Ellen Skonce

At this time next week, most of us will be at home. With finals long forgotten, we’ll be out doing our holiday shopping, baking an early batch of Christmas cookies, reading some of those novels that we hadn’t gotten the chance to touch during the semester or simply laying under our blankets, watching every episode of “Lost” back-to-back-to-back. One thing will unify the vast majority of us: no one will want to be thinking about Wooster.

However, there are certain parts of this place that I’m really going to miss while I’m gone. Sure, I’m going to miss entering Kauke Hall every day at 1:00 P.M. and listening to the bagpipes outside of Fry House, but there are smaller things that no one really ever thinks about that I’ll miss even more.

I’m going to miss that glorious moment when you’re sitting in Mom’s and your friend announces that they have mac’n’cheese bites on that particular day.

The “Wooster Hawk,” or the “Bird of Prey,” that always seems to be unsuccessfully swooping down in a feeble attempt to catch a squirrel.

Checking the chalkboard in Lowry Dining Hall to see if another beautiful picture has appeared out of nowhere.

That morning thrill of checking your email to see if maybe, just maybe, your professor has emailed you to let you know that class has been cancelled that day.

When you’re having the worst Monday of your life and Rusty the big brown dog comes along to make everything better.

Going to Walmart at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday with a group of friends and running into “That one kid from my FYS,” “That girl who lived in my hall last year” and “That one guy who used to date my old roommate’s best friend.”

Seeing people walking to classes in t-shirts that you recognize from teefury.com.

Overhearing people in Lowry saying things like, “I don’t care what you say, man. Treelo from ‘Bear in the Big Blue House’ was a f-ing boss.”

Walking down your hall and hearing people blasting Hilary Duff’s “Metamorphosis” album.

Being too afraid to go inside of Timken for fear that you’ll have to sneeze.

Going to the C-Store right when they’re stocking up on the pepperoni pizza Lunchables and chicken-flavored Ramen Instant Lunch.

Getting a pink package slip in the mail and walking through the mailroom and up to the desk while onlookers stare at you with envy.

All of the Wooster puns. The Woo-Au. Woo-ski club. Scot Dogs. Cow-a-bunga bins. Must I continue?

The distinct smell of stale beer and vomit that greets you when you walk through the boys’ halls on a Saturday morning.

Waiting in line for five minutes for a Lowry pot sticker because those things are the best ever.

There’s so much about Wooster that I’m going to miss dearly. We don’t always appreciate the school that we go to. Wooster truly is a magnificent place, and I’ll continue to miss it until I return next August after my semester abroad.