It's the end of my freshmen year here at Vanguard and as I sat down at my computer to write this I looked around my desk and opened up my binder filled with stuff that I had gathered of the course of this year and was reminded of the year and the many memories that came with it.
I found my program for Pride and Predjudice and then was reminded of how I was an Usher for that show. Katie Farmer and I were ushering and that was when we found the golf cart with the key still inside the ignition and well you can imagine the kind of antics we got into with that. Katie Farmer and I drove it around the Maintence area behind the theatre and while we were driving Mike Dye joined us. He asked me to see how fast it drove, well Katie was in the passenger seat and I was driving, I hit the gas and begin to floor it, Mike shouts slam on the breaks, so i hit the break with all my might and Katie Farmer goes flying into the windshield of the Golf Cart and falls on the floor. Mike Dye and I joined her on the floor, dying of laughter.
I found many more sentimental pieces of paper or programs or scripts from scenes I was apart of. Well throughout it I began remembering how scared I was when I got to Vanguard. I was home sick all first semester and I was in a relationship at the time and I had to juggle doing work and shows and school all on the same plate. Eventually it seemed like the semester took forever but it really went by pretty fast.
I remember the 1st theatre major meeting and I saw all the upper classman and I was given a piece of paper telling me who my theatre mentor was. I remember opening it and reading Aaron Campbell's name and going "oh, hey, another Campbell as my mentor? Thats kind of coincidental." I also remember sitting infront of Tristan and Royen and I thought that they were the coolest people in the world. Yeah not gonna lie, now flashforward and I'm friends with those two Macgoobers. I also remember meeting Katie Farmer for the first time. She and I were sitting in the heath building and we began arguing the same stance on whether boys had the XY gene or something like that. We both were actually arguing the same point. It was kind of funny.
I remember the beginning of this semester and thinking that I wasn't going to come back this semester because of my financial situation. I applied for loan after loan and got denied and I remember having my account on hold for like 1 month and having to sneak into the caf. I had them approach me many times asking me to leave and I'd just sneak back in. I had a spit out with my financial aide counselor one day and made the receptionist feel bad too. I hated myself that day. Sorry Shinese. and for misspelling your name.
I remember my good friend Joe Spady and I would sit in the elevator with chairs and a book offering advice to people who wanted it and pressed the buttons for them. I remember the first time I met Joe, a year ago I came to see Millie at the Lyceum and I took a tour and on my tour I was introduced to Joe because he was there working in the costume shop and showed me the dressing rooms and green room and theatre and I was like, "Whoa, this is pretty small." I will never forget that first impression of the Lyceum either. Or my first Impression of Sue Berkompas. I auditioned that same day for the program and while singing my song I broke a chair. She hasn't let me live that down yet.
I remember half way through this semester I was going through trials and tribulations. I was saddended by the loss of my friendship with my best friend, I was having to say goodbye to my family dog of 14 years, I was missing important events back home, and it felt like my world was crashing down on me. I felt alone and felt no one cared. Well I know now that instead of feeling like I needed to turn to a certain person, I needed to turn to god. That's what I did, and so far I'm here aren't I?
Friends are those people you can turn too when in need, or hang out with and laugh over Snout Woman's constant creppyness (Check-Mark), or beard scratch with. This year has been full of relationship changes as well as changes with me. I am not the same Jon Black that I was when I arrived to Vanguard at the end of August.
This year was a turning point in my story, some could say that the last couple chapters have been real page turners because they wouldn't know what would be happening next. This last chapter is coming to a close and well I have never been good at goodbyes. At my high school, the motto there is Until We Meet Again.
I got a blog so I could begin letting go, begin new, but what I didn't really do was those things. I didn't listen to myself when I said "Stop and Think, rather than acting on impulse." I know the right things to do but sometimes my impulses get the best of me.
To Whom It May Concern:
For those of you this year who had to see me at my worst, SORRY :-P
For those of you who helped me in my times of need, the times I needed some to listen to me, THANK YOU
For those of you who trusted me, let me be your confidant, I'M GLAD I COULD BE THERE FOR YOU, YOU HAVE MY NUMBER IF YOU EVER WANT TO TALK
For those of you that have problem with me, or have bitterness or hate towards me, I'VE BEEN PRAYING FOR THE TIME TO COME WHEN WE CAN BE FRIENDS AGAIN
For the friends I've made this past year, and probably will not see for a long time, UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
JB
