I’m ready.
My bags are packed, my friends have left, and my tearducts are dry. The goodbyes have been said (too many times), the loose ends tied, and the time has come.
Going off to college is supposed to be a bittersweet occasion, but I never felt those two emotions equally at the same time. For the past few months, it has been mostly bitter. I’ve cried on several occasions, and had a weird pit sitting in my stomach for weeks as my friends’ dreaded “move-in day” neared. And as I waved goodbye to my best friend last week as her car drove away, I came to terms with the inevitability of us leaving.
As the number of friends in town dwindle, I’ve come to realize that leaving Arcadia isn’t all that bad because my friends will always be here with me. But “here” takes on a new meaning- even though they may not be physically present, they are emotionally “here” with me at all times. And that’s what really matters.
So, I’m ready.
And that’s when the sweetness of bittersweet comes in. I’m so excited to fly east, go dorm shopping, and move in. I can’t wait to meet new people, explore the beautiful campus, and take new classes. And I could not be happier that I’ll be spending the next four years discovering myself at Princeton.
My flight leaves in less than an hour. I’m excited and anxious, but I know that everything is going to be okay.
Goodbye Arcadia! You’ve been good to me, but it’s time to walk onto the next stage of my life 3,000 miles away.
See you all soon :)
