Becoming Real

When clock strikes midnight tonight, Italy will be two weeks away. Honestly, I'm shocked. I have so many people to see before I go and so many things I hope to do. It still feels like months away.
But tonight, I got a peek at how close it truly is. Well, let's start with this morning. My awesome, wonderful, caring dad came down to move me out of my single dorm room. It's an odd feeling to move out of a dorm room and know it's the last time I will be living on my beloved campus.

Now when I walk into my bare, white square it feels as though my life on campus is over. What I have left is my memories.  Waiting in line on Thursday for some chicken tenders and mac-and-cheese. Pacing my friend's room while studying for a test. Whispering a little too loudly when getting movies for a Saturday from the library. So many runs to the C-Store for oreos and milk. It's funny how our rituals, our daily routines are the memories we hold closest -the little things are what we miss. I can't wait to return to campus in 15 years and witness a sophomore falling in love with the little things LVC has to offer.

Anyway, so hint #1 that Italy is arriving hits me every time I open my dorm door. The second was saying goodbye to one of my closest, dearest, best friends I have met in the past four years I've lived in Annville. I can't believe won't see her for about four months... honestly, May 11th when we walk across the stage together. This is a person who I see every day, multiple times a day, we study together in our own little way. We talk about everything! She doesn't always love my bold conversation starters or how often I speak my mind about certain topics but I can get her to laugh. And she does the same for me. Without Kris, I'm not sure what I would being doing today. She has been there every step of the way and always has my best in mind. We are each other's person. We protect each other from hurt, we stand behind the other when they need to stand on their own, she is the definition of support. It was very hard to say goodbye to her. I know, we have Skype and e-mail... but it will just be different. I hope she knows how much I value her friendship.

Tomorrow, I have another hard goodbye. This person I haven't been friends with as long but we have shared some very personal battles together -Marcia. Marcia will be coming to pick up her fridge that she kindly let me borrow (just another thing to remind me). In exchange, she will be giving me my going away/ Christmas/ Don't forget me gift. Marcia knows how much I journal, how important it is to me and she, for some odd reason, thinks I'll forget her. (Doubtful!) But just in case, she got me a beautiful journal!

Well, I need to get my reading on. I beat the librarian out for Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and I told her I would return before leaving campus on Friday. It is now Wednesday night and if I want to finish the book, I need to read 186 pages tonight! And the rest tomorrow. Thank goodness my dad took the television with him. Otherwise... it would The Nanny and Friends all night long.