[Hugs and Tears]

Hi guys,

I have a story today. Please just bare with me. I'm sitting in my apartment, listening to smooth jazz, and eating chocolate at 4am.

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I'm slowly walking toward my apartment at 3am. Now, this generally isn't something new. I usually work until 1am and then go eat or hang out with my work friends, or my "beaches babes." (I work at Beaches and Cream), but this time I have tears flowing down my face. People walk by and kind of nod and keep going towards their destination. I don't get any surprised or confused looks...not even concerned. Would you like to know why? Because my program (Fall 2013) is coming to an end and many College Program Participants are nearing the day like I had today. The day to say good-bye. Or how I'd like to see it is a "See ya real soon!"

My good-byes started yesterday with a few friends at work and my friend Jourdan, who I've become very close with. We've only known each other for four months. Four months. But. But when it came time to say good-bye, we sat in her car and bawled, and bawled, and bawled. And I cried walking home. I'm going to miss the IHOP dates, and the jokes during work.

If I thought yesterday was bad...today was worse. Although, I guess the word, 'worse' isn't exactly right. It was wonderful and awful today.

It started out normal. Get up. Go to work. Change into my rainbow costume. Start scooping ice cream.

We were fine until about nine o'clock when I turned around to see one of my best friends, Taylor, looking at me. She had tears in her eyes.

"We should probably go back stage."

So we go to the back, and hug, but we compose ourselves, and head back out to do our job. (Today was my last day, and tomorrow is Taylor's. She is from Mississippi). Later on I get to say good-bye to all the servers, and other fellow cast members, whom I will miss very much.

We eventually closed, and started cleaning. When it hit midnight we all cheered, and hugged, then went back to cleaning. Finally we finished closing around 12:30am (of 2014!). Once we were checked by our manager, we went to the back hallway and Taylor and I kind of let go. Tears started rolling down our cheeks, we hugged tightly, told each other through the tears that we were going to miss each other immensely.

*Shout out to my poor manager who gave us our space, and didn't realize we were bawling. You go, Bill*

Finally we are calm enough to clock out and change...which ended up with me crying and hugging Leslie. (Lord. I am going to miss all of you wonderful ladies so much.) Anyway, we finally have all changed, and I've checked in my last costume. We start walking towards the bus stop where most of us will be waiting for our bus to go back to our apartments. I feel bad for keeping them, but I didn't want to say good-bye. So we all hug. Pictures were taken. More tears (with mainly Taylor and I). Isa being silly and speaking Portuguese. Then we decide to go to McDonald's. So I say one more teary-eyed good-bye to Haley, and jump in Leslie's van with Alex, Isa, and Taylor and we head to McDonald's.

We sat in McDonald's for two hours. Talking, laughing, taking pictures, making faces. I didn't want to go home.

Eventually we had to leave. Once we arrived at my apartment, I gave one last hug to everyone. Promised to text, snapchat, facebook, etc and walked home.

This is Taylor and I...saying our good-byes.

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This program. I don't even know how to express my feelings right now, which is rare. Man, I am so excited to see Iowa, but...but I don't want to leave all of these people who have become family while I've been living in Florida.

I now have family from Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Connecticut, Illinois, Florida...and the list goes on and on.

The people you meet and grow close to on this program is what makes it worth it. I hated Beaches, but I loved my beaches babes. I love hanging out. Joking. Even venting to each other took the weight of being 23 hours away off of my shoulders. There were days where I wanted to pack up and move home to Iowa, but I didn't because of my friends. When you have awesome people like this that you see day, after day. Month after month...saying good-bye seems out of the question.

I'm going to miss everyone so much. I have two more good-byes, before I step foot on my plane. To Danielle, my best friend, and to my roommates. Then on to new and exciting adventures that await me in Ames.

Everyone who made my stay worthwhile. Thank you. I love you all. I didn't expect to meet some of the best people, when I signed up. I will be back soon to visit, promise.

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And after hugs, kisses and tears, its time to go home. In 10 hours I will be boarding a plane to go home.

The Disney College Program is a life changing experience. You grow up, and get to meet these amazing people that will be with you the rest of your life.

See ya real soon.

Sincerely,

Shannon