the second season I am to know

[cue theme music: Led Zeppelin, Rain Song]

Thus, finally, 1L really ends.

Not with a bang, but with me interrupting someone talking to the financial-aid office manager. "I have a form to drop here," said I, "do you have an inbox?" "Nope," the office manager replied, "but I'll just take that for you." And she did.

I won't have technically withdrawn from the school until three different offices sign the form (which hopefully should give me enough time to receive my official transcripts in the mail before they actually cost me money as a nonstudent). But as soon as it left my hand, I was as good as gone.

I'm glad I did that. I'm glad I went back into the building, cleaned out my mail drop for the last time, returned the copy card I'd borrowed from C. back in May, and handed in the form myself rather than tossing it in the mail. It was important for me to walk through that door one last time, if only to blink once and realize that I was making exactly the right decision.

Done with the guilt. I finally emailed the professors who wrote my letters of recommendation, thanking them for their support and informing them that I won't be in any of their fall classes. I'll miss them, but we'll stay in touch. I'll take all the good things with me as I go.

Meanwhile, here's a glass of Clos du Bois chardonnay, raised to everyone there, everyone who made this year what it was. You taught me my limits, then forced me past them. You made me tough. You made me wise. You worked my blisters into calluses, and now I can dance on hot coals without breaking a sweat.

Thank you.

thus spake /jca @ August 19, 2003 08:05 PM