Kyra Alexandria's UCSD Journal

Waking up this morning was, in short, very bitter. When the fam came to pick me up it was hard-the fact that we had to say goodbye later that day hung in the air.

We went to Wal-Mart to pick up the rest of the things I needed. Mom and I were really glad we broke up the trips into before and after I'd spent the night in my dorm because it gave me a phenomenal idea of what I'd still need. After a quick kip at McDonald's (during which Mom scolded me & said she'd buy me no more meals, ha!), we returned to UCSD and went to the bookstore for class essentials and textbooks. When we made it back to my dorm, my Dad and brothers hooked up some chords and we stood around for a while-no one was ready to say goodbye. Everyone signed my dry erase board, and Jaden said I was his backbone, and he was worried about how he'd make it without me. He made me teary-eyed, I must confess (darn!). Eventually, Dad said it was time to wrap it up, to avoid LA traffic. But first we took the boys to Galbraith so they could use the restroom.

Jordan's handiwork on my desk :*

After we made it to the parking lot, we stood around some more, ha! It was emotional, and very difficult. The folks both gave me some final advice: Dad said just focus on school, and ignore everything else, after all, that's why I'm here, and Mom said have fun :)

After everyone was in the car & driving away, I felt my dam break and my face crumble. Apparently my Mom saw too because she made Dad stop the car and she and the boys ran back. It was very dramatic, but I'm so glad they did it because I needed those last hugs, those last calming reassurances. My heart was hurting. It may sound illogical, but I felt abandoned: standing in a parking lot, watching my entire family unit go home without me-it was devastating.

***
I was truly fortunate that night because there was a free Mal Hall comedy show that evening. Alvina and I attended together, and it was just what I needed: there were good jokes, I was able to laugh (I had to let him know about that Oakland barb though), I even bumped into a few familiar faces, and when we got back to the suite I was too exhausted to cry.