Christina Littlefield
After 128 units, 71 Graphics and $22,363 in loans, I find that it is time to take stock of my Pepperdine education and see what I have learned. Can I justify paying $250 a month for the next 10 years for the wisdom I’ve gained in the last four years? Yes. Is it because of what I learned in the classroom? No.
It’s the life experiences I’ve gained at Seaver College that provide the justification for higher education. I’ve learned the most random things here, from the depth of God’s love to how to put on eyeliner without poking myself.
So here’s my conglomeration of the things I’ve learned in college. If you too have learned these lessons, reminisce with me. If you haven’t, take notes — don’t learn the hard way.
Diet Coke is a magical substance that lets you work all night.
Don’t take an upper division class “just for fun.” It will be your hardest class.
Bread, peanut butter and jelly are necessary staples.
Cleaning out the refrigerator once a month is a good idea.
It’s time to do laundry if it takes over one-third of your room.
Quarters are sacred.
The 12 to 15 hour trip overseas is well worth the four to eight months you’ll spend there.
Don’t leave your passport at a bank in Kilkenny, Ireland.
Make friends with underclassmen when you move to the apartments.
Doing your own dishes establishes a good relationship with your roommates.
When the freezer attacks, finish off the ice cream.
Learn to properly smooth the ice cream so your roommates don’t know you ate some of theirs.
When all else fails, faith, hope and love remain. The greatest of these is love.
Study sessions are more effective if you actually study.
Staying up all night, then sleeping briefly, can cause emotional breakdowns. Stick to the four-hour rule.
Don’t count the steps up from the Fieldhouse or the baseball field. It’s just depressing.
God answers prayers — even if the answer is “no.”
Freely ye receive, freely ye give.
Four women living together shed a lot. And they all have a chemical need for chocolate.
Parallel parking is an art.
If you drive a stick shift, no one will ask to borrow your car.
God will come to you, wherever you are, and lift you up.
The Church of Christ lets anyone sing. (I, for one, am tone deaf).
Murphy’s law applies especially to the Graphic.
The no food or drink in the classroom sign is just a suggestion.
Pajamas are an acceptable fashion choice for class.
Everything is funny at 3 a.m.
There are people around you who love you and will stick by you even when you’re dumb.
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
So thank you to all the people who taught me these lessons, to all the professors who taught me other stuff, and to all the friends who walked this road with me.
Mind what you have learned.
April 04, 2002