Ohio State University

When I specifically requested Mom to bring a Balinese cloth from Indonesia, it was meant as a farewell gift for Sis S. Because I was about to relocate to another state, more likely than not I'm not going to meet her again.

Until last week.

Pulling herself over to my side, she called me with her affectionate term for me "T-A, I gotta tell you something"

"What?"

"I'm moving"

Silence wrapped me as I was not prepared of how to response.

"Well...where? Why?"

She explained to me the reason behind her moving. It isn't that far. As a matter of fact it's an adjacent town, but still I wouldn't be able to meet her almost everyday like I used to anymore.

"I see", I replied curtly.

"Don't worry, we can still visit each other once in a while"

I said nothing.

Within that split second under the moonlight, she gave me a parting kiss on the cheek.


~~

Okay, I have to admit that the last sentence above was fabricated (the entire conversation actually happened in the office). But irony is caustic.



In the past I oft hated her guts that I wished her to just disappear. Then in the end I realised that after everything that happened, I did miss her quirks and her spontaneities. Working at the office somehow feels so...lonely without her.

Really.

Memorably she went to great lengths to ensure that I, together with some of my coworkers, had a wonderful night on my 21st birthday. It was nothing of a wild party like I had expected before, but the important thing was that we had fun.

I'll always remember that.

~~

Anyway, my apology for the title as it is misleading.

I am not enrolled in Ohio State University (which is two hours drive to the north from where I currently reside), but somewhere closer. I did wanted to enrol there though, as it had been my very first choice. But OSU would be another story.

As of today, I had done everything on the checklist: taking the college entrance test, obtaining my school transcripts from Singapore (which was the most troublesome part since that country is located half a globe away), getting registered for classes, paying tuitions, and applying for financial aid reimbursements.

None of the classes that I am registered for are that much fun actually. I started my registration process in November while the open registration actually started in October 2010, hence most of the "fun" classes with the best schedules are already full by the time I got to meet with the academic advisor.

But it's alright, since I had loved the school from the very first time I enterred its campus building.

Excited? Definitely.

However, Mom had warned me that I had to be physically prepared since I am still going to be working at my current job in a full-time status (40 hours/week), while enrolled in the college as a full-time freshman (±14 hours/week) too by the time my classes start in the first Monday of January 2011. So that would be at least 54 hours of school+work. Kinda arduous I have to say, but I have known a friend -a female friend actually- who works two jobs (40 hours of full-time+16 hours of part-time) while being enrolled as a full-time student, a minimum of 10 hours in classes every week. So that would be translate into an operose 68 hours a week (!!!!!!).



Insane, I know.

It's amazing to see how hard-working some of my American friends are (in direct contrast to that stereotype of fat-and-lazy Americans you see in TV). Which is why I am proud to be following their example.

I don't know how far I can go though. I'll just hope for the best, I guess!