#tipeast13

   Now that it’s been a few days since TiP and our emotions have (kind of) died down, I’d like to share something with you all. You may have noticed that, on the last day, I wasn’t crying. (There were some tears earlier, but not all that many, and they weren’t really sad tears.) Now, why wasn’t I crying? Because I was really, truly, legitimately okay. I remember last year, when I could barely keep it together, when I really thought I couldn’t live without you guys. This year wasn’t like that. These three weeks have given me the strength and confidence to go out there and get what I want. And even if I fail, I’m not worthless. I’m not a failure. And TIP has taught me that. Not just taught me that, but…made it sink in? Being around people who accept me and care about me and even bother to comfort me when I’m sad (4th year girls, remember when I started crying in Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll? You guys went over and hugged me and told me that you accepted me and were there for me, and loved me. That meant a lot.) At one point early in the term, I had a breakdown for no real reason and told Emily that I JUST WANTED TO STOP HATING MYSELF. Because I did hate myself. I don’t have a lot of friends at home, and it just wore down on me and ate away at my self-confidence and made me miserable 24/7. After three weeks, TIP has FINALLY given me the strength to get rid of that feeling, because you guys taught me that hey, I’m pretty cool after all! So, with that baggage gone, I’m ready to face the world. And while I’ll miss you all dearly, TIP isn’t the end of my life. It’s a whole new beginning.        Ironically, being at TIP has given me the strength to leave TIP. I think this is the best thing that could happen to me as a fourth-year. Please, as you’re crying, just realize how much TIP has taught you. Realize that it’s made you better and stronger, and that you CAN get through whatever you’re dealing with at home, be it TIPression or something worse. Don’t cry because it’s over, SMILE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED. Thank you all for this amazing term, and thank you even more for helping me discover myself.

i was bored and i made a thing