Departure of a Titan

By Anthony Chwastyk
Collegian Staff
April 26, 2006

I always thought that this article would be a sentimental romp in the abyss of nostalgia. Since I signed on as Philly File editor, I thought about what I would have to say about my time at La Salle. Yet, I think that it would only cheapen four years of literary pursuit to write something emotive for emotion’s sake. Nevertheless, there are a few things I will undoubtedly miss in the coming weeks when my tuition dollars no longer fuel the school’s infrastructure.

Four years of philosophy classes, and I finally saw “the Good,” or at least a reasonable facsimile in Dr. Van Fleteren. My life will be a little less whole without the mention of Heideggerian Ontology or Platonic Forms.

And what will my existence be without the dramatic discussions led by Dr. Steven Smith, or the dulcet lectures of the incomparable Dr. John Seydow? My fondest academic experiences almost all involve my English classes. Who could argue? The department is full of engaging educators (assonance)—Brother Gabriel Fagan, Dr. Vincent Kling, Brother Emery Mollenhauer, Dr. Jim Butler, Dr. Judith Musser (to name a few). In a word, they are awesome (colloquialism). Be it the metrical intricacy of Byron’s Don Juan, or the religious overtones of Moby Dick (parallel structure) I have been introduced to the motives behind man’s quest for self-expression and social commentary.

But I guess growth in college extends far beyond the cacophonous symphonies produced by the cinderblock structure that is Olney Hall. On the rugby field, I learned my physical limits as well as the necessity to exceed them. In the Dan Rodden Theatre, I became a Roman slave, a priest, a hunky hotel clerk, an army major and even Shakespearean heroines. Tuesdays were spent locked away in the basement of the Union so I could get my small section together for the Wednesday edition of the Collegian. I learned humility from the towering mountains of Kentucky, and the painful responsibility of authority from the Judicial Board.

Really though, what one remembers most from his university years is the leisure hours spent in vegetation with our friends—countless hours wasted on cheap MTV programming and late nights that spilled into early mornings. Who could exist without those 3 a.m. jam sessions where we all felt obligated to reveal our deepest secrets and hidden aspirations, without cheesy sing-alongs or pointless road trips? And there were broken hearts and sadder times, but these fall by the wayside. What I’ll miss most is the feeling of invincibility that comes with college—the immortality of our friendships and the immutability of our situation.

Okay, so maybe I did get a little sappy.

chwasta1@lasalle.edu