In past years, I've managed to justify not taking graduation too hard by telling myself that I'm closer to more people in a younger class, so it's easier to say goodbye than it will be the next year. Or, at least, that I'm closer to more people who will be leaving Philly from the younger classes. Even if this all wasn't strictly true. But that logic doesn't work anymore. Not only is the class I started Penn with leaving, but only 25% of the people there my senior year will still be there after this Monday.
So I had a couple last dances tonight, reprising good times of the past 4 years. And I gave some goodbye hugs. There are a few of those people whom I don't know when I'll see again. I can trust that it will happen sometime, but I don't know when.
A few people (okay, just
jox) told me that I'm really too sappy about this. And I am rather sappy, for sure. But it's how I handle this sort of thing, and I'm not apologizing for it. I'm really sad to see some people go, and even sadder if I don't know when I'm going to see them after today or this week. I can handle it; it's not like the sadness is going to drive me into depression or anything. I'm just going to be sad. And I'm going to tell people how I feel about them and how much I'll miss them. And I'm going to remember the last time I walked out of HRN 512, or the last time for anything else important to me. And that's fine. 