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| Showing off the Certificate |
It was the day I dreaded, yet was so excited for my last day at Cornell. I started off that day with only having about 3 hours of sleep because I stayed up late for my last day with Kachi and fixing my luggage and getting everything packed.I waked up with everything ready at least. I had my my RCA check my room at 9:30 to make sure that nothing was broken and that I had cleaned out my trash where I come to find out that my room mate had totally ignored all of those rules. The room was full of food and she had not cleaned out her garbage nor her side of the room and by the time I woke up had already left. When the RCA had come to my room I was just as shocked as she was. The RCA just told me since it was her side it was not my responsibility and in her evaluation told me I was fine and since it was my room mates side of the room and my room mate and checked out without even doing evaluation of her side of the room it was not my responsibility.
Anyway I stayed in the room a little longer though to get ready for my upcoming graduation taking of course a while because of course girls take long to get ready. I than finished getting ready and went to go drop off my luggage with Mike and went to go meet up with people from my class to walk to graduation together. It was a sour feeling going to graduation because a lot of my friends from graduation had already left because of other programs or their plane flights so it was sad not seeing them there. Everything went by so fast I wish I could relive it.
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| One of the most inspiring people at Cornell, Jackie |
I came to the graduation with my friends and saw a lot of friends from other programs also and it just started to sink in that this was about the last time I would see them. We lined up in alphabetical order and sat down inside this very large room. When you walked in you saw family all gathered around and in the middle the graduating students. We took our seat and every professor got up and said their speech and began to pass out the rewards and let me tell you when they called my name and I received that certificate of completion I walked off that stage like I was on top of the world.
After the quick graduation everyone stayed around to say goodbye to everyone so their was pictures and exchanging social media, ways in keeping contact with each other. I was happy that I completed the program, but slowly started to realize my time was almost at a end. I said my good bye to my professor Mark and gave my thanks to my teacher aid who helped me along the way with the course and had faith in me and it really helped me to improve in writing abilities.
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| Buffalo Pizza |
After saying a lot of goodbyes I left the scene with a couple of friends to go eat at this store where I would always buy snacks right by the dorms. We bought a large buffalo pizza which was amazing and my last meal in Ithaca. I said goodbye to everyone as it came the time my bus was arriving soon so a couple of my friends walked me back to the bus stop and that was the last good bye to my leadership classmates and very good friends. I got on the bus with everyone in my dress because I didn't change earlier, but I at least changed my shoes and said goodbye to Cornell. Maybe one day we might cross paths again especially with all the friends I made.
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| My Cornell Family |
I got on the bus with my Cornell cohort and the bus starts driving and goes to a stop in the college and next thing you know Diana gets on the bus and Kachi and I start yelling for her and we sat in the back together and just talked to each other the bus ride there. I was so happy that I did not have to actually say my final good bye yet.
We all checked in our luggage and Diana ends up also having the same gate as us so she was able to stay with us for a little longer, but than they finally starting boarding and they called our zone to board. I literally could not stop giving good bye hugs as I was going to miss Diana. I will miss Kachi, Diana,and I memories from Cornell and will forever be an experience I yet to forget. I kept looking back till finally I could no longer see her. That was the saddest feeling as I realized my time in Ithaca was finally over.
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| At the airport saying our final good bye to Diana |
I sat next to Shuxin on the plane and we shared our memories from Cornell and later on fell asleep on this two hour flight to Atlanta. When we landed in Atlanta the airport was huge and definitely easy to get lost in. We ended up eating at a restaurant which Shuxin and I shared chicken strips, baked potato skin, and BBQ pulled pork sandwich. Yes, it was the best. We all shared our experiences with Mike and talked about how we would miss the experience.
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| Staying up to see the view |
We then boarded our flight from Atlanta to San Francisco, where I talked with Joceline a little bit then she fell asleep. I kept myself up just looking outside at the view of the different cities. I don't really know why I stayed up, I think it was a way to tell myself that my experience wasn't over yet. It was all so quick, it felt almost as a dream. We got to SFO and as I am grabbing my luggage from the luggage pick up I realize a hug dent on the side of my luggage with scratches--not the best way to end my day. Also Kachi and a big hole in her luggage also I was very mad at Delta for handling our bags as so. Don took pictures of the luggage and filed a report to Delta about the bags so we will be waiting on that. Thanks Don.
We got in a shuttle and headed to San Francisco and actually felt at home as Kachi described it, "From Ithaca's green air to SF congestion". I actually like the air of SF better it just makes me feel right at home. The shuttle took us to El Cerrito High School where my aunt and uncle were picking me up because my parents were in LA at the time.
Arriving at El Cerrito, it was time to accept the fact that my adventure with the Ivy League Connection had just came to an end. I still feel as if it was all just a memory of long ago that I was there in Ithaca. Walking out the shuttle and taking our final picture as a cohort marked the beginning and end of our journey. The last picture was took and everyone in the cohort went their separate ways. Now it was time for us to be back at home with our family and friends.
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| Our Final Picture |
Thank you The Ivy League Connection, the community's support and Don Gosney for a trip that changed me and led me onto a road of a success.
Thank You!!!
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