End of Semester drew closer - Dandelions

Article: Gayathma Weerawanni

Cover: Sayuri Wijesekara

 End of Semester drew closer

The call for articles by Sayuri for the club blog came at a bittersweet moment, stirring the hearts of my friends, but leaving me in a sea of emotions. It asked everyone to share their cherished stories from their boarding places, tales that were filled with laughter, friendship, and moments of connection as the semester came to an end. I, on the other hand, had a different story to tell.

While my friends reveled in memories of late-night chats, midnight feasts, and the close bonds they'd forged within the walls of their boarding places, I was an outlier in this narrative.

Unlike my peers, I commuted from the comfort of my own home. Ammi would drop me off at the university and pick me up when the day's lectures concluded. Occasionally, I even had the luxury of driving myself. I had it all – hot showers whenever I wanted, the warmth of three home-cooked meals, an overflowing closet with clean clothes, and the luxury of not having to trek for miles between home and university. My friends often joked about how lucky I was, and deep down, I knew they were right. But beneath that veneer of comfort, there was a loneliness that tugged at my heart, a longing for the experiences I had missed that my cozy life couldn't fill.

As I sat alone in my room, watching the words of my friends take shape on the blog, I couldn't help but feel a pang of loneliness. I longed for the stories that were never mine to tell - the shared meals, the late-night study sessions, and the unspoken bonds that had woven themselves within the walls of the boarding places.

Yet, there was one thing to be immensely grateful for. My dearest friends, the ones who treated my home like it was theirs, well, they had this knack for showing up just when I needed them the most. Sometimes when it's least expected.  Raiding the cookie jar or finishing off the last bit of ice cream in the fridge, making the walls of the house echo with laughter, even momentarily. The ones who consider