After bearing the constant looks of aggravation from my dad as he ventured into my room and the angry mumblings of my mom as she noted my pig sty, I have finally started to clean my room. Bear in mind, this is no simple task, for in my room lies the collected debris of four long years of high school and beyond. The stratified layers of junk resemble an archeological dig, each deposit representing a different Emma. As I through eras of my life layer by layer, I observe the evolution of Emma’s philosophy on life, note the inevitable extinction of her Hello Kitty phase, and look in wonder as a new species of ideas arises.
As I wade through this jumble of papers, trinkets and photos that are incredibly, foolishly dear to me, I am overcome by a wave of nostalgia. My heart tightens, eyes mist over with an intense yearning to escape back to middle school, to hide in the world where everything is so much simpler. I am no longer in my room but am running through the playground, chasing the wind. BEEP! A car honks outside my window, jerking me out of my reverie and I am no longer 12 years old, but a ridiculous 17 year old sniffling at a Hello Kitty wallet.
This summer has been an odd, shapeless, timeless continuum as I consciously travel from one age to another. In my graduation speech, I said that we were in a strange moment where we are too young for college and too old for high school, words that manifested during these last 2 months of eager waiting mixed with procrastination. This summer has felt unending, yet has passed in a blink, and I am finally coming to the realization that I am leaving everything.
As the days tick away, I have been trying for some semblance of order. I pretty much finished the packing process, which is exhausting, for despite highlighting, starring and poring over the bridge manual, I still have no idea what to expect. Do I really need two pairs of workgloves? Must I really leave my love, my library, at home? How can I possibly condense 9 months of my life into 70 liters? Am I seriously not going to have toilet paper?!?
One day until orientation, five days until India. So hard to comprehend, yet soon enough I will be waking up in a whole new world.
An American In Benares 
Good luck! Looking forward to reading about your travels in India
Emma,
So happy for you. This will undoubtedly become an experience you will never forget. I for one am very envious. Have a blast!!! PS: looking forward to updates
I can’t wait to hear more! I hope you’re settling in well and have kept your eyes wide open.