Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye!

I cannot believe its August. It truly terrifies me how fast this year has gone by. I imagine they only go faster as you get older... and I do not like it one bit.

This month will be one long procession of good-byes. It started the other day at dinner when Nugie said, "Awww, what if this is the last time we all eat together at The Market Bar?" I've already started making the list in my head- things I have to do before I go back to the States. Its an ambitious list already, complicated by this little project I'm working on (hello, dissertation) and shear time constraints. I hate playing the "last time" game. You know, the "oh no, this could be the last time we're all sitting here in the reading room absolutely miserable together." Its too sad... sad because its so true.

Nugie leaves in a week- the first one of us to go. She will be one of the girls I see most often post- Ireland because she's going to law school in DC- hell, we may end up being neighbors! Regardless, it will be difficult because it marks the beginning of the end. The end of essay bootcamps, all-nighters, potlucks, and Starbux runs. Theatre nights, cocktails at Cafe en Seine, class outings. Nights spent at 4 DAME LANE and the Stags Head, days spent cursing the rain and tourists, weekends spent in the country. The most heartbreaking part of it all is that though the girls and I will always be friends, it will never be the same. I guess thats the thing about moving on... it never is.

Though I have always HATED goodbyes, I am excited for the next chapter of my life. It will be great to be back in the States and close to family and loved ones. I love, love, LOVE reconnecting with friends, and that is something I can definitly count on. Hopefully I will have a job to look forward to soon, so I can stop hyper-ventilating every time someone asks me what I'm doing when I get back.

And as far as the girls... I know they will always be a part of my life. And even if things are never the same, we will have fabulous reunions all over the world. And I guess it doesn't get much better than that.