Monthly Archive

Moving out of my apartment in San Diego this summer felt extremely bittersweet for some reason that I just can’t put my finger on. Normally during the hectic scramble to clean, pack, and move out before a designated lease-end date puts me under a lot of the typical stress that college students have familiarized themselves with over the years. However, this time when I packed everything up in my car and headed towards the interstate 5 headed northbound, I couldn’t help but gaze back at the place that I’ve come to call my second home.

Fall of 2008 feels like just yesterday, when I first started my freshman year in college. In a few weeks, I will be studying abroad at the University of British Columbia living on my own for the first time in addition to clinging onto the last moments of my college career as a senior! Perhaps the reason I lingered in San Diego before moving away this time was because I know that I won’t get to see my friends this fall quarter and then upon my return, I will have only two more quarters before I finally graduate and leave for good. Also, my coworkers threw me a surprise going away party at the office and we also had a campus-wide faculty picnic that gave me a slight sense of closure; a feeling of departure. I’m really going to miss working at this office because my boss and all the coworkers were such sweet, unique people who were great to work with, and also amazing mentors who really took the time to help me grow both professionally, and as a person throughout the year.

I decided to get my coworkers a little present before leaving, and as I was walking back to the office I couldn’t help but notice all the small, minute details of the campus that I had overlooked during my last three years. I felt like an eager freshman again standing right in the center of the university looking around with excitement at my surroundings. I was seeing UC San Diego in the way the brochures portray it to be– I saw myself sitting under the trees chatting with a friend over coffee, sitting on the blocks outside Center Hall desperately cramming before an exam, and even looked at the library where I’ve spent so many hours of my life. I saw the last couple years of my life flash before my eyes in a romantic fashion, and started missing my campus while standing a couple feet away from Gilman Drive.

Anyway, I’m feeling a bit anxious about the start of my final year as an undergraduate student. I guess this weird feeling of ambivalence is just a sign that something amazing is about to happen and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead of me during my final year.