I started off senior year with a lot of uncertainty. I was back in cloudy Binghamton after a summer of running away from my subconscious realization that I didn’t want to go to grad school for my major. As I sat on my sheetless bed in an empty house, I felt an overwhelming sense of dread about the year to come and the inevitable decisions I would have to make about my future. I was unsure about what to do after college, and senior year felt like an ending I was unprepared for. At first, most of my anxiety was focused on what to expect from the occupants who would fill the six empty bedrooms of my big, cold and definitely haunted new home. I had known three of my roommates from the Binghamton Food Co-op, and they were the most lovable granola girls I had ever met. We were living with three other girls that I had barely a few conversations with. The gravity of the gamble I had taken by jumping on their lease at the very last minute without really knowing most of my roommates suddenly hit me.
The spring semester of my junior year involved a challenging living situation, a lot of fighting with my best friend and two upper-level chemistry labs on top of my own research. I was constantly exhausted and barely remember those four months. It was supposed to feel like a fresh start, but instead I was terrified. I left my empty house for Pipe Dream production that afternoon and came home to a kitchen of six smiling, laughing people all trying to cook dinner at the same time. I instantly knew that everything would be OK. What followed was an incredible year, still filled with fights, work and many tears, but I had people who were on my side through it all. To my roommates Lauren, Lurin, Haley, Sharon, Kat and Clare, thank you for always filling our house with love, kindness and acceptance. I am so fortunate to have met you.
Thank you, Co-op kids, for creating an environment of inclusivity, love and compassion. If you’ll be in Binghamton next semester, do yourself a favor and join the Food Co-op. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
Noah, Quinoa, I will always cherish our farmers market bike rides, city vegan food tours, cleaning shifts and your ability to always make me laugh. You are an amazing human being, and I’m so glad to have shared my Co-op memories with you.
My Pipe Dream family, if you told me freshman year that I would be the Photo Editor, I would have thought you were crazy. Thank you for the past four years.
Evan, thanks for this semester. I’ll miss doing shoulder stands side by side with you. Good things are coming for you, and I’m so excited to see you succeed.
Ariel, Queen, I’m so excited to see what you do with our section next year. Thanks for being the best assistant.
Jill, my honorary roommate, I love you so much. Thank you for teaching me how to accept people for who they are. You are one of the most genuine and kind people I have ever met. Thank you for everything. I can’t wait for all of our future adventures and to see the wonderful things in store for you.
Kim and Grace, my public Ivy princesses, I know we don’t like emotions, but I love both of you too much. Grace, my fellow wine mom, we have come such a long way since our sophomore days. I’m so inspired by your ability to unapologetically be yourself; you’ve taught me to embrace my inner Grace. Thank you for always being there for me.
Kim, you are my everything. Thank you for your honesty, openness and for showing me how to go for what I want, ruthlessly or not. I’m so thankful for you and your friendship. You’ll always have my vote, Madame President.
Although I’m so not ready for the end of senior year, and I still don’t know what’s next for me, at least now I’m not so afraid, because I have my people. I seriously love you guys.
Rebecca Kiss is a senior majoring in chemistry. She is the photo editor. She was assistant photo editor in 2017-18.