Discovering Cambridge: T-Minus Six Days!

Aug

2015

T-Minus Six Days!

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At the beginning of this trip, I wrote a post about how quickly I felt at home in Cambridge. Now, with less than a week before my flight back to the States, I’m getting ready to pack up and leave this new home. And I think I’m okay with that.

For my first few weeks in Cambridge, I was enamored by the city. The flowers are constantly in bloom, I drink about a gallon of tea every day, and, as my architecture professor says, “I think that if I walk around these buildings long enough I will somehow become intelligent by osmosis.” I still love all these things, of course, but the more time I’ve spent here the more I’ve gotten into the rhythm of daily life. That’s good in some ways. I’ve gotten to experience what it is like to be a local more than an average traveler who spends a week or less in one location, which is a privilege. However, I’ve also grown immune about what makes it so special to be here. I don’t gape at King’s Chapel when I walk past it anymore, partially because I walk past it every day and partially because I have five minutes to get to class and there are approximately five million tourists I need to dodge in order to arrive on time. The city is as charming as ever, but the novelty has worn off and homesickness has hit me hard. I miss drinks with ice, free public toilets, and Starbucks coffee (fortunately I’ll be returning to a new Starbucks back at MSMU, am I right??). In short, I miss my real home. I am so grateful for this experience and I don’t want to leave exactly – I just want to get back to my normal life more. I actually feel a bit like Sandy from Spongebob:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53yaDdg2gy8

I’ve spent the majority of the past three years at school, so for me, normal life isn’t being with my parents and dogs. It’s being at the Mount. I’ll be back to that very soon; my flight lands on Saturday and the fall semester begins on Monday, so I’m heading straight to campus from the airport. And so begins senior year!

As much as I’d like to be back in the States right now, one of the most valuable lessons I’ll be taking away from this summer is not taking things for granted. Right now I feel immune to all the special parts of Cambridge, but I know I’m going to miss the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met. Meanwhile, senior year is going to fly by and in less than a year I’ll be graduating. I don’t want to waste this year because I’m so focused on my routine and not on what makes MSMU special.

I never used to question being able to roll out of bed and walk across campus in less than five minutes, getting my breakfast order as soon as I walk into Patriot because the cafeteria workers memorized it, having professors and staff know my name, or even doing my hallmates’ hair for dances. These things are all specific to my Mount experience and I’ve missed them. I know I’ll miss them even more after I graduate, just like I’ll miss Cambridge after I leave. You can get used to anything, even once-in-a-lifetime experiences like studying at PKP, but that can teach you to appreciate just how good your normal life is.

Before I close out, I want to share a playlist that really exemplifies my emotions this week and that I can guarantee I will be listening to on my flight home:

Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen

The Star Spangled Banner - Francis Scott Key

Party in the USA - Miley Cyrus

Somewhere Out There - American Tail Soundtrack

Home - Daughtry

I'll be Home for Christmas - Frank Sinatra

Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue - Toby Keith

Hold On, We're Going Home - Drake

American Pie - Don McLean

Kids in America - Kim Wilde

We the People - Billy Ray Cyrus

Far Away - Nickelback