I can not believe that I am back in Philadelphia again. It seems like it has been forever since the last time I have visited, which was in the summer. It's still hard for me to believe that this city, and this school, is where I will be attending for the next four years. Don't get me wrong! I am really excited to have this opportunity. It just seems unbelievable that it's all happening right now.
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| Eating pho in Chinatown! |
Today I arrived at the Philadelphia International Airport only to be greeted by ILC alums/current Penn students Alex Elms and Christina Pelayo. They took me to my hotel and afterwards we ate lunch in Chinatown. I was really fortunate to have them take me around town and campus. I learned how to take the subway (septa) and also got to tour several of the college houses with Alex.
It felt like I was in a new city since I saw everything from a different perspective. It's quite different from the summer. There weren't groups of students touring the campus and it was not as hot. I didn't really feel like I was touring anymore but I felt more like a student. Maybe it's because I have been accepted into UPenn?
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| Same path but different shoes - Locust Walk |
At some point in time, everything became familiar again. That is when I began to have nostalgic memories of the summer I spent with my Yale cohort. It felt strange not being with them. Fortunately, Tanya (a member of my Yale cohort) was admitted to Penn as well and I'll be meeting up with her during preview day. Still, it is bittersweet knowing that my friends and I will split ways as we go off to college. And that those memories we made will forever only be memories. To think that college would creep up this quickly.
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| A view from Harrison college house |
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| ILC family (Alex Elms, Me, Dyana So, and Christina Pelayo) |
1 comment:
Great to hear from you, Roger.
Leaving home to attend college can be a real; shock to the system. You think that you’re leaving your friends and loved ones behind but this is where there’s a real test of character that can be demonstrated.
All throughout your life you’ll be faced with similar situations and you have to decide how important these people are to your life. Right now it’s easy to maintain your friendships because you’re in near daily contact with each of them. Once you’re separated by any distance, though, the only way to maintain those friendships is for each of you to make the conscience decision to reach out and stay in touch.
Back in the olden times (when I grew up), we would send letters (a lost art).
Now, however, you have emails, twitter, Skype, facebook and any number of new and exciting means of staying in touch.
Still, it means that you have to make the effort to reach out--very similar to what we’ve been expecting out of each of our ILCers [ hint, hint :-) ]
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