Finished - For Real .

The exams are finished, and graded. The final projects are turned in. The Lulu studio book is made, ordered, and even on its way, shipped to my professor. The projects are rolled up, the desks are clean, and we're all packing up all the crap that accumulated in our charettes over the past semester. Over this past week I've been trying to see all those who are leaving this weekend, headed for home. The likelihood that I'll see any of these people is very slim -- but I'm really planning on making the effort to keep in touch.

I ate lunch with a group of guys from studio, and after we headed back to studio, it was weird to see one of them call out my name and wave -- for a fleeting moment I felt like I would never see him again. But then I realized that we still have graduation, we'll probably be around cleaning things up in studio, and that we would both certainly be at the reception after graduation.

I then headed straight to the dining hall to meet another group of friends that I actually probably won't see after this year. Upon leaving, we all exchanged hugs -- and I plan to head over to their place tomorrow morning to see them off. But it's still the strangest thing trying to say goodbye to people that you've spent four years cultivating a friendship with. I'm almost inclined to say "Have a great summer, and oh yeah, have a great life too." Gosh that would just be beyond awkward.

I feel so blessed to have so many people tell me that they wish I wasn't moving, wasn't leaving, and that they'll miss me being around and that "we have to stay in touch!" I love that sort of thing. Probably much more than they know. And I sure as hell am going to do my best. I want to collect email addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers etc. And while the hugs will not really suffice to provide a link to them for the rest of life, the memories I had with these people will certainly last a lifetime, and never fade.

PS : keep an eye out for a post in the near future -- going to be a real long one, and I'm going to go back through each of the years and just talk about people and events that affected me drastically. I'm really looking forward to delving through those memories. Should make for some great posts too. I'm trying to decide whether I want to post it all at once or in pieces... thoughts?