sounding pretty good right now.

Forth, Chapel. Simply the best exchange of ideas and example of community the college could support. I never walked away from one of those thinking it wasn’t worth my time, and most times felt intimately closer to a speaker brave enough to expose his or her experiences, thoughts, ideas, and expectations to a sometimes inflexible and unknowing audience.

Finally, student loans. It's pretty simple: while in college, you don't have to pay them; out of college, there's not much of a way around it.

Josh