letting go

Reminds me of that Avril Lavigne album. Good times. Fourth grade.

Tonight was the "letting go" seminar, mandatory for seniors and "strongly recommended" for parents. My parents are far across the ocean so I am essentially a sad lonely orphan, but it was a pretty chill experience nonetheless.

They separated us into kids and parents at first, and had us all talk about what we would miss about the others, and what we wouldn't miss, et cetera.

Some highlights of that:

(parents will be in this color, seniors in this one)

Looking forward to...

• Getting my life back
• Eating the vegetables that I want to eat
• Getting L _ _ d

That last one was articulated by Mr. Y as "finding new ways to be intimate with others."

Afraid of...

• Big phone bills
• I hope my wife still likes me
• The "know it all zone" between 19 and 23

Sam: That's been my whole life!

John: We know, Sam.

• Homesickness
• Starving
• A bed that is too small
• Eating meals alone (an image that struck me as... poignant)

Going to miss about kids/parents...

• Trying to give advice to you
• Being kept up to speed on technology
• Someone to watch reality TV with
• Gossiping
• Mom's cooking and fine choice of vegetables
• Free money
• Pets

Not going to miss about kids/parents...

• Not having to cook vegan meals
• Texting
• "Rolling of the eyes"
• Unexpected visits with nothing to say
• Personal accountability
• False accusations
• True accusations
• Hugs (harsh...)

Advice for the kids/parents...

• Be attuned to life-altering changes
• Do not share a toothbrush
• Call your father every day
• Don't call all the time
• Get a hobby. Or a puppy.
• Get off my sibling's back
• Don't buy a house near school (only at Potomac...)
• Don't expect to hang with us when we're back.
• Don't get facebook.

Essentially, we students want to say, "Stay the hell away from us."

Thanks for...

• Having my back
• Gas money
• not sending me to NCS

Then we all wrote down things on index cards that we wanted our parents/children to know, and they were all anonymously read out loud. It was more sentimental. Except David's.

"I just want you to know... that you can't touch this. (Da na na na na na). Also, I love you"

Just brilliant.

Love always,

Clara