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GOODBYES
GOODBYES
GOODBYES
GOODBYES
27.05.2025
ISSUE 07
ISSUE #03
4 MIN READ
During high school graduation, everyone is too busy being excited about the present to worry about the future. You're still full of youthful optimism and brimming with energy. You think life will stay this way forever ; that all your friends will remain in your life and nothing will change. And then you graduate, and some things change while others don't.
After finishing school, I immediately jumped into college where I was surrounded by equally clueless teenagers figuring out their new lives and trying to grow up. I was one of those unfortunate people who graduated during the pandemic. As a result, I never got my "gown and hat in the air" moment. I had joined a startup and was too busy with my new life as a designer to really process what was happening with college. The transition never hit me.
During high school graduation, everyone is too busy being excited about the present to worry about the future. You're still full of youthful optimism and brimming with energy. You think life will stay this way forever ; that all your friends will remain in your life and nothing will change. And then you graduate, and some things change while others don't.
After finishing school, I immediately jumped into college where I was surrounded by equally clueless teenagers figuring out their new lives and trying to grow up. I was one of those unfortunate people who graduated during the pandemic. As a result, I never got my "gown and hat in the air" moment. I had joined a startup and was too busy with my new life as a designer to really process what was happening with college. The transition never hit me.
During high school graduation, everyone is too busy being excited about the present to worry about the future. You're still full of youthful optimism and brimming with energy. You think life will stay this way forever ; that all your friends will remain in your life and nothing will change. And then you graduate, and some things change while others don't.
After finishing school, I immediately jumped into college where I was surrounded by equally clueless teenagers figuring out their new lives and trying to grow up. I was one of those unfortunate people who graduated during the pandemic. As a result, I never got my "gown and hat in the air" moment. I had joined a startup and was too busy with my new life as a designer to really process what was happening with college. The transition never hit me.
During high school graduation, everyone is too busy being excited about the present to worry about the future. You're still full of youthful optimism and brimming with energy. You think life will stay this way forever ; that all your friends will remain in your life and nothing will change. And then you graduate, and some things change while others don't.
After finishing school, I immediately jumped into college where I was surrounded by equally clueless teenagers figuring out their new lives and trying to grow up. I was one of those unfortunate people who graduated during the pandemic. As a result, I never got my "gown and hat in the air" moment. I had joined a startup and was too busy with my new life as a designer to really process what was happening with college. The transition never hit me.
During high school graduation, everyone is too busy being excited about the present to worry about the future. You're still full of youthful optimism and brimming with energy. You think life will stay this way forever ; that all your friends will remain in your life and nothing will change. And then you graduate, and some things change while others don't.
After finishing school, I immediately jumped into college where I was surrounded by equally clueless teenagers figuring out their new lives and trying to grow up. I was one of those unfortunate people who graduated during the pandemic. As a result, I never got my "gown and hat in the air" moment. I had joined a startup and was too busy with my new life as a designer to really process what was happening with college. The transition never hit me.
It's been exactly five years since I graduated from college, and now that I'm completing my master's, I'm fully aware that this might be the last time I see people I've grown to love so deeply.
At 26, having witnessed enough of life's patterns, I understand that life gets busy. Everyone has their own challenges to face, their own paths to walk. And because of this, people lose touch. It's neither good nor bad. It simply is what it is. Having seen this happen throughout school and undergrad, I'm anxious about what awaits.
It's been exactly five years since I graduated from college, and now that I'm completing my master's, I'm fully aware that this might be the last time I see people I've grown to love so deeply.
At 26, having witnessed enough of life's patterns, I understand that life gets busy. Everyone has their own challenges to face, their own paths to walk. And because of this, people lose touch. It's neither good nor bad. It simply is what it is. Having seen this happen throughout school and undergrad, I'm anxious about what awaits.
It's been exactly five years since I graduated from college, and now that I'm completing my master's, I'm fully aware that this might be the last time I see people I've grown to love so deeply.
At 26, having witnessed enough of life's patterns, I understand that life gets busy. Everyone has their own challenges to face, their own paths to walk. And because of this, people lose touch. It's neither good nor bad. It simply is what it is. Having seen this happen throughout school and undergrad, I'm anxious about what awaits.
It's been exactly five years since I graduated from college, and now that I'm completing my master's, I'm fully aware that this might be the last time I see people I've grown to love so deeply.
At 26, having witnessed enough of life's patterns, I understand that life gets busy. Everyone has their own challenges to face, their own paths to walk. And because of this, people lose touch. It's neither good nor bad. It simply is what it is. Having seen this happen throughout school and undergrad, I'm anxious about what awaits.
It's been exactly five years since I graduated from college, and now that I'm completing my master's, I'm fully aware that this might be the last time I see people I've grown to love so deeply.
At 26, having witnessed enough of life's patterns, I understand that life gets busy. Everyone has their own challenges to face, their own paths to walk. And because of this, people lose touch. It's neither good nor bad. It simply is what it is. Having seen this happen throughout school and undergrad, I'm anxious about what awaits.
~
I'm afraid I might not see my friends again.
Juemin, Ruiheng, and Abby are moving back to China amid rising US-China tensions. Although I would love to visit China someday, I have no concrete plans for the foreseeable future. And it seems they don't plan to come to the US or India anytime soon either.
I hope this isn't our final goodbye. I'll try my best to see them again, but just in case I don't, let this essay serve as a reminder that I will never forget them. The late-night conversations, the shared struggles of graduate school, the meals we had together, the cribbing that echoed through our studios. These memories are etched into my heart.
Friendship doesn't always need physical proximity to survive. Sometimes it lives in the spaces between messages, in the occasional video calls, in the photos we share of our evolving lives. Perhaps that's the beauty of modern goodbyes is that they're rarely permanent.
To Juemin, Ruiheng, and Abby: I promise I will never forget you. Wherever you go, whatever you do, know that you have a friend across the ocean who is cheering for you.
I love the three of you so much. Until we meet again.
STAY
IN
THE
LOOP
NO SPAM. OCCASIONAL CERTIFIED GOOD STUFF.
STAY
IN
THE
LOOP
NO SPAM. OCCASIONAL CERTIFIED GOOD STUFF.
STAY
IN
THE
LOOP
NO SPAM. OCCASIONAL CERTIFIED GOOD STUFF.
STAY
IN
THE
LOOP
NO SPAM. OCCASIONAL CERTIFIED GOOD STUFF.
STAY
IN
THE
LOOP
NO SPAM. OCCASIONAL CERTIFIED GOOD STUFF.