So long, and thanks for all the fish...

Well, it's time again for another semester to come to an end. Actually, it's not just any semester, it's my final semester here at the UA. I have a lot to think about as I'm hurtled towards graduation at what seems like the speed of light, but I guess I can say a few words about green living, music, journalism, and college in general. Getting 15 blog posts out of music and the environment was...trying at times, but there's definitely some interesting stuff out there on the subject. For instance, I had no idea that my guitars were made out of rare woods that are going extinct, or that there was so much complexity on the issue of CD cases. When I started out with this blog, I wasn't sure there would be much more to it than sad hacks like Bono (sorry, I really don't like him) blathering on about saving the world from their soapboxes. However, I quickly found that there are many artists and other people who are doing their part to make and inspire real change when it comes to conservation, and that gave me a little hope in this crazy world of ours.

If there's any advice I can give to future Cat Scan students, it's to find and stick with something you're interested in and passionate about. As long as you can blog about it all semester, that is. Anyone who knows me knows that I love music and can't live without it. It's gotten me through some rough times in the last 4 1/2 years, and been the soundtrack to the good times, too. So, without further delay, here are the 10 bands/artists who have influenced and amazed me in the time that I've been in college (with links so that, hopefully, you can fall in love with them too):

1. Sleater-Kinney
2. Against Me!
3. Jawbreaker
4. Tegan & Sara
5. Mastodon
6. Bad Religion
7. Lemuria
8. Converge
9. The Clash
10. Hot Water Music

Even though I'd be the first to say that I've gotten a little sick of hearing about green issues and conservation over the past semester, it's only because of all the hard work that myself and my classmates have put into informing people about the different things that we can all do to help the Earth. I may joke around, but I'd be lying if I said that our treatment of the environment isn't one of the most important things facing our world right now. And if there's anything I've learned over the last few months, it's that even the smallest things can make a difference.