For many of us, it’s that time of the year when we say good-bye once again to our families, make the plane trip or car drive to Norman, and begin a new semester of higher education. Today (and continuing through the weekend), thousands of young men and women set foot on the University campus for the first time, breathing the air of the giants who came before, looking to make their own impressions upon the institutes of higher learning. For those of us who are no longer a part of such a noble enterprise, this just means that we have to leave 15 minutes earlier to make sure we’ll still be on time to where we want to go, even if we get stuck in traffic.

Ah yes, it’s move-in day in Oklahoma! The dorm parking lots are packed with cars double-parked and triple-parked. Parents are frantically trying to figure out what their students need to survive a year away from home-cooked meals and free laundry. Students move from tent to tent, signing away their lives and hundreds of dollars of money, just to pay for cable TV that they won’t ever watch, or for a parking spot they may or may not ever find.

In the midst of this chaos, the heroes for the day emerge, glistening with sweat, coming back for the 20th box that one girl managed to pack into her Volkswagon Bug. No, they’re not RAs – though many of them have lived in the dorms longer than the RAs have. No, they don’t accept tips. Yes, they’re the upperclassmen, the men and women who joyfully chose to remain in the dorms to be guiding influences to these 17-18 year-olds. These are the unsung warriors who battle on the front lines. They are no different from the average college upperclassman student, save for their commitment to the Cross and their willingness to make a difference in these residence halls. From Honors to Adams, from Athletic to Walker, these All-Stars will never see the fullness of their impact until they are called Home.

Ah, I miss those days in the dorms. I would not trade the three years I had in Honors 269, nor my sole year in Thulcandra (Walker 908e) for anything in the world. For the men and women who carry on the dorm legacy of the last 38 years, I salute you! Anna, Lauren, Christy, Hailey, Thad, Nathan, Jeremy, David, Paul, Matt, Andy, Mindy, Sophie, Daniel, David, Travis, and anyone else I left out (sorry!), you all are super great! I’m excited for what Dad’s going to do through you this year!

Well, let me explain the quotes around “Back.” It’s because I’ve been studying the anatomy of the human back for the last four days. Friday culminates with the vertebral column and spinal cord. Medical school is so much fun! Of course, it’s not for everyone. But I’m loving every moment of it, even the hours of studying I’m having to put in outside of class.

Still, it’s a bit lonely at times. For those of you in Norman, please keep inviting me to do stuff! I welcome study breaks – many study breaks. I know that the school year’s going to be busy for us all, but I’m going to fight to spend time with you all on the weekends, at the very least. Leave a comment on my blog, or call me up after 5 any day. Okay, I’m done whining.

So…anyone want to know about the latissimus dorsi muscles of your lower back?