I guess it started to sink in during the last night we stayed up (to the best of my attempt haha) and sort of also when I left with Jiggz, but I didnt really get that pang of serious depression and nostalgia until I sat by myself at home and on my plane ride here. It's funny how a song can suddenly change meaning and a happy song can suddenly turn sad. It's funny how forever young or time of your life can make you tear, and how wedding dress is no longer a fun song to perform, but a soundtrack for all the times we've spent together.
As some of my friends could attest to, I'm very bad at getting over things: people or experiences. So there very well may be a time when you all move on and I still am stuck in the past. But until I am the last person still wearing that "Club 114/9" shirt that is being made (cough cough dan/mojin), it's nice to know we all are in the same ship (to quote mr kevin).
When I first came, I was just really eager to make new friends and see what the best scientists around the state were up to. Surprisingly, I discovered that they were all like me. Side note: when a girl walked in our quad and went into the room across mine i was like "yes! a female quadmate!" until I realized that it was Eric's sister... The first week went quite well and I think it defined who we became. The people I met became my best friends and with the addition of a few girls, Club 114(9) was complete. We ate meals together, we played ultimate together, and we hung out together...every day, every night. This became gov school for me: eating out, playing cards, making ramen, doing dances, watching videos, 911 chicken!!, human stacking were all fun because of the people I did them with. On the plane ride, I realized that I miss all the little things we do. Instead of going to the slip-n-slide on a hot day, we stayed inside and played cards. As Annie complained about my complaining that we were wasting a great afternoon, I knew (and hopefully she did too) that I would much rather hang out with these group of people than I would going outside by myself. And it really is these things I miss and these things I'll remember about gov school: rooming with an old friend, trying to stay awake in neuro (haha Allen and his sugar, though my suggested method would have worked better...), keeping Dan awake in physics and math, awe-ing at the beauty of the 17-gon, rehearsing the speech, dissecting fish, making balloon gloves, going out to eat, playing ultimate every day, and most of all, performing wedding dress on that final night. That meant everything to me, and I must once again thank Surace and snorlax for relenting and playing that song.
I have to give a special shout out to my team project (team teflon!) because it was an amazing experience with amazing people and you all did a pretty great job. I'll be sure to tell Michael Phelps if I ever meet him. Thanks again Dariuis and Dr Alvatroni.
And of course, the last night. The night Kevin blew us away with his speech, the night we saw Surace with hair and Paul 60 lbs less, the night Paul choked up in tears, the night we teared along with Darius and Tina. That was one great night and it's something I hope to tell my kid someday when he's at gov school (yes, he will get in, and yes it will be male haha). What remains my biggest regret is that I was not able to see the sunrise with you guys, and I think about that every time I look back with a sigh.
This really has been the three weeks of my life, and I owe that all to you. I know I'll never see some of you again, and others I know our paths will cross again someday, but I'll miss all of you and I wish you the best of luck...
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life.
-A fellow NJGSS '10 and Club 114 OG
