An Ode To Summer

As of midnight Friday, I said farewell to Burlington and the college life for the summer. I currently sit on my couch in New Jersey ready to see where the summer takes me. It still hasn't hit me yet that I'm not going to be going back in a week or even a month. Three and a half months is a really long time to be away from school and all the lovely friends I've made. I wish I was able to say a better goodbye to the people I have left for the summer. I'm also glad though that we didn't have the long drawn out good bye that they show in the movies though. I hate crying in front of people and I could barely hold myself together while we still had at least three hours with each other. And so I've decided to take this post to give the proper good bye to my friends that I should've given. The one where I should've given in and let the people I care about see me when I was most vulnerable. So here it goes:

Audrianna- I'm so happy that you found our little group of friends early on in the fall semester. You're always smiling and trying to make every dinner exciting so that it's not the same every night. I know that if I ever needed anything I could go to you and you'd be more than willing. I'm sorry we didn't get to spend as much time this past semester with my choice to eat on points and our busy schedules. Hopefully next semester I'll get to spend more time with you.

Sullivan- Thank you for being one of the first real friends I made on campus! I don't know what I would've done had you not been at that first dinner when I had first met Nicole. It was through you that I met some of our other friends. Without that, we wouldn't have had our many movie and card nights. I'm sorry that this past semester hasn't been easy for you and I regret not being there for you more. I'm hoping things will be a lot better for you next semester.

O'hara- This past year we have had a rocky friendship. I don't think I was quite prepared to have a friend like you who would get on my nerves but at the same time not know what I would without. I'm sorry for being such a bitch towards you sometimes. Especially because it seemed like I had dished out all my anger on you. I failed to appreciate all the times you genuinely were looking out for me and checking in on me when you noticed I wasn't myself. I hope to fix this next semester. Just try to remember that I get easily irritated by your taunting and maybe I won't be so sour towards you.

Ivan- I'm so happy that I was able to get to know you even if it was only for two weeks. I know we haven't gotten that close but I hope that will change next semester, especially if you continue to stay friends with Hailey and Natalia. I appreciate your willingness to get to know me in the time that we have spent together.

David- Even though we've only really became friends in the last four weeks of school, I feel as though we've been friends since January when we came back for spring semester. You are the first person who looked out for me with knowing little about me. I'm also honored that you trusted me so early on with certain information and that you know I will never share what you tell me with anyone. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to be there to say goodbye to you. You can blame that on my chemistry final. Also, thank you for introducing me to IRA. I'm so excited to join and help you plan activities that you decide on in your vice presidency (in conjunction with Natalia, Jenn, Sam, Ivan, Mary, and Dylan who make up the rest of the executive body that I can't wait to spend more time with as well). Lastly, I'm so happy that I'm moving in early next semester so that I'll be on campus in time to celebrate your birthday with you.

Jenn- I also didn't start getting close with you until a few weeks ago. In fact, if it wasn't for David dragging me up to your room that first time after we played soccer, I probably would've never met you. Despite what happened that one night playing cards, I'm happy that we were able to spend that time getting to know each other while everyone went off doing their own thing. I'm excited to spend more time with you next semester and be prepared for my many ideas for your first event as an IRA exec.

Leah and Liann- After only spending a few dinners with you two I'm so happy that I met you. Being friends with Jenn, I can guarantee that I'll be seeing you quite a bit. Liann, I'm so happy to have another person to cheer for at the track meets now that I've actually gone to one. Leah, I know you're going to make a great RA and I really hope it works out that you're at least in MASON next year. Although it would be ideal if you were on the third floor or sixth floor. Also, thank you for the toothpaste. You saved me a trip to rite aid in the middle of finals week.

Annie- I'm so happy that we're going to be roommates next year! You saved me from having to go with a random roommate, especially because I had no intention of dealing with the drama of my friends figuring out who would room with whom. I'm so glad that you lived in Mercy this year and that you became close with Hannah. I always enjoyed your visits to our room. And don't worry about needing to get work done after 11 and needing to leave your room to do so. I'm probably going to be up doing work as well. I can't wait for this summer as we'll probably be seeing each other a lot and in order to go buy our microwave and illegal toaster. MASON 307 Here we come!

Sydney- I'm so happy I was able to get to know you this past year. It was nice knowing that you were just down the hall and that I was always welcome in your room anytime. I'm sorry that you and Annie were forced to spend a few weekends in our room, but it was nice having you two in the room. If you didn't need to sleep on our floor we probably wouldn't have gotten close that one night we both decided to stay in while Annie and Hannah went out. I'm excited that I'll still be able to see you next year when you come to visit Annie in our room.

Lierymell- Thank you for being a great roommate! I know it wasn't easy to be stuck in a triple this year, especially all the way out on trinity. I know we weren't the closest of roommates but I'm glad we didn't want scratch each others eyes out either. Plus it was nice knowing that I had a few classes with you to have someone to go to at midnight when we were both doing the same assignments. I hope I didn't scare you at all just coming and going as I pleased. I also want to thank you for dealing with the occasional barn smell this semester after my lessons. I wish you the best of luck next year!

Catie- I'm so happy that I met you through Nicole. It was nice having someone on Trinity to see without having to travel across campus. I also miss our Saturday night chem study sessions. And I'll never forget our midnight trek to Nicole's room because our brains couldn't handle anymore chemistry. It was also nice having you in my bio class this semester so I had one more person to complain with about how much we hated our professors. I wish we had done more Monday lunches this semester. I feel as though we barely saw each other this semester. Next semester we'll try to have more lunches I hope.

