It's Hard to Say Goodbye.

The semester is over, and here I am sitting in an airport getting ready to make my way back to my sunny California (yup, even in the wintertime). Back where my mom’s waiting to watch movies and eat junk-food with me while we unpack my things, where my dad and I will crack jokes night and day, where my brother will be gaming/working/partying 24/7, and where all my high school friends are a drive away.

You’d think I’d be thrilled to be going back here. Well..to an extent, yes, of course I am. I’m excited for spending the Christmas season with people I love. But this transition has its down sides as well. This past semester, a new group of people nuzzled their way into my heart.

I started hanging out with a new group of friends this semester. And I love them. It’s been a while since I’ve made friends who I really care about; who I trust and who I can depend on. Who would let me lounge around their suite until the wee hours of the morning just because I didn’t want to be alone in my room. Who trusted me popping their zits. Who came to see the play almost every night. Who would let me squeeze the bejeezus out of their hands while some girl drove a needle through my nose. Who would offer to give me a ride to the airport and leave a whole hour earlier just so I could make my flight. I mean these people just let me sit with them at lunch out of nowhere. It’s really an irreplaceable feeling to have friends that care about you. I didn’t really have that until this semester, and I found myself super dismayed by the idea of leaving them for home. Especially because one’s leaving for TWO semesters starting in January for London and then going to Chicago in September.

Last night a few of us had a slumber party in the suite and fell asleep to talking about our future kids names like we could any other night,

except that it was Jessica’s last night with us.

My alarm went off in the morning and I hated myself for putting my phone all the way by the window the night before. It was a gloomy, rainy day. I went back to sleep because no one was up yet, and didn’t wake back up until JUST BEFORE Jess left. We all hugged her goodbye, but it’s always harder to see someone walk away than to actually say goodbye to them. Right when the door closed behind her the tears ambushed me. This really took me by surprise. I NEVER CRY. Never for events that happen in real life, anyway. We all ran to the window and knelt there like puppies watching until she drove away with her hand out the window. It’s weird to think about the fact that someone who has become an essential part of my daily routine for the past three months I won’t be seeing much of at all for the next couple years. I'm really gonna miss her a lot. But how exciting does that sound?! A whole eight months somewhere completely different! That takes some serious courage. And the things she's going to learn and experience! I'm really excited for her :)

Well, now I’m back at home, just sort of moping around,

but seriously enjoying doing nothing.

This past semester was just such a stress-fest!

Time to sit back and relax :)