It occured to me

I am thrilled that I will be back next year. I am so happy to be back in Storrs for two more years. (I feel like I was re-elected to congress)

I also realized that a lot of people that I know, not all, (probably not even most people I know) will be leaving next year. I will be back, but some of the people that I know really well won't be around any more.

I actually just got a dose of that reality last night. My friend Vlad and I would often play soccer on 50 degree plus nights. I went to play, but Vlad is in California now so he obviously couldn't join me.

This also makes me wonder a little bit about red-shirt athletes. They enter as a class and, while they make friends with other teammates, there is still a special bond that they have as a group. However, once they become a redshirt-senior they don't have the rest of their class with them. In a way it must be a little strange for them because the people they have known the best over their past four years aren't around.