Patrick- I'm so happy that I went with Hailey to that first party way back in September. I wouldn't have met you that night as we waited out our first experience with cops trying to bust down the party. We can blame that on Jake for being stupid and getting roofied. If I hadn't met you that night, I wouldn't have found out that you were in my bio class. You instantly made that class better by being one of the only people willing to talk to me in that class. And I'm so happy that you were there to prevent me from being that awkward lonely girl when Courtney was no longer in class. I'm also thankful you invited me to pub quiz that one Wednesday night as it allowed me to meet a whole new group of people. It was nice having you as a brotherly figure, and even just having a male friend I could ask anything to. I'm also happy you felt comfortable telling me anything that was on your mind as well. I'm quite sad that we won't have any classes together next semester but that doesn't mean I won't be seeing you. I know where you like to hide in the library.

Natalia- The first time I met you it was snowing and we ate pierogies together. That wouldn't have happened if Hailey and I weren't studying for finals together. While we didn't really talk much since that first dinner, I'm really happy you started sitting with us in the MAT common room while Hailey, Nicole and I were studying. And then I thank you for convincing Hailey to go to queer prom and then her inviting Nicole and I to join you two. That first shopping experience really brought us closer. Since that night I think I saw you everyday for the end of the semester. I was really happy that even though Hailey was away for the weekend you still decided to spend time with Nicole and I without her. After all you two are inseparable. It was that weekend that brought us a lot closer especially with our last minute decision to go to a party. (Thanks to David being invited and deciding to take us and Nicole as his three dates). You'll always be my go-to pong partner. I can't wait for you to live with Hailey next year as we'll be having so many fun adventures and hopefully more parties to attend. Plus, you're not that far away that I'll probably be trying to see you at least once this summer.

Hannah- Thank you for being the most awesome roommate a girl could have while living in a triple on Trinity. I'm sorry we weren't as close as other roommates were with each other. I think things would've been different if we were in a double. Thank you for being one of the few people I could go to for advice on anything. You probably knew more about my guy problems than some of my closest friends even did. Plus you made my day when you were excited over the little victories I had in my life. And whatever you felt comfortable sharing I'm glad I could be that person for you. I think our best bonding moments were those when we were complaining about things that were going on in our building. I'm also sorry you got stuck on the top bunk. I climbed into your bed after you moved out and had no idea how you dealt with it. I'm really going to miss not sharing a room next year with you. Although I'm glad that this won't be the last time I'll see you. For all I know you could be my part-time third roommate in Mason next year. I also can't wait for you to come visit Annie and then I could come meet you two for a day as you experience New Jersey. You can finally understand what we mean by our pizza tasting different (I already gave you a bagel which you thoroughly enjoyed).

Ashley- What would I have done if you weren't Nicole's roommate? All the times I've spent in your room I'm glad you were willing to tolerate my presence 24/7. I'm also glad that with the amount of times I was in your room that we ourselves grew close. It makes me happy knowing that I can spend time with just you when Nicole isn't around. After all, it allows us to have time for our Jesse McCartney karaoke sessions and salsa dance parties (or whatever we want to call them). I also appreciate you letting me sleep in your bed on the weekends you went home. And after waking up next to your One Direction posters I now have a new appreciation for the band. Plus it allows me to correct Nicole when she thinks Louis looks like a younger version of Griffin. I'm also excited for you to take my closet and help me put together more fashionable outfits so I can stop looking like a bum all the time. I'm jealous of your fashion skills. I'm also really glad that we were able to become friends because we'll be spending a lot of time together when Nicole is in Costa Rica. We'll be able to sit in your room and skype her together and then cry about missing her afterwards. But until then we'll make the most of next semester while everything is still seemingly normal.

Hailey- How can I describe how much your friendship means to me? You've been there whenever I needed to talk about anything. You have the best advice and aren't afraid to tell me the truth. I'm also really grateful that you trust me enough to be that person for you. I also couldn't have asked for a better friend to try new things with. In fact, if it wasn't for you I probably would've spent many weekends sitting in my room just watching movies by myself. I really wish we didn't get distanced this past semester as our schedules got so busy we barely saw each other. This had me quite scared especially because there was a chance that you weren't going to be coming back next semester. However, when we finally found time to spend with each other it was like we had just seen each other the day before. That's how I know how great of a friend you are. Plus I'm so happy that you decided not to transfer and that I at least get to have you on campus for another semester. I'm excited to be on the same part of campus as you next semester so that I'll be able to just walk over to your building and we can talk, study, or just hang out. I hope you're on campus for more weekends next semester because I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to handle when you're studying abroad. It was tough trying to imagine being at school without you. For now, I'm not going to think about that and just focus on how we have an exciting semester ahead of us.

Nicole- Once again, I can't describe how much a friendship like yours means to me. I can't imagine what college would've been like had I not met you. To be honest, I probably would've been a miserable being who stayed on Trinity doing nothing but studying. Without you, I wouldn't have met a majority of my friends. This past year we went through a lot together. From surviving chemistry to dealing with drama, we somehow figured it out along the way. I'm so happy that I could tell you anything and you easily could relate to it. And that it was vice versa when you shared something with me as well. We helped each other with a lot of personal issues and I'm so happy that you were there so I wouldn't have to bother my friends back home 24/7 about people they had no idea existed. (Although they probably would've enjoyed hearing my rants and complaints anyway). It's going to be weird not seeing you everyday even if it was only for five minutes. I can't even remember the last time we went one day without seeing each other. But if I can survive a summer without spending every day with you then I know I'll be able to spend a whole semester without you while you're off in Costa Rica. At least I'll be able to see you in June when we go see Daughtry.

This summer is going to be odd without these people in my life everyday but I'm definitely going to make the best of it. I'll try my best to see as many people I can. But now that I'm home it's time that I spend time trying to see all my friends here as much as possible. Come August I can't guarantee the next time I'll see them. But now I'm ready for summer to begin!