I recommend listening to “Thousand Years” by John Michael Howell, JVKE, and ZVC before or while reading this ^^. On loop if that works best for you!
The song popped up on my Instagram with this animation of someone’s characters before I listened to it on my own. And wow. It’s a beautiful song, and it made me think of so many things. How love comes in all these different forms, shapes, colors, and definitions. How I’ve changed so much in these years in college and with Asian Outlook. Stepping into my interview quickly turned into my first ever bonding and learning different skills from everyone before me. Editing audios turned into recording my first podcast, hosting on my own, teaching others tips and tricks I learned.Â
Now, I’m an advisor, and I’ll be taking my final bow here.
Ha ha, jokes on you, this is a *sad* blog.
I’ve listened to this song over and over again and I think back to these years, how I’ve experienced all these ups and downs. But, I’ve learned something so special: that I have this ability to love every person I’ve met. And I’m so grateful for that. I can love their smile, their voice, their laughter, their tenacity, drive, and passions. I hope and pray and wish that all these people I’ve met and interacted with will never wilt or falter, never burn out. Love comes in all these forms; it’s in my dad’s hugs when I visit home, it’s in my mom’s tense calls when I’m away, my brother’s random reels and text messages. It’s in my friends’ warm smiles and laughter, my underclassmen’s trust in my decisions, and my upperclassmen’s belief in my potential before they graduated.Â
Time has flown by so quickly, the colors have all blended together into this massive mural and I can hardly remember where it started, but I suppose that my final touches have to be made soon. Truly, it has been such an honor to see each person around me flourish and pass me by with their talents and skills, everyone’s individual passions and fires burning so bright, it’s almost blinding. In this mural I have been able to witness your happiest moments, your sad ones, and every one in between, the brilliant hues all combining and constructing this beautiful work.
You have all made my years so much brighter. Coming into college, not having people to stand by me until I met all of you, crossing your paths, and learning lessons from you. And until my old bones have started to decay, meld into soil, return to earth, I hope none of you ever forget how amazing you are. Even if that exam didn’t go well, if that professor didn’t think you did well enough, if your schedule seems packed and overwhelmed for the next few weeks, you will get through it and bloom like the most beautiful flower.
I think back to how these years have served me, turned me into a person worth the people around me. How I’ve grown and nourished this person I always was. This soul, who just needed a little more care, a little more love, and you’ve all shown that to me in every interaction. In sharing tupperware, financial advice, words that honestly could have made me cry out of happiness in the moment, if we didn’t roll over laughing just seconds later.
To continue the standing tradition of sad, sappy, final farewell blogs — I hope you all can feel my support even if I can’t help out in person anymore. And although love is a strong word, it is a true one. Please continue flourishing and growing. Most of all take care of yourselves, I know the world is just waiting to see what you can make of it.
Carmen Tan
Advisor
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