It is so close, but still so far away. The end of the school year seems like a sick joke at the beginning because it is nine months away. But now, it is less than two but it feels like it will never come.
At the start of the school year the months kind of flew by. Whether it’s because we were excited to be back and with our friends again, or because we’re not used to having so much work to do – it vanished in a blink of an eye.
But not the second semester. No, it enjoys dragging itself on to torture the poor students who are almost done. It doesn’t help either, the way Easter falls this year.
It had to hop its way into March forcing April to be holiday free. Gannon ate it up, though. We have our spring break in the winter at the start of March and because Easter is impatient, it falls at the end of March.
So basically, March is kind of a waste – school wise – because we literally have two weeks of classes. Which, will make April a lovely stressed, anxious, overwhelming and annoying last month of school.
For some reason, any holiday at Gannon goes from Wednesday to Wednesday giving students an entire week off. It is nice to have the break, but that means the time needs to be made up somewhere else. And that somewhere else, is the end of April and beginning of May and the end of August when we start.
I’ve always been jealous of schools in Canada, mainly because they don’t start until the first week in September and they typically end the middle of April. It is more realistic. I was always two weeks late starting any summer student position because every other student was done at a reasonable time of the year.
I do think, however, the majority of the students rather have week-long breaks throughout the school year rather than start later and end earlier. But not me. I have to be here all second semester anyway, so the breaks mean nothing to me, really.
Instead, I get to spend them alone or traveling with my team. Thankfully, however, this year my parents are coming up for Easter. It will be a nice change from an empty house on Easter Sunday to one filled with my family.
It will hopefully tide me over until I am actually home, but right now, I am very homesick. This semester academically has been very laid back – probably because I am only taking the minimum credits. But, I worked my butt off every other semester so I could have a relaxed last semester my senior year.
Indeed, it is relaxed, but it leaves me too much time to think about what is at home. I’ve enjoyed my time at Gannon and I love my friends and teammates, but something is missing.
All four years I have been in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend at home. I think that is why I am so much more homesick than usual. We have been waiting for graduation for four years and it’s finally here. But it’s not here yet.
It is only less than two months away until I walk across the stage and receive my diploma. But, that feels like an eternity. We started by saying just four years, then it went to three, then two, then one and now it is finally here and I am overwhelmed with excitement.
I’m not wishing my life away, but if these two months went by a little faster, I wouldn’t be too upset – besides missing lacrosse.

BECKY HILKER
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