As 7:40 pm hit, I walked out of the last classroom I would ever be in as an undergraduate student at the University of Miami. God, I should have worn waterproof mascara today! This has been my favorite semester, class/professor wise and I am happy to be going out on a very happy note. With that said, this will be a rundown of my time there…it may not have all been magic, but damnit, it was an experience from screaming bums on the metro to sunrises over the Portofino balcony. I’ll always love you, UM. Go Canes!
**Freshman Year, Age 17 ‘03-04′ (this was the best year, so this section will be longest): Walked onto campus with my long ponytail swinging (rust colored pretty weave, lol), bright braced-out smile across my face and thoughts of crushes/first loves, football games/national championships, sororities, and parties filling my head. Orientation games, met Felicia because she loved my hair and we instantly clicked. Voila, my first friend! Met my country roommate JaMia, saw we were both black girls with braces and got along, voila second friend. Blasted music with my door open and drew the girls on my floor to come say hello and ended up making some of the most important friends I’d have the whole time, like Jonelle(Nelly), Shannyn, and Tinina(Nani). Unforgettable football games where we still expected to win and had a killer squad: Sean Taylor (RIP), Sinorice Moss, Devin Hester, Kellen Winslow *drool*, the unbelievably talented list goes on.
Nani and I hung tight, sneaking off to south beach all of the time and having our “SoBe Adventures”. Meeting random people like Kanye West and Fat Joe on the side of the road, staking out the red carpet at the Source Awards, scoring tickets to the MTV music awards, sneaking in the back doors to the hottest clubs on SoBe and getting invited into VIP. Ahh, the good life.
(me and nani, my partner in crime)
Second half was all about JaMia, Felicia, Alexis, and I getting into mischief. I love you, my bumble “bees” 
Our late nite talks of JANCUS men, going to “celebrity” basketball games, “MAGIC” moments, and sweet talking our way into VIP clubs. JK betrayals, misplaced birthday presents *cough* Phil *cough*, and other randomness. Great, GREAT year.
(JaMia and I)
**Sophomore year, Age 18 ‘04-05′: JaMia and I lived together in the holiday inn for a semester. LOTS of drama with an incident when I chose poorly about some colors. Hurricanes grounded us at Felicia’s, my favorite Auntie passed away, may have allowed a great potential boyfriend, Will, to fall through the cracks. Fell hard for an Alpha who never felt the same….Got a fabulous “certified” lesson that summer…an acquaintance, Kamari, became one of my best friends and I taught her how to Chi-town Juke, crazy times scheming with Igho as we seemed to crush on everybody that year (my alpha, P.E., #3, Singer, and Red Light), fun times with Nelly, Alex (one word, haha….DUCK-SAUCE)
(Nelly and I)
**Junior Year Age 19, ‘05-06′: Infatuated with one of the best football players here who was as close to perfect for me as I could imagine: handsome, can sing, star of the football team (went pro), EVERYTHING….Le Sigh….Got “kidnapped” by Alex and Jonelle for a nice dinner in Key West, thought it’d be an hour trip, turns out it’s 3 hours each way! Developed something of an eating disorder because I wouldn’t eat more than 700-1000 calories a day and worked out overboard so I dropped 20 lbs quickly, fell hard for a UIC basketball player who broke my heart.
**Senior Year Age 20 ‘06-07′
Interned with JET Magazine, my fantastic grandpa passed away, Kamari and I had a crazy Nupe experience (lol). Kamari and I hung practically all day every day, went to a Halle Berry movie premiere, partied at model parties, experienced the Chicago/Colts Miami superbowl activities, and just tried to enjoy some of the Miami life. Had to say good bye to all of my girlies as they dispersed around the country after their graduations. Good luck with life, ladies!
(Kamari, JaMia, and I)
(me, Shay, Kamari)
**Extra, Final Semester, Age 21, Fall 2007
Hung with Nelly and Alex since they were pretty much my only friends left. Tried new restaurants, interned with Elite Model Management, partied some, but mainly enjoyed the classes and semester in order to go out with a good vibe.
(Curt, ABG, Nelly, Alex C)
So to conclude this marvelous, irreplaceable chapter of my life, I’d just like to say: I love you, UM and all of the memories you have given me. We didn’t always agree, we didn’t win them all, but damn it, we partied hard! Kamari, JaMia, Felicia, Alexis, Shannyn, Alex, Nani….I love you guys with all of my heart and thank you for making my time here a blast. There’ll never be another class like the badass crew who came and conquered in ‘03! We made sure of that, huh?
-UM HURRICANE, 2003-2007-
(me and my latin luver, Alex C.)
Looks really good; I want to go get more….cute bobs, curls, different colors, etc.
