And in the end...
Though I've attempted to extol many of my own personal virtues in this space over the course of the last two years, I will dispense with the heavy-handed sermonizing for the final \Long and Short of It"" and leave you with this: Experience new things, treat others as you'd like to be treated and do what makes you happy. Follow these simple rules and you will have a great life, guaranteed.
There are far too many people to thank here, not only for my time as a columnist but also my time as a student, a friend, a family member and a person-and for that I am so very thankful. Yet on this, my final stage, there are two groups of people I must address, as they have made my life worth living, and thus have made these silly columns worth reading.
First, my Lodgers. In college, there exist many avenues for the cultivation of friendship more meaningful than simple acquaintance-a dormitory, a house or an apartment, in a life-long friendship or a lasting romance. I found meaningful friendship in the company of a group of men, each one an important component of my daily life.
Gentlemen-how formative, valuable, entertaining and exceptional our time together has been! There are many more words to describe our friendship, but ""empty"" is certainly not among them. No matter the stereotypes, the close-mindedness and the undue resentment that exist for ""people like us"" on this campus, our bond remains a strong and guiding influence in my life, as I know it is in each of yours. It is unquestionable that my college career would be lesser without you-the days a little less agreeable, the beer a little less refreshing, the Badger red and white a little less vibrant. I could have never bought a better group of friends-you're worth every penny.
Second, my parents, Don and Mary Long, the two most important reasons I strive to do my very best in everything I do. They put me in this world; they gave me a wonderful childhood and raised me through adolescence to make me the man I am today. No matter what stress, pain, difficulty or disappointment came my way over the last 21 years, my parents were there for me without fail, to pick me up and help me press forward. Never will I take them for granted.
Mom and Dad-wherever life takes me after I leave this great place, I owe all my success to you. Even if I end up flipping hamburgers at a fast food joint in Podunk, Wis., you can rest assured that those will be the best damn burgers money can buy (and I bet I could even hook you up with a sweet discount). I am so thankful you have been able to see me through this period in my life, and my single wish is that you will be with me in the future to witness many more. There aren't enough words in a thousand columns to truly express my love and gratitude for you and all you have done for me ... but this will have to suffice until I purchase my first newspaper company.
Readers-thanks for being you. I hope you've enjoyed our time together-maybe sometime down the road we can do it again.
...Happy Trails!
This is Peter N. Long's final column in The Daily Cardinal. He is a junior majoring in journalism and history. He is around for one more year, so e-mail him at writePNL@yahoo.com with requests for birthday and bachelorette parties, as well as interventions and beauty pageants. Peter and Lil' Bucky thank you for reading the past two years.
