Now that November has arrived, I feel like being called a “senior,” and all of the realities that come with that word, have finally sank in.

These past four years have been wonderfully tumultuous, to say the least. Like many of my peers, I have changed a great deal since freshman year. What’s more is that the university itself has changed greatly.

MSU’s campus is by no means now what it was only a brief three or four years ago. During my experience here I have seen, from start to finish, the construction of a $26 million modern art museum with architecture enigmatic enough to film the Batman movie in.

I saw the completion of grand additions to the football stadium, like the jumbo-trons with massive Spartan logos on the back that greet me on my way to class.

I have witnessed the progress on the construction of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, better known as the MSU atom smasher.

But besides creation, I have also seen some destruction.

I recall one summer seeing a large pile of rubble near the Olin Health Center, it was all that remained of Morrill Hall. Today in that area there is a well-kept green space and an interactive outdoor touch screen commemorating Morrill Hall.

I have seen the insides of dorm buildings torn up then altered beautifully into modern spaces reminiscent of IKEA. To think all this change went down in only a few brief years is really astounding, and implies that this campus has changed more than we can ever imagine during its history.

The pace of technological advancement is greater than ever before in history, so I would not be surprised if Spartans of the future communicate via brain-phones.

Despite all this change, however, there are a few things I am certain will always be a part of MSU.

One these constants is the marvelous nature found everywhere on campus. From the Red Cedar River to the many gorgeous gardens around campus, I have no doubt the administration will make an effort to preserve this beauty.

A sign near the Beaumont Tower gives a brief description of Saint’s Rest, the first dormitory on campus, and points out another permanent quality of MSU. The sign states that a 2005 excavation uncovered tobacco pipes and liquor bottles — from 1876. This suggests that youthful and often rebellious spirits, and the liberal culture they embrace, will always be a part of this campus.

It seems that decades from now when I come back to tailgate and once again greet MSU, the only things I will find with certainty are changes. Reflecting on my time here and observing the environment reminds me of the impermanence of everything and the ubiquity of change. This reflection shows that few things in life are permanent or certain, so we must enjoy what we have today.

In these modern fast-paced times that we live in, it is easy to fall into absent-minded routine.

Try to stop to look around and be mentally present, because you could miss out. Realize that the MSU that you and I know today, the MSU of the 2010s, has never been, and never will be again. So chill, have fun, and enjoy it.

Jesus Arzola-Vega is a guest columnist at The State News. Reach him at vegajesu@msu.edu.