As I write this I am snuggled up, warm in my bed from my childhood in my parents' house, and settling into a good night's rest. We finally made it home to New Jersey after a long day's drive. At one point, it took Karen and I over 2 hours to go 30 miles...let's just say DC traffic is ridiculous.
It's definitely an intense time right now. Emotionally, it's been crazy. Excitement, fear, anxiety, loneliness, longing, anticipation, sadness and joy are just a few emotions that pass through my mind at any given point. While I dreaded leaving Chapel Hill, I wait in anticipation for my journey to come. Yesterday evening I walked through the campus. At dusk, the light filters through the leaves in McCorkle Place, littering the grass with patches of dimming sunshine. I will miss that. I will miss the calm echo of the bell tower and the constant excitement that surrounds the Pit, even when no one is there. It is as if the bricks hold onto the conversations, arguments, SBP campaigns, and service announcements, simply waiting for someone to listen. I will miss the intriguing debates and surprising authenticity of original thought that can only come from a college campus. The people, the places, the memories are all comfortable and broken in. I'm leaving this to start something which completely lacks any sort of recognizable comfort. And I like it.
"Hold your own, know your name, go your own way, and everything will be fine."
1) I am still have two months before I leave and I am feeling so much of this mixed up nostalgia and pre-homesickness, and also so much anxious excitement. I'm glad you are doing all this before me and I have this blog to give me a little preparation. Thanks!
ReplyDelete2) I also got really excited when I read your Jason Mraz quote and wanted to brag to you about how I recognized it and love that song.
-Amy (who's going to Athens this fall)