Student Bloggers
Last Week at Home: Goodbyes and Packing
Date
September 22, 2017
The final days before departure include many goodbyes, final work shifts, and lots and lots of packing and repacking. Packing for an entire academic year has been insanely challenging, but saying goodbye to everyone has been harder.
Saying goodbye to my best friend of 7 years was weird. Having one last lunch date with my girl squad was depressing, and seeing all my friends start classes while I countdown the days to departure was weird. Luckily my two old roommates (D2E squad!) graciously allowed me to crash at their apartment while I finished off my last few work shifts and my goodbyes to my Arcadia family. Saying goodbye to my Arcadia family was easier. While Arcadia has been my home school for 2 years, I’ve come to accept the study abroad cycles that Arcadia offers. I’ve had friends leave for an entire year or a semester.
It’s now the last 48 hours before the start of my new adventure. I’ve sent out hundreds of texts between my new roommate (Hola Bella!) about what to pack and what not to pack, along with the help of a former study abroad returnee. Packing for a 9 month adventure Is. Not. Easy.
I’m 2 large suitcases in and one intense Under Armour backpack. I’m about 40 outfits in, 4 pairs of shoes, and probably dozen of mismatched black socks in. Oh, and of course all my makeup. This packing has not been easy. Its been in the works for awhile now. This week consisted of outfits that didn’t make the cut for Spain. But finally I’m done…sort of. Packing has made me realize that I have a few good amounts of clothes that I barely even touch. But it’s also made me evaluate the bare necessities of materialistic items that I need.
So my packing is done.
My passport is all ready to go.
And so am I.
I’ll miss everyone, but my friends are absolutely amazing and understand that this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
So shout out to my girl squad, my D2E squad, and of course my awesome advisor/professor who has made me feel more than ready to conquer in Spain.