I have spent most of the day watching the series “When We Left Earth” on the Discovery Channel. Sure, there are many more things that I could be doing with my time. Part of this whole post graduate school experience for me is learning how to reclaim my time as my own, and for me this means watching a lot of TV, reading books, and being generally lazy. All this time I am well aware that this should actually just be seen as an extended vacation, as once my job starts I’m sure that my time will be sapped by training and preparation. This almost makes it easier to justify the new levels of lazy that I’m discovering.
Meanwhile, the countdown to the move is officially on. We’re at 23 days and it’s starting to become more apparent that this is something major. My notice has been given at both of my jobs (ah yes, it’s finally time to say goodbye to the Second Job) and within the next 10 days I will be free from the shackles of employment. While I am incredibly ready to start working on new things in a new place, the realization that in 23 days I’ll have to say goodbye to my friends has hit hard. My emotional side has taken over and I’ve spent some time this weekend being pensive and….well….crying. I can’t help that I’ve become so attached to many different people over the past two years, and I can’t help that I’m awful with saying goodbye. This week marks two years since I made the move up here. Three months after that, I was ready to leave. I’ve been anxious to get out of here since then, but something’s changed over the past 6 months. I’ve felt more at home here than before, and my friendships have deepened and become more complex. It will be hard to leave and to know that unless I make a certain effort, I won’t be back.
Tomorrow I am supposed to make the first of my goodbyes. I’ve tried to think about what to say (my English major story writing tendencies kick into gear at these times) but the words aren’t flowing. This will be a unique situation and it’s too personal to explain in its entirety, but it will be the first test of many. I’ll see my closest friend from my program at the end of the week, and we’ll say goodbye – she’s heading off to her new job within the next two weeks.
Then there are my final days of work. My co-workers are more than that to me. The office ceased to be just an “office” a long time ago. The feeling this gives me is inexplicable. I’m already tearing up as I write this.
The following week I’ll travel home for the final time before my departure. While this might not be as emotional since I’ll know that I’ll be back and the people will be there waiting for me, it will still make me cry. I’m getting really good at the whole crying thing.
And with this entry I end my journey of graduate school and job searching. It’s been a long road, but one that’s passed by quickly. I’d do it again in a heartbeat, and many are hoping that I will – the seed of doctorate work has been planted. Nothing is germinating quite yet, but it’s still hanging out there. I’ve already decided to keep my membership with ACPA and I plan on attending the conference next year. I’m sure that using the rest of my professional development funds will not be a challenge; I hope to be a fairly active new professional – at least as active as my schedule will allow.
Journeying into residence life after my sabbatical will be a challenge, and I am fully prepared to encounter many a road block. With any luck my new institution will be as fantastic as I’ve hoped and I will have much support behind me as I start this position. With any luck I will learn more than I could’ve imagined. With any luck my career in student affairs will rocket off to a magnificent start.
With any luck :)
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