It was well into the summer after junior year and the most exciting parts of my summer had already passed: I saw my favorite band live, I visited another country for a few weeks, and I was nearing the end of my time at two jobs/internships. There I was, typing away on my laptop in a dimly lit, yet cozy cafe. My friend, JoyAnne and I were starting the first drafts to our personal statements (yeah I know, we’re lame), when, all of a sudden, she started incoherently mumbling about how we were going to be graduating soon and how everything was happening so quickly.
Although JoyAnne had consistently reminded me throughout the year that we were almost done with high school, I hadn’t processed that fact until it was a few days after graduation when I was awake at 3 a.m., starting another season of Psych. That’s when the realization hit me: I’m leaving behind my parents, my hometown, and many of my friends would be going their separate ways. It was difficult to grasp the thought of being separated from San Francisco, the beloved city I grew up in.
In a few short weeks, I’ll be leaving for Macalester College. It’s a liberal arts school in the distant land of Minnesota, which feels daunting and unreal. Right now, I feel like I’ll be coming back to SF and walking down the halls of Lowell after this little “vacation” to Minnesota, even if I’m mid-semester at Mac. However, I am also excited to soon be surrounded by a new change of pace and to meet other driven, hard-working students. Still, I’m struggling with how I’m going to bring all of my clothes to the airport. Also, I have no idea how I’m going to pack my entire life into a suitcase and a carry-on duffle bag, but that’s beside the point.
Right now, the main point of this introductory post is to inform my readers that I am starting a mini-series. This will be something like a farewell tribute to conclude my sixth and final cycle at The Wave. For each post, I’ll write about a restaurant that I have loved going to throughout the years and even recent eateries that have sentimental value for me. This will be my formal, yet temporary, goodbye to these cherished places, until I come back in December for winter break. Stay tuned!
