the Passport Manuscript: Leave Us One Last Weekend

Today marked the end of our academic semester at Temple Rome. On Sunday, we’re all heading in different directions. Most of us go back to the glorious USA, others jet off across the globe for a few more weeks of bliss, and I get to welcome my incredible family into Italy. Things are about to change in a million different ways; with that in mind, I know I need to take a breath before it all to write this down. I’m done with finals, officially a senior, and school’s out for summer. How did I end up right here?

It feels like my dad just dropped me off in the departures terminal at PHL. I had so many expectations for what this semester would bring into my life. Now, in the final days, I realize there’s no way I could have ever anticipated this. It was a mixture of total highs and complete lows that left no time for hesitating or looking back. I spent four months breathing fire. It’s hard to imagine what life is going to be like after all of this; some things we just can't control. I feel like there’s been an entire lifetime between December and May. And holy shit, it was fun.

I assume at some point I’ll move on and grow out of hanging off the edge of every moment, but right now I just can’t seem to let it go. I have three days and four nights left to be with these people. I’ve gone through so many different emotions leading up to the end of this week. It's scary to think I might never feel this free again; that this sensation could fade away and I'll end up wishing for it back the rest of my life. But all things go and you have to have faith that the universe will unfold as it should. All I can do is make the absolute most of these final moments. I love this city and these kids too much to waste time feeling sad about leaving them behind. After all, the only good part of saying goodbye is the party right beforehand.

So tonight, and tomorrow, and the next day, we’ll pour some liquor out for this life that’s about to end.