This was my home for four years. Brown College, Rice University.
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. I’ve had to say goodbye to some of the most important and influential people in my life. On a final drive around campus, things really began to sink in that I was leaving.
Instead of taking the usual route, we drove through the main entrance of Rice one last time. I’m going to miss the way the sunlight glistens off the car windshield, threading its way through the canopy of leaves above. I’ll miss the Brown sun deck and all the chatter and conversations it evokes, the second floor quad door that can be pushed dramatically open without turning the handle, and that oh-so-recognizable smell of stale beer and the way our sandals stick to the ground after memorable (or not-so-memorable) late night adventures.
One of the hardest things about saying goodbye is realizing that there will hardly be any more moments in life when all of us will be at the same place at the same time. At weddings, maybe. Reunions. But that feeling of camaraderie that can only manifest from living together may never return, and that is a little bit heartbreaking.
Now, it’s on to the next chapter. I’ve waited so long to move to New York City. All to experience the sirens and screeches of cars and pedestrians, to be constantly engaged and stimulated. It’s a different life now. My life at Rice will never be equalled, just superceded. I’m sure as the years go by, I’ll be somewhere and think and remember all the wonderful moments of my college career as they light up fantastically in my mind. I’ll always be thankful of all the astounding adventures I’ve had on this amazing planet. So here’s to many, many more.
The final piece of the spire at One World Trade Center is lifted into place in New York, May 10, 2013. The tower now rises to a symbolic 1776 feet, making it the tallest building in the western hemisphere. INSIDER IMAGES/Gary He (UNITED STATES)
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Beautiful skyline.
New York’s New Riviera | The Shearwater emerging from New York Harbor, where the Hudson and East Rivers meet
