“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.” - Dr. Seuss

Now that I have a tad bit more energy than I did yesterday, I am proud to announce I have graduated and have also successfully closed the building! I must say having a building filled with 300 students one day and then having them all vanish the next is very bone-chilling and makes you question your sanity when you think you see something moving in the corner of your eye. Why is it so easy to freak yourself out?!
Today was a tough day, saying goodbye to a staff you've worked with so closely for a year and knowing you might not see some of them ever again is a very difficult concept to swallow. Even writing about it now, I'm starting to get slightly choked up about it. I was trying to explain this to one of my friends earlier today. Although my first RA staff will always have a VERY special place in my heart as "my first staff" and there will never be a staff to replace this group, this year's staff have been very different in a good way. Now that I have a better idea of what I'm doing as a professional, I had more time to get to know my group on a deeper level and they got to know me more in return. I laugh because they are such a strange mishmash of people when you see them together and they are some of the biggest oddballs you could ever run into (in a good way), yet magically they make it work and we had such a strong bond as a staff. We knew our role in the group and I think that is what really made it work!
Saying goodbye is a hard concept for me. I've tried very hard not to do this anymore, but when I was younger, I actually was mean to people in order to make the summer goodbye less difficult. Although it was easier at the time, looking back now, I realize there was so much valuable time I missed out on with that person. I'll be the first to admit some of the goodbyes today were done quickly or done distantly, but it was all because I was trying to keep it together. A boss is strong and doesn't show their vulnerability sometimes. Although I don't believe that entirely, I guess I fell under that category today.
It's funny how you can never figure out the right words until the time has past, but I dedicate this post to my staff. I have learned so much from them and am a better person because of them. They have helped me professionally, personally, mentally, and socially on so many levels and I'm proud to know them and call them my friends. I love them all very much and know the only place they're going from here is up toward greatness. There is so much talent in that group and not enough people realize how much potential they carry with them. I will truly miss them as I move on with my own path. From the wise words of Dr. Seuss, “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”
About the video: This clip was posted a year ago, but when you combine two of my favorite female singers with my all-time favorite musical, there is no better way to describe the way I feel right now when I think about my staff. Because I've gotten to know them over the past year, I firmly believe I have been changed for good in so many positive ways! Sandra, Kriston, Kate, Lydia, Jeff, Ryan, Isabel and Dustin, this is for you!