By 4 p.m. Tuesday, it will all be over. Four years. Three majors. Two actual degrees. One fine college education. This column is supposed to be my glorious farewell to the University, but some things you just can’t do in a few hundred words. Instead I would just like to thank a few people, recall some memories and pass along a couple words of thought. You can take them the way they stand, but better yet, take them with a grain of salt.
This past year, my columns have caused controversy and outrage, but most importantly, debate. The best way to compliment a columnist is to respond to something he or she wrote. If people never sent me e-mails or wrote letters to the editor or guest commentaries, then that meant I failed at my job. Everything that I have written has been truthful, logical and my opinion. If readers disagreed with anything I wrote this year, then good. I would be a bit scared if they didn’t.
Now, of course, my time here at the University hasn’t all been spent working for the Emerald. I had the dubious honor of spending some time working for ASUO and I even ran for ASUO Executive in spring 2001. It might be a surprise, but I really didn’t learn much from working with the student government. I did learn though that you can break the rules and get away with it and also that green paint is really hard to get out of your hair after painting the World’s Biggest Ballot Box.
Four years ago I entered the University just as lost as every other freshman. Thankfully, the love of FIG 25 was there to get my college career off to a great start. The only thing better than beginning college with you all is being able to end it with many of you, as well.
There isn’t enough space to mention all the professors who have helped me during the past few years, so I’m not even going to try. You know who you are and I only hope that I can take what I learned from each and every one of you and make you proud.
The same goes for everyone in my public relations and advertising classes. What you learn is often attributed to those you learn it with. Thanks for your humor, your patience and your friendship.
Finally, I can’t leave the University without acknowledging the transformation of Oregon athletics during my time here. I remember coming down for the Michigan State football game my freshman year before classes even started. It is interesting to note that my friend and I picked up tickets the day of the game, something that you just can’t do anymore, and also the Ducks were underdogs at Autzen Stadium. Oregon won the game and it helped spur the unbelievable success the program now enjoys.
What the basketball team did this year surprised everyone except for Ernie Kent. It is pretty amazing for a team that had little expectations to end up battling Kansas for a spot in the NCAA Final Four. But that is what college sports and college itself is all about. Expect the unexpected. I only hope though those who have become Oregon fans while the teams have been at the top will be there when the years are not so good.
So here it is. The end of college. I’m about to move out from behind the protective walls of higher education, but there is one last final to take and it is about time I start cramming for it. Hey, it has worked for four years, so why stop now?
E-mail columnist Jeff Oliver at [email protected].
His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the Emerald.