"time to say goodbye"

It was the moving song sung by Miss South Carolina 2005, Erika Powell, and ironically a fitting title for this time in my life.

Obviously, as you can tell from the first sentence, Kate did not win Miss South Carolina. However, she represented Clemson and all of us who believe in her platform extremely well. I wouldn't have had another Miss Clemson up there at all. The girl that did win, Erika Powell, is a very pretty, very talented girl as well. I think she will represent the state well at Miss America.

Now that Kate isn't continuing in pageants, she has decided to go to The University of Memphis for grad school. Yeah... talk about "time to say goodbye." I can't believe that she is leaving... and that we won't be close to each other any more. The past 3 years, I have spent so much with her and we have truly become best friends... the kind of friends that never get upset with one another... the kind of friends that have opposing views on things but still find a way to compromise... the kind of friends that will stick up for one another no matter what anyone says or does... She is just so awesome and I love her so much and I am so thankful for the friendship that we have. It's hard to even imagine what things are going to be like without having her around. Ugh...

On top of that, yesterday, I had to say goodbye to Kalani. She and Jesse left last night for Orlando where she is going to be teaching. Yesterday we went and had a last meal together and it was almost surreal. It was like I knew later this week we would be getting together to go to Monterrey's or going downtown or something.

It's all so surreal that I can't really even discuss it. These people that I have grown to love... it's not just that I'm leaving Clemson... but they are too... we are going our separate ways. The majority of my friends will still be here next year, but there are so many who did graduate that are starting new chapters in their lives and are just going all over the place. It's so weird.

Am I really not going to have any friends? There really aren't many people in Greenville... hardly anyone from high school... and even if there are, I've been away from them so long, we're practically different people. I know Deni is going to be there... at least until the end of the year... and Jess Hall is there (thank God), but other than that, there really isn't going to be anyone. And yes, Clemson is just up the road, but honestly, I DO want to move on. I just don't want to be "that guy" that still hangs around everyone that's still in school...

I dunno... this just sucks.

"Time to say goodbye." Oh Erika Powell, how you do what you do...