When I finally leave this oasis called Athens, there will surely be some form of departing words. We’ll walk at graduation. We’ll hug and promise each other that we’ll all stay in touch, even though we don’t really believe our words ourselves. And sure, there will be teary smiles of sadness and relief that our time at Ohio University is over adorning all faces, but more than that there will be stories that our parents never wanted to hear and memories that we will never forget.
Athens isn’t a place for tears. Athens isn’t the kind of place that wants heartfelt goodbyes and promises of tomorrow. Athens isn’t that sentimental. It’s a place for fun and a place for discovery.
Athens is the kind of friend that holds your hair back when you’ve had too much to drink; hell, Athens is the friend that gave you the drinks. She’s the friend that gets you up and going, no time for sadness or regrets here. Athens is one of a kind. A diamond in the hills.
So when I leave Athens, there will be no rambling goodbyes, no wishing that there was more time, because that’s not what Athens would want.
Athens is a “farewell” kind of friend. A “see ya later” kind of friend. Because we all know that we never really leave Ohio University. We simply move on to another stage in life, and she knows we’ll come back. Because we always do. She knows that no one ever really leaves Athens behind, because this is our home. Where we found ourselves. Where we made the best friends we could ever ask for. And where we had the best four (or five or six) years of our lives.
x
Amanda
@amandahagley
hagleyamanda@gmail.com