You’d never guess from the skies these days, but summertime is sneaking up fast and most of us are overly eager to change pace and experience some hot summer adventures. These plans may be outside of Eugene and away from the Duck friends you know and love so well. And this may actually be an exciting idea for now because of its potential for bringing new experiences, so perhaps there’s no trace of sadness for leaving the college crew temporarily. But don’t underestimate the power of three months; anything could happen. So when you say goodbye this year, take the famous words of wisdom to heart, and do it like there’s no tomorrow.
Because we can’t predict tomorrow or redo yesterday, the use of our time becomes very important. But somehow people focus so much on the big events that they forget that it’s the little moments that are most significant. Time passes us by, and suddenly we find ourselves only one week away from summer again, with another year behind us. This gets scary because no one wants to suddenly wake up a senior who regrets not having done everything he or she wished. But while the major activities such as landing that phatty internship, studying abroad and backpacking Europe seem to be significant ventures, there’s one thing you should repeatedly do at this time of year to reduce the chance of one of the greatest regrets of all: say the proper goodbyes.
Now for those of us who are returning in fall, saying goodbye to friends who are going off to different places for the summertime is no biggie. It’s not like you’re never going to see them again right? Three months filled with occasional e-mails, phone calls and maybe even a few visits doesn’t seem like much of a separation. As a result, many summer goodbyes consist of a casual farewell phone call, some weak hugs and maybe a few tight handshakes.
But you’ve just got to give your friends some more love before the summer because you never really know when you are going to see them in the same shape and form. Who knows what a summer back with the high school gang can do or what kinds of changes too much family exposure can create?
Also, there’s no guarantee that you’re even going to see all of your friends next year, or at least not as often. Almost everyone changes living arrangements, lifestyles and atmospheres, and they may not be as accessible anymore. The people who are literally an arm’s reach away now may be miles away next year. Sadly enough, convenience can sometimes determine friends.
Then there are the more heartbreaking what-ifs. You expect to come back with the ability to see whomever you used to hang out with, but sometimes this isn’t the case. Not to be extremely pessimistic, but what if something unfortunate happens to them over the summer? You never know. Or what if they just don’t come back at all? I came back this past fall surprised to find that two of my close friends had decided to transfer schools over the summer. I wish I could have given them more than a “see ya later” the last time I saw them.
I’m not going to focus too much on the depressing consequences of a summer away. But the bottom line is that some of the people who are a part of your life now may not be in fall, or it just might not be the same. So say goodbye in a way you feel is more than casual. Instead of just having those “One day we should …” conversations, actually follow up on the plans. Throw that out of control party you’ve been too scared to have. Or even give in to the urge to kiss those lips; the opportunity may not be around for long.
Because life defies the expected. We can’t fast forward through summer to see what place our friends will have in our lives next year. And once the new year starts, we can never go back to say goodbye one more time. So do it like there’s no tomorrow.