This weekend I drove up to Vermont to see my Champlain friends for one last time before I depart. Once I hit Interstate 89, I was awestruck by the breathtaking Vermont mountains I once knew and loved. It had been far too long since I had last seen them. The smile on my face grew larger and larger as I got nearer and nearer to the little city that will always have a piece of my heart.

Walking through campus, I realized I would miss the buildings where my classes should be held. I would miss the library where I used to work. I would even miss the dining hall where each of my meals were monotonously consumed.

Hearing my roommates talk about the upcoming semester made me feel a little melancholy. They will be living with someone else, planning exciting adventures with them and not me. I started to feel like I might be missing out on life in Burlington in the fall, but then I remembered where I am going. This is just another chapter. I will make new friends and have new experiences that are even better than any routine I might have had before. Breaking routine has never bothered me; it’s tradition that I will miss.

I’ll miss apple picking and Vermont foliage. I’ll miss jumping in Lake Champlain, Halloween weekend, and birthday celebrations. Some will be missed physically, while others are missed emotionally.

The Champlain Ski and Ride club will go on without me. Watching snowboard videos with the past President of the Club this weekend made me realize I will miss that too.

The fact of the matter is, I have not graduated. I have not transferred. I have not dropped out. I WILL be back. Yes, life in Vermont will go on without me, but life in Amsterdam is just waiting for me to arrive!