Hi. My name is Jaime Lugibihl. I’ve been writing personal opinion columns for two semesters now. This is the last one. After this semester, I won’t be working at “The Nicholls Worth” anymore. (Don’t everybody cry all at once, now.) For my last column, I tried to think of the funniest thing I could possibly write to go out with a big bang. Needless to say, it was Wednesday morning (the day before our paper comes out), and I was still thinking.

Finally, in desperation for a really cool idea, I have decided to be serious for my last article. Really. I promise.

The semester is almost over, and I can’t help but look back at what has happened throughout it. Nostalgia or whatever, I think this semester has been the best time of my life.

Not for any particular reason. I didn’t win the lottery, and I’m not going to graduate. I think for the first time in my life, I’ve realized the importance of everyday things – living life for all it’s worth.

I know that sounds so trite, but it’s true. Waking up with a smile on my face each day has made all the difference in the world.

I’ve learned how to really care about people this semester. A lot of times, in the past, if my friends had problems or were going through hard times, I would feel bad for them, but then never really do anything about it.

I feel like God put me on the Earth to reach out to other people – to have compassion and comfort those in need. If I’m not doing that, what am I living for?

Throughout this semester, I have tried to keep that in mind as I live each day. It’s made all the difference in the world. I thought I would help other people, but I think I am the person who has been truly blessed throughout this semester.

Another important thing I’ve learned this semester is not to get stressed about life or things that seem huge at the moment. In the words of an old proverb, “this too shall pass.”

It says in the book of Ecclesiasties in the Bible that when all is said and done, “there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool.”

It’s just the truth. For so many years of my life, I worried about all kinds of things – what people would think about me, what my grades were. All the stuff that in the long run just does not make that huge of a difference. One hundred years from now, we’ll all be gone.

In the book of I Corinthians, it adds that even though you do all kinds of good things and achieve great goals, if you do not have love, it profits you nothing.

My prayer for this semester was that God would teach me to love people. I want to reach out with compassion and touch people’s lives around me.

I have not done the best job of it all semester. I have to admit, a lot of times, I feel like I have failed miserably, but the little bit I have done has changed my entire look on life and how I view the world.

I have one year of school left. I used to count down the days until I was out of this place. Now I’m thankful for the year. In some ways, as crazy as this may sound, I wish it was more.

I don’t know why I wasted my first 2 1/2 years at Nicholls wallowing in selfishness and furthering my own goals. But, instead of living in regret, I’m just moving on.

I don’t want to waste another day or even an hour. There are so many people in this world hurting – and you don’t have to go to another country to find them.

They’re right by you. They probably sit right next to you in class. If you’re kind of shy and don’t like talking to people, just smile. You never know what could give a person a little encouragement for that day.

Anyone wishing to get in touch with Jaime Lugibihl should contact her at [email protected]. Since school is almost over, and she will be jobless, she has more than enough time to e-mail anyone who writes her.