Yes, ‘tis the season, the season of finals. final exams, final swim meets, final goodbyes to friends, final classes, final concerts, you get the picture. I’ve begun to feel a bit sentimental in saying goodbye to all my daily activities at Saint Mike’s. Last weekend, I participated in my final swim meet of junior year. Every year, the team travels down to Bentley University for the Bentley Invitational. I didn’t swim as well as I would have liked to, but I honestly felt that I’d worked my hardest. I’ve just had too much distracting me from swimming this season.
Speaking of distractions, Friday was the last day of classes this semester, and it was strange to be saying goodbye to some of my professors and classmates. I’ve sincerely enjoyed some of my classes this semester, so it feels unreal that I won’t see my classmates for eight months. I know I’m going to be making great new friends while exploring Tanzania, but I can’t say that I won’t miss all the good friends I’ve made at SMC.
Especially the girls I sing with, the Bellas. I’m a member of the all-female, A Capella group the Aca Bellas, and what a wonderful group of girls we are. I am so lucky to have 21 talented, amazing, and dependable friends. We had our final concert last night, and spent the whole morning baking treats for the concert, singing Christmas carols, and just enjoying our time together. Our concert was one of the best we have ever put on. We were all ready to sing, gave it our all, and had fun with it. I am going to miss these girls more than anything when I’m in Africa. They are some of my best friends on campus. I believe we’re all so emotionally close, because of the music that we share. Corny, I know, but there’s something in our music that I can’t explain. Singing with the Bella’s takes away from anything I had been worrying about or stressing over. If I’m upset before rehearsal, you can bet that I’ll be laughing by the time I leave. These girls are truly my best friends, and I can’t wait to hear everything they accomplish in my absence.
After the concert, last night, I went out to visit some friends, and say some final goodbyes. As finals week is in full swing, there isn’t a guarantee that I’m going to see everyone I would like to before I leave. This is upsetting because many of my close friends are seniors at Saint Mike’s and sometimes I worry that I won’t see them after they graduate! It’s particularly hard to say goodbye to someone that you’re not sure when you will next see. I know all my friends are going to have a great last semester, and I’m going to have an amazing abroad experience, but it’s weird thinking that they won’t be here when I move in my senior year.
Well, to top it all off, I saw a shooting star when I was walking home last night. This shooting star made my night. It’s funny when something so little as a shooting star makes you smile. Makes you think of silly things like old friends and the end of a semester same little piece of the sky that you are. I’ve heard the sky in Tanzania is endless. I’ll take a picture and post it as soon as I confirm this, I promise.
Alas, finals aren’t going to study for themselves…Macro and Abstract Algebra here I come…
-Emma
