Last week, I received an out of the ordinary e-mail response to my column. A fellow Johnnie critiqued my analysis of the political discourse surrounding the health care bill. Now, he has every right to do this, but he ended his letter with this line, “I leave you, hoping that one day you may free yourself from your ideological blinders, and truly offer something useful to your reading public.” Ouch.
This last part of his criticism stung me a little bit. I’ve always tried to offer something useful with this column. Whether it was a laugh, a smile, a new perspective or just a way to pass five minutes of your time, I hope you dear readers have gotten something positive from my foray into journalism. But I will take my critic’s challenge and offer some final words of advice in haiku form.
Simplify your days
Take time to drink more coffee
Eat ’til close in Ref.
Good relationships
Johnnies, like a lot of girls
Spend time talking…not
Take random classes
English Two-Thirteen,
Faulkner
Greatest class ever
Build community
Visit with the monastics
They are full of life
Find the hidden joys
Deep inside the pine curtain
Quiet will inspire
Weekends can be fun
Without the Captain Morgan
Drink loony moments
Don’t fret over days
When you feel like a loser
True friends share uncool
Don’t forget your friends
Those crazy lovable chums
They are umbrellas
Tell jokes during class
Be on time every day
Remain pun-ctual
Say thank you always
To those who’ve made your
time great
John, Ben: Stay awesome
On that note, I want to thank you all for letting me take a few moments of your day when you read this column. Thank you to those who’ve helped me make it through these four years and those who work behind the scenes to make these institutions run.
I would also like to extend a big thank you to the Record staff for allowing me this soapbox to pontificate upon. And to my friends, former lovers, colleagues, casual acquaintances and the beautiful people I have only shared a smile with, you have shaped my life in immeasurable ways and I am forever grateful.
These last few days will slip through our fingers like sand. My last piece of advice: Go build a sand castle.
This is the opinion of Nick Hansen, an SJU senior.