User:Sarahz42
Sarah Zhao
11.2(CHS) Robotics
12.2 (CHS) BAC
13.1 (LAN) INBS
14.2 (LAN) CODE
15.2 (LAN) COGN
Just another CTY'er that is has CTY forevermore in their heart.
My Passionfruit Speech (with Holly Kopke)
- to inspire all future nomore/nevermores*
We started CTY together in Chestertown 2011. Together, we have spent 260 days, which is 5928 hours, or 355,680 (three hundred fifty five thousand, six hundred and eighty) minutes, at CTY; and throughout that time, our only worries were if turkey hill had run out of skl yet, if the kivo line was too long, if microwaving your food risks burning ndown schnader, and if you can sprint to the farmer’s market line in your heels.
You step onto this campus each year and put this lanyard around your neck, and your true self shows through because you know you’ve come home. All the things you were afraid to express are allowed, accepted even. Throughout these three weeks, you become closer with strangers than you have ever been with anyone from home. maybe even too close. suddenly, slapping tape on someone’s boob and group ranting to your RA about your personal lives during hall meetings seems normal.
As a squirrel with all the older kids crying around me at passionfruit, I never understood how attached you can get to people or to a camp in 3 weeks, nor how much it can hurt to get that ripped away from you. I couldn't imagine putting that feeling into words, so I'll quote "When shock wears off, when the body can accept that a trauma has happened, it can let down its defenses. it’s a scary moment. it’s vulnerable". And right now, I don’t know how long my shock will last before I break down into tears. To realize there are no last chances. To realize my time is finally up. That this is the end. Although, I believe that ends aren't meant to be sad. I see them as something beautiful to look back upon, as you never truly appreciate something until you no longer have it.
But we need to remember CTY as full of firsts. Our first time at a nerd camp, Our first slowdances, Our first time clinging to a plastic spoon for hours on end, and our first time waking up at 5 am to watch people we don't know cry and give sad speeches. I had never swung glowsticks on shoelaces before CTY and I had never made better friends. You only have a limited amount of time with all the amazing people. Bonds grow faster and the jokes pile up until you’re on the floor of KIVO laughing at the stupidest joke while the kivo man glares at you to get off his floor. But all you really want is for time to freeze then and there while you’re surrounded by people you love, in a place you love, with all your worries aside.
But that's just a dream that has wasted away.
And now we are ending this after 5 very long years together, at Lancaster 15.2.
And all we can say is...
I like you, I love you. I CTY you!
I love CTY and I love the passionfruit!
