Looking back... four years ago, I attended an orientation for the Landscape admits. What a different person I was then. Leaving the safe-haven of my little High-school to the unknown of the huge University that UC Berkeley is, was kind of a big deal and I was about to meet some of the teachers and students with whom I was going to share the next four years of my life, kind of. As it happened, there was only one other undergraduate present at the orientation, the most social and fun guy ever, Dave Rhoads. Apparently it was a grad student orientation, but my advisor and friend, Mary Anne, assured us that we were welcome. Dave, confident to the core, introduced himself to the Landscape Department faculty and staff without a tinge of hesitation. My turn came... I was so nervous. Thoughts raced through my head... "What was my name again?"... "Everyone's watching me!" "Oh my gosh!"... "I look so stupid!" Luckily, I did recall my name and obliged the company by sharing that information in a voice that I don't recall ever using before, and, I was even so good as to mumble that I was a first-year Undergraduate. It wasn't a difficult phrase, but for some reason or another, the words came out all wrong. Gosh, I was such a cute, shy little girl! That was quite funny... There have been so many funny little escapades and embarrassing episodes in the past four years mostly consequences of my spontaneity and happy naivety. It was wonderful and I learned so much from those little things and those remarkable persons who wove in and out of my University life.
So now what? Easter has come and gone, I'll be graduating in ten days, and my plane departs for Europe shortly after. This will be quite an adventure, life outside of school. I've been in school since I was four years old for at least 2/3 of the year. It'll be so novel, so unfamiliar. I'm ready.
