Can I Just Stay In School Forever?

This week I had my last class at Tyler School of Art, Temple University, the place I've spent the last four years of my life. It was actually my last class in the United States. Next semester I'll be a super senior, finishing off my college career studying abroad in Rome. And as exciting as that is, such a bittersweet feeling has swept over my these past few weeks.

Change is happening, and whether the change is good or bad, it's still pretty scary. Most of my friends are graduating, some have a few classes left, and many are staying in or around Philly. The thought of leaving this place is terrifying. If you're like me, you've basically been in school your entire life and soon you'll be leaving it. Your comfort zone is about to be completely gone. I'll be moving from my apartment, going home, living in Rome, and then god only knows what after that. There's a lot of transitions about to happen.

Philly has been my home for the last four years. It was my first dorm, first college party, first apartment, second apartment, first broken-heart, first internship, my 21st birthday, new friends, losing friends and so many more things. It has been a time of working toward making my dreams happen. I grew so much in these last four years I hardly recognize old parts of myself.

The people I met at Temple gave me a home. Tyler School of Art gave me another family. A family full of talented artists, the goofiest people, the deepest people, the most amazing teachers, people with the biggest hearts, sometimes dramatic, but most amazing people in the world. So many memories have been created in the last four years, mostly good and some bad, and my heart aches when I think of leaving this. It's a normal part of life, but it doesn't make it easy, especially for a person like me who wants to hold on to every moment forever.

Lots of people are about to go into similar transitions, leaving school, leaving friends, and things are going to change. But I've been trying to remind myself how terrified I was coming to Philly, and now realizing it was the best choice of my life. I hope I can look back and feel the same way in the next chapter of my life, and continue to hold onto all these amazing friendships I've made during this time. If I listed names of everyone who has made an impact on my life over these four years I'd be here a while, but to everyone who has, thank you. Thank you for being there, or for not being there. The ones who were taught me friendship and the ones who weren't taught me what isn't worth it. Thank you to all my teachers. All of you taught me things I will never take for granted. Some of you went above and beyond, and that will always mean a lot to me. Thank you to the studio, because after college I'm not gonna have one and that will be painful. And thank you to Philly, for giving me the opportunity to have all these experiences I've had here.

(AND, by the way, yes, I'm a FINE ARTS MAJOR with a minor in business. And no, I don't know what my plan is when I graduate yet. I know, I only have one semester left.

And that's okay, so please, stop looking at me with judgement when I tell you I don't know and you look at me like of course you don't, you studied fine arts. Trust me, I'll find a way to be successful, and so will all the other talented people I know.)