Student Blog: Not a Goodbye, But an 'I'll See You Later'

In a whirlwind of a weekend, I graduated college, packed up my townhouse of two years, and said goodbye to the people and place I called home. For so long, I couldn't believe it was happening, nor could I process any of the change that was about to come my way. It's only been a couple of days since I've turned in my keys and moved back home, but I've realized that what I thought my hardest goodbyes are just "see you laters." It's funny, I normally dislike that saying. I have always thought that things have a beginning and an end, and that once a chapter closes, it's time to start a new one. And while this can certainly be true at the same time, I've found that the people and passions I've held closest over the past four years will stay with me for a long time.

Take theatre, for example. I was heavily active on my campus's theatrical scene, had performed and rehearsed concurrently with schoolwork for nearly my entire academic life, and made the majority of my college friends through theatre classes and organizations. I'd panic if I didn't get a part or wasn't going to be rehearsing often because I was scared of not feeling fulfilled. Obviously, March 2020 happened and all of that was out of the picture. To keep; busy, I would practice old and new songs, take virtual dance classes, participate in virtual shows, and just maintain hope that I'd be able to perform live again. At times, it was not easy. As we kept getting news that in-person performances and classes could not continue, I stopped practicing and rehearsing because I thought that there was no point. Especially when I heard that my last semester would be virtual and I would not have the send-off from educational theatre as I pictured, I thought that this was going to be the end of the line in terms of me performing. But something deeper inside told me that I'll be back, whether it's a community show or simply taking voice lessons again. I just need to keep the faith and put in the work. While I left college having already said goodbye to so many people I called friends back at the start of the pandemic (and truthfully being nervous that I won't be on stage for another few years as I begin my professional career), I know that wherever I have the passion for theatre, I can always keep it in my life. My high school choir teacher said this to us often when we'd despair about whether or not to pursue theatre professionally: "You can still do it even if it's not your full-time job. It won't be what pays the bills, but there's always community theatre, you can always take classes, and you can always see shows. It'll be there if you make it work." And I hope I can do exactly that once I get my bearings in the "real world."

Yeah, it sucks that I didn't get the exact closure I wanted out of my time performing as a student, but this has been the best lesson in making the best out of any circumstance. And that's why saying goodbye to some of my closest friends was difficult, but not impossible. I know that our paths will diverge, but since we're so close, we'll make the effort to see each other and keep in touch. As Diana Morales says in A Chorus Line, "kiss today goodbye and point me towards tomorrow." While tomorrow seems scary, it's comforting to know that who I am and what I hold close to me will stay with me as I go through life.