Seemingly the hardest part of leaving for school... the goodbyes.
1. The “We still have time” stage.
First few weeks of the summer, still on the post graduation Cloud Nine. You have a whoooole entire summer. (Or so you think)
2. The “Let’s get together!” Stage.
The adult equivalent of someone writing "Have a great summer" in your yearbook. Not really any meaning or motivation behind it, just kinda the polite thing to say.
3. The “Actually we should be making a plan” stage.
By the time July rolls around everyone gets their move in dates and starts planning accordingly. Graduation party season is still alive and well, so you see everyone at least once a week, and of course, you still have alllll summer.
4. The “OMG where did the time go” stage.
The end of July when Military friends start to go off to boot camp is when it starts to get real. Schedules come out, dorm shopping commences, and you're in full blown college mode. The endless summer isn't so endless after all.
5. The “Spending time with family only” stage.
Family is the most important thing and as it gets closer to move-in time, you begin to shut everyone out and just want to be around the people who matter most to you right now, even if these friends are the ones who mattered most to you the last four years.
6. The “OMG it’s ACTUALLY almost move in day” stage.
One month, two weeks.... it's all relative. The days mush and you don't know what day it is, but you do know that the big day is soon, and you have an insane amount of things to do, and only a fraction of the time you actually need to do it all. Panic starts to set in a tiny bit... you need your friends.
7. The “Actually hanging out” stage.
Something we probably should have done a while ago, before we let everything get ahead of us. Target and dorm stuff will always be there, but friends will not. As this realization sinks in, you dial your best friends and plan something that second, because life's too short to waste any more time on the ridiculous target line.
8. The “I’m so excited for us” stage.
"We're adults now!" "We're gonna go change the world!" "We are going to do great!" The positive part of sending your best friend (presumably) hundreds of miles away to live their dream. To see them happy and thriving- and them the same for you.
9. The “Emotional rollercoaster” stage.
Laughing until you cry, then crying so much you can only laugh. Thinking about saying bye is the cringiest thing, nobody knows how to act. One second you couldn't be more excited for the future, and the next you're on the couch squeezing your dog, crying scrolling through pictures of your best memories with your best friends.
10. The “Three months isn’t a long time, and we always have FaceTime” stage.
After the tears and laughs, and the final hug goodbye, you and your friends all realize that this is the 2000s, and FaceTime is a real, beautiful thing. Thanksgiving feels like forever away, but in all reality, it's just three months, and it'll fly because you'll all be living your own adventures.
