Today I leave campus, and with it, my second year of college.

This was a year of many things. This was a year of being an Anthropology major. A year of performing with zest. Of living in a dorm. Deepening friendships. Exploration. Adventure.

I leave the year today with summer on the horizon. But I’m taking this post to look back at the suns already set, to reflect on and compose what this year has meant to me.

What did I learn?

I learned a lot about myself, about what inspires me. Discovered deeper currents of curiosity.

I learned about my friends, people who I couldn’t have imagined two years ago and who I can’t imagine ending this year without. I learned just how utterly important they are to me.

And I learned a lot about home: this school is a home to me, and somewhere between all the things I did this year - choosing classes, planning my travels, helping to organize shows, making time for friends, developing auditions - I saw that I created it, that we all create that home. Home is what you make it. Home is where you make it, home is when you make it. But most of all, home is who you make it with.

The formalities: This blog will continue as it is for the rest of my time at the university (unlike the move from last year). I will be blogging again throughout this summer while I am at Berkshire, though I think I will be taking a few weeks off to provide a separation. Don’t fret if there’s not another post for a little while. I’ll be back; I’m not done yet.

So here’s another year complete, documented through the memories held in these pages. Memories of college, of passions, and of friends. Another year of radiant, radiant memories.

Come join me back here for another two years of adventures, of friends, and of sunrises. Either way, always spend your days catching the sunrise.

And now I have finished two years of college.

Today I turned in my last huge assignment for this semester: that research paper of noh and kyogen theatre that I mentioned weeks ago. I’m really proud of the paper, and was happy to turn it in.

I also had dinner with Riot Act - we had our last show with the seniors on Saturday. It made me think about what my own senior show, two years from now, will be like.

At this time of the year, there are so many “last”s that it’s hard to keep up. And we’re coming all too quickly to the last of them. 

• Research paper on Noh/Kyogen Japanese theatre
• Group presentation on a medical anthropology perspective on running injury
• Coding data for an anthropology professor’s research
• Chinese skit presentation
• Less than a week of class
• HTAC Formal
• Riot Act show: You May See a Jay Low (THIS SATURDAY!)
• Pack
• Move out of dorms

And then, somehow, it will have been two years.

There’s only a week and a half of classes left.

I barely understand how the semester went by so quickly.

I somehow missed the turning of another month in the calendar, and it’s now May. The next Freshman class at UD has been decided, and if you listen closely you can hear the faint sound of restless seniors being simultaneously terrified and excited for the end of the semester.

I know a lot more graduating seniors this year than I did last. The end is in sight, and approaching every more quickly, and we’re all feeling the pressure and excitement. The pace is starting to pick up, with the last few big assignments and then, of course finals. Then, for me, I have Berkshire. 

But yes, it’s May. It’s staring to warm up.

I officially know what I’m going to be doing this summer.

Today I got a call telling me that I have been accepted into the Berkshire Theatre Festival Performance Training Apprentice Program! It’s a really well-known training program working underneath a professional summerstock company in Massachusetts. This means a couple things:

• I will be busy from 8:00am-midnight almost six days a week
• This will be the first summer for which I won’t be in San Antonio
• I can now start planning for the end of the semester including moving into my apartment for next year
• I am going to learn an astounding amount
• It’s going to be an incredible, incredible summer

(this was supposed to have been posted last week… whoops!)

Well. Proof is done. And it feels a lot closer to the end of the semester. There are only three weeks of class left, and then finals week, and then summer.

Summer. That’s something I haven’t talked about here yet.

This year, I’ve been looking for theatre training programs separate from UD. I’ve sort of surprised myself pursuing that, but it’s what I’ve chosen to do. I think that choice relates to what this year has meant for me, but I’ll leave that train of thought for later. I’ll know nearly for sure where I’ll be this summer by the end of this week, so watch out for an update amidst the pile of work between me and the end of the semester.