Saturday, July 26, 2014

Bittersweet

The realization that today was the last day didn't hit me until the end of the day. It was just another routine morning at Penn:

Get ready for breakfast. 

Walk to breakfast in 1920's with friends.

Head towards class.

I am not that much of a sentimental person, but the fact that we we never going to be eating there together for breakfast and dinner ever again does make me feel sad, to say the least. Aside from missing friends, my grown attachment for my Physics class and teachers has never stopped growing, and seeing us walk away from each other was quite disappointing. 

Bill and his bubble-making machine
After several demonstrations on mindblowing physics, and our presentations on interest groups, I realized how much that I would be missing from this experience. Never again will we be able to see Bill Berner explode wooden house sculptures or ride on a cart powered by a fire extinguisher. Although our last day of class today was filled with laughs and amusement, it was also very sad for all of us as well. Mary showed us a PowerPoint that she put together about Bill and all that we've accomplished in class. Just to make sure that we won't forget what is already an unforgettable experience, each student received a flash drive with class memories saved inside them. 

After a few more of Bill's demonstrations, class was finally coming to an end. It was not easy to say goodbye to the people who've given me such an amazing summer experience here at UPenn. Bill, Craig, Mary, and everyone else who helped make this possible did not only teach me a bunch of amazing physics. They also taught me how to be passionate about what you love, that intelligence is not based off of a letter grade, and that perseverance and determination will always help you reach your goals. 
Group Picture with Bill Berner
After class ended, my friends and I decided to head to an Indian buffet for dinner and celebrate our last day together. We all gathered in the lounge after and played games throughout the night. Despite the fact that I will miss everything and everyone from this program, knowing that I will be leaving Penn in a couple of hours does not make me feel sad. These fantastic three weeks has impacted me in such a way that I am ready to return to California with a new and improved mindset!

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