The MSU campus and surrounding community provide a diverse atmosphere of activities for college students and my wish is that each of you takes advantage of them over the course of your years spent here. With the knowledge that my undergraduate career here at MSU is coming to a close, this list might reflect past events as well and the opportunities that have arisen in East Lansing since 2008.

Reflecting on this list, one question comes to mind: What have I done with my time here at MSU? Although my list doesn’t come even close to all the great experiences I’ve had at MSU, it is a great place to start.

As my eyes scan the list, I realize I have covered most of the items. One of my best memories is related to the MSU men’s basketball team reaching the Final Four twice, finishing as the national runner-up in 2009. Prior to the team leaving for the Final Four, there is a send-off rally at Breslin.

My freshman year, a few of my swim teammates and I headed over to the events center for the rally. It was a great experience with the band, players and Coach Izzo. You felt an even greater sense of pride in being a Spartan with all your fellow students and faculty filling Breslin. It was an experience I will always cherish.

In addition to the obvious contribution sports have to Breslin Center, its size makes it a perfect place to host high profile musicians and artists. If you ever get a chance to walk the tunnels of Breslin, you will see that the concrete blocks are covered in the signatures of dozens of famous artists and comedians that have performed during the years at MSU including the likes of Aerosmith, The Backstreet Boys, Dave Chappelle, George Strait, Conan O’Brien and Tupac.

My sophomore year I was fortunate enough to get tickets to The Fray. While it was a smaller event because of to — in my opinion — limited promotion, it was an absolutely amazing experience. Being able to walk across the street and listen to a band as talented as The Fray was another amazing part of my experience here at MSU. Great artists also perform at Wharton Center and the Auditorium. Unfortunately, John Mayer’s latest tour was cancelled with a stop at Wharton planned, but it just demonstrates the ability of MSU and its student organizations to bring big names and talent to East Lansing. I highly recommend taking advantage of these opportunities over your four years. You won’t regret it.

MSU’s campus during the spring is hard to beat in consideration of its appeal to the eyes. The flowers and trees blooming over the Red Cedar makes for some incredible scenery. Beal Botanical Garden, located adjacent to the Main Library, provide an even more concentrated view of the beauty to be found all over campus. If you have a minute or could use a breather, a walk through the rows of rare and beautiful plants provides a welcome retreat. I have found it to be rather relaxing as well.

With less than one month of classes left in my undergraduate career, I can truly say that my decision to attend MSU was the best decision I could have made in regards to my education. As a James Madison student, I was pushed every day to read deeper, write more thoughtfully and think and argue more logically. As a student-athlete, I learned how to push myself harder than I ever thought possible, appreciate differences between people and maximize the resources and opportunities I was presented with.

Coming from a smaller town, MSU taught me to work with others and try to understand where they are coming from when perhaps my viewpoint is vastly different. I learned more about myself and my values, while respecting those of others. I can’t believe four years went so fast. People always tell you that they will and so far, they’ve been right.

The final item that I have yet to accomplish on my list is to graduate. Although meeting new people and experiencing new things is a major part of college, taking all the hard work you’ve put in and capitalizing on it is as well. After all the time and money you have spent, get your degree, you can have fun and earn that diploma. Go Green, go white, go state. I am and will always be a “Spartan For Life.”

Victoria Merritt is a State News guest columnist and political theory and constitutional democracy senior. Reach her at merrittv@msu.edu.