You are going to meet people from all around, different small towns, high schools, and cities. Home is different for everyone, but we all meet together at college for a good portion of the year.
When the semester comes to an end, it is always sad to say goodbye to my friends. Our memories are put on hold until the next semester starts. Every second together turns into once a month in the summer.
I was very grateful that my college friends lived in the city over from me.
Unfortunately, I can no longer say that.
Now, one lives 10 hours away…on plane, across the Atlantic. I can’t just hop in my car and be there in an hour. Different small towns just turned into different countries.
A little context here. I met Sarah in my Public Speaking class during our fall semester. She is from Northern Ireland on her year abroad, studying History and taking business classes as a requirement for her Study USA program.
I was sitting alone waiting for our first class to start when she came up and sat next to me. Immediately greeting with, “Heya, how was your day?” A friendly conversation during the first class with a stranger? I fear that is unheard of in college.
We started getting dinner together after every class. Being at college for two years now, I learned that’s how most of my friendships had started, over a meal.
After that, I introduced her to my friends. We all connected so well. Like all college friendships, we did everything together.
We watched tv shows, went to sports games, dressed up for Halloween, took way too many photos, danced in our formal dresses, pretended to do work at the library, did all the random campus events, and had long conversations about our lives at the campfire for hours on end.
My friends and I even had a wee cup of tea every now and then, but of course Sarah never missed a day. Every library session, movie night, and breakfast, she had tea. She got us on it too. Every time she made herself a cup, she always offered a tea bag to us. We walked from the dining hall to the library cozied up with warm tea.
I learned so much about her family, Irish politics/history, Rugby, how her Chinese food is completely different than ours, Cadbury chocolate (which is way better than Hershey), Derry Girls, a chippy (which I need to try asap) and A LOT of Irish slang.
Here are some fun words for you:
- Craic pronounced “crack” is not the drug, but the tea or what is going on in our lives right now. Sarah always has the best craic, and she will ask us too, “Any good craic?”
- Waffling is just yapping.
- Sláinte is when you cheers a drink.
- Cheers is a greeting. Almost like a thank you or goodbye.
- Grand/grim. Grand is good. Grim is bad.
As we showed Sarah America, she showed us Northern Ireland, even if we were not actually there. I will forever be grateful to have met Sarah. Being across the world is not ideal, but I would never wish to give up that friendship.
Thank you for all of the beautiful memories this past year. We will all miss you so much, Sarah! I can’t wait to come visit your home, Northern Ireland, someday and say, “This is so Irish” like your iconic phrase, “This is so American!”