I have mixed feelings about graduating in three days. I’m ready to be done with classes forever. Yay, no more homework! However, I’m going to miss seeing everyone all the time. Coming into college four years ago, I knew what to expect. At least, I thought I knew.
When I first started looking at colleges, I looked for pre-med and biology: I wanted to be a neurosurgeon. Luckily, I started my search early (during my junior year) and by the time applying came around, I realized how much I hated anatomy and how much I loved literature. Choosing MCLA was easy. I was accepted to all of the schools I had applied to with the majors English and education decided. However, most of the schools would result in graduating with a massive pile of debt which, as a teacher, wouldn’t be paid off until I was well into my thirties. MCLA had what I wanted and was a good price. I sent back my decision not overly excited, but ready to take my next step.
I didn’t expect much. I expected to get good grades and make friends. I did both, but I never expected how much these friends would mean to me. I went to high school with only one other person who was going to MCLA in the fall, and I desperately asked her if she wanted to attended orientation together. The first time we ever hung out was during a slightly awkward 2 hour car ride listening to throwbacks on our way up to the Berkshires. We didn’t talk much that summer, or even that first semester, but it was nice having someone whom I sort of knew to help get comfortable with all the change. Who would have thought that she would have become one of my best friends over the next four years.
It took a few tries to find my people. However, once I found them, my life widened with happiness. Going into senior year, we knew we all wanted to live near each other and off campus so we rented out places that shared a backyard. In less than thirty seconds I can be with my friends to watch scary movies, play Fortnite, or order dinner in. The shared backyard has proven one of the best decisions of college. When it was snowing, we would build snowmen, have snowball fights, and warm up with hot chocolate. With the recent warm weather, backyard baseball has been in full swing. We also held a Beer Olympics for the senior class which instantly became a highlight for everyone.
Leaving campus in three days is going to be harder than I ever thought it would be. Saying “good bye” to my friends and not knowing the next time I’ll see them might even make me cry (will most likely make me cry). I’m going to miss living with my best friends and the freedom that came with that. However, I’m also ready for the next stage of my life even if I don’t have a grown up job lined up. I’m ready to see where this life takes me. In the meantime, you can catch me waiting tables and working on my novel.
Thank you to everyone who has made the last four years special. You all mean so much to me. Okay, I’m done being sappy.