Last regular test today! After slaving away on Inventor, modeling some absurdly shaped little block thing for three hours, I am finally done with Hell Week activities! I also started packing up the room to bring stuff home: it was just the motivation I needed to get through these next few weeks. There’s nothing quite so liberating as tearing apart the place to the point of tornado status, and then consolidating your life into a few cardboard boxes. I thought back to the last time I did all this, back in August, around 2 a.m. on the night before I had to leave.
It’s strange to think of what a different setting it was, and all the things I took for granted. Salty air, the beach, home cooked meals that didn’t make my stomach hate me, the lack of dorm smell, not having to pole vault into bed, genuine laughter, and of course, my wonderful family. I remember dreading the morning, and the six hour minivan ride, as I had never dreaded anything before. I wanted nothing more than to put on my uniform, hop in the truck, and drive down the street towards school, while Jackie chased me, socks, shoes, and make-up in hand. But alas, there I was, sitting on my bedroom floor with eighteen years of memories surrounding me, and four boxes to cram it all into. A horrible day ensued, with a car ride from which I couldn’t shake the feeling of being condemned, sad goodbyes, and that lonely moment of standing in the dorm, alone for the first time.
Needless to say, it is in magnitudinally better spirits that I repeat the process this time around. As I tear down posters and upturn drawers, I continue to stumble upon reminders of the diverse things I have had the opportunity to take part in since that last night: a GT Off-Road flyer, my marathon medal, a hammock from Nicaragua, an endless amount of Alpha Phi things, Christmas wrapping paper, and chemistry notes galore. A year ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing half of the things I actually did. The opportunities that college presents people with truly are endless. Even though I can remember my last night at home like it was yesterday, I can see now that every new beginning truly does come from some other beginning’s end. As this long and strenuous freshman year draws to a close, I, for the first time in a while, am hopeful for what fall will bring. While my limits have been tested, and we have been battered and beat down to the point of praying for a C on a test, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. In just two short weeks, there will be a beach volleyball court, a beautiful sunset, and a gorgeous black and white striped lighthouse within view.
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