Zach: Alone is Starting to Creep In

So I know I just posted a blog earlier this week but today was a day that I wasn't ready for.

Today was the day that people got their acceptance letters to Study Abroad.

Study Abroad is a pretty big thing here at WIllamette. Everyone is encouraged to go abroad for at least a semester, if not two. Even though some people definitely can't because of their major(s), everyone is still encouraged and Willamette tries to make exceptions to every requirement just to let people go, but realistically it is hard for some people.

So today the letters came out.

My friend Candace and I found out during Music Theory because another music major was going to study abroad in Ireland or something. Candace and I both wanted to study abroad so there was hard point number one. As Music Education majors we have the most rigorous major on campus. We are required to take 47 or so classes just for our major then 5 more for our minor and 11 more for our General ed. That's a total of 63 classes while in school. Which is ridiculous. We aren't really able to Study abroad because so many of our classes are offered in cycles that if we miss it we won't be around the next time it is offered. So it was hard to be celebratory when it was something we both wanted to do but really can't. (Although I am trying to put together a summer trip for Summer 2012, which I doubt will happen, but I am gonna try.)

Next was I found out who was going where out of my close friends. Although you may not recognize some of the names depending on who is reading my friends Kirsten, Torey, Lauren, and Sam are going to be gone for part or all of next year.

Now I a really excited for them to be able to go to all of the wonderful places that they get to go to, I am going to miss them a lot. Kirsten (who I have fun pretending to be trashy with) will be studying Classics in Rome for the Fall semester. Which is super exciting and will be an awesome opportunity. Torey (my Toronster, also just super fun and witty and bubbly friend) will be in Japan for the first semester and in Denmark for the second. She is a real world traveler and it is exciting that she will get to go to these places, but again, I'm just gonna miss her. Lauren (who is basically my rock here) will be gone in the Spring studying in Glasgow in the spring. I really don't know what I am going to do without her, but she will have a super good time, which is exciting and she will tell me all about it when she gets back.

Last is Sam. He'll be gone the entire year in Japan. It is awesome that he gets to go, and it is something he entirely deserves and will be amazing for him, but it will be tough without him, especially during second semester when Lauren won't be there either. But at the same time I feel that I won't ever seem him after this semester. Money has been hard on him and paying up to this point for school has been extremely difficult, and I don't entirely believe that he will be back for our senior year. I feel stupid and selfish for not wanted him to go (any of them to go) but I don't want any of them to leave. I would love it if there were some way that they could still have that wonderful experience, yet not have to be gone.

Also this makes my housing plans for next year unsure and I just don't know. Typing this stuff is making me want to curl up and go to bed, and not wake up for class tomorrow. Just sleep through next year.

I wasn't ready for today. I won't be ready for today for a long time.