I have a cold. Lying in a semiconscious heap whilst pushing the cold meds and fluids was not exactly how I envisioned spending the last four-odd days before my life changes forever. Technically I'll have a week in Utah with family before reporting to the MTC, but I'm supposed to be set apart by my stake president before I get on the plane, so the mission essentially begins on Tuesday night-ish. I'm not sure how the rules are in between getting set apart and setting foot on MTC property, but I'm guessing all the rules about not being alone and not watching non-Church-related media will be in full effect.
It's a bit depressing, leaving. Technically my farewell from the student ward took place back in December. I've spent enough time in the fifth ward and seen enough missionaries leave from here to realize that nothing will be the same once I come back. (The uncertain part of me adds, If I come back.) Every year there are new arrivals into the social scene, and others leave for school or jobs or missions or marriage. Every year I've spent in Tallahassee old friends have left for one reason or another, and new people have come in their stead. Sometimes it's hard to remember that Friend X never knew Friend Y, because they just missed each other in the end-of-summer shuffle that sends out recent graduates or transfer students and receives a boat load of incoming freshmen or new grad students.
So I'm not kidding myself that everyone I leave will be here to greet me when I come back to Tallahassee, whether to visit or to live. Heck, when I came up only a few weeks ago there were people I didn't know, and half the ones I did were looking at me funny with greetings of, "I thought you were on a mission already."
The singles ward is a transient way of life. I won't expect that to change just because I'm the one who's leaving.
