2 months and 2 days

it's kinda surreal to think that in 2 months and 2 days, i'll be in france.

it hasn't entirely hit me yet, but it's definitely been creeping up on me a little bit each week with people leaving for the summer and me realizing that i won't be able to see them for another year. and it's weird to think that in a year, i'll probably be writing something about coming home. a year isn't all that long... is it?

thinking about all my amazing friends here in seattle and thinking about how much of their lives i'll be missing and how much of my life they'll be missing makes leaving all the harder. but i guess, in the end, i have all the memories that i've made with these amazing people. i know it's never going to be the same as it is right now, in this moment. but my friend told me the other day that just because you don't hang out with a friend anymore or talk to a friend anymore, it doesn't mean that the friendship is over.

at the beginning of the school year, i was really struggling with friendships from years ago that i had no idea how to deal with since they weren't part of my daily life anymore. eight months later, it seems like i'm standing in the same position, but in a different perspective. back then, i read these quotes and they made me feel pretty emo and upset. but now, i think, reading through them, it makes this moment feel more bittersweet than anything. 

"People's lives change. To keep all your old friends is like keeping all your old clothes -- pretty soon your closet is so jammed and everything so crushed you can't find anything to wear. Help these friends when they need you; bless the years and happy times when you meant a lot to each other..."

"I've learned that things change, people change, and it doesn't mean you forget the past or try to cover it up. It simply means you move on and treasure the memories."

even though i've done some stupid things this year, i think, overall, i did a lot of things right and made a lot of amazing friendships :) for everyone that's been a part of my life this year and in the past - thank you. i wouldn't be the same person i am today without all of these incredible people. cliché, but so true :)

<3