With about two weeks left at Florida State, the nostalgia has begun to set in. Every moment is now becoming a memory. Every action is becoming the last. Saying goodbye to the life I have built is no longer some far-off deadline. The future staring me down has me thinking about the past through rose-colored glasses.
The piles of mistakes and outfits from freshman year no longer make me cringe. Now they are funny anecdotes that make me smile. The strange anomaly that was a COVID-19 sophomore year has made for some of the best 3 a.m. stories. And my stressful junior year now only reminds me of my growth. The ages 18 to 22 don’t seem that far apart; however, it’s like maturing at super speed. I don’t recognize the little girl dropped off at Landis Hall all those summers ago, but I think of her fondly.
In August of 2019, I moved into Deviney Hall for my first fall at FSU. Before moving in, my roommate and I were strangers. Desperate for a new friend, freshman Alexa made a strategic move and wore a Harry Styles tour shirt to bed night one. I had all the confidence in the world that my shirt would start the first of many conversations. I was right. My roommate and I began to bond over our shared obsessions, and soon enough, we were friends. By sophomore year, we had established that we were soul-bonded best friends. Four years later, this fact stands true. Still roommates and best friends, she is what I will miss most of all. So, thank you to the FSU Class of 2023 Facebook group and Harry Styles. You brought the best person I have ever met into my life.
Before college, honestly, I wouldn’t say I liked school. It was tedious and restrictive. Nothing about learning was fun or engaging. Florida State, and the English department specifically, changed that. I never planned on majoring in English; writing wasn’t even something on my radar. However, through some acts or fate, or maybe just mistakes, I found a major that changed my perspective. Going to class was interesting, and discussing the nuances of language and the power of rhetoric was surprisingly enjoyable. Seeing my writing improve and feeling accomplished in my work was new, and I loved it. My educational path ended up looking very different than what 18-year-old me intended, and it’s by far my favorite accident.
Until a few weeks ago, I thought I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Florida State. Now with the semester coming to an end, it does feel like the end of an era. Strangely, it feels like the right time to walk away from the life I have built here. No matter how hard this goodbye is, the next part of my life is a welcome change.
Saying goodbye to the place where I became a version of myself that I can be proud of will be a bit painful. Having my close friendships be challenged by distance is an unwelcome obstacle. However, now they both seem oddly necessary. I will miss Florida State so very much, but I am okay with saying goodbye.
Thank you for the past four years, Florida State, and as always, Go Noles!
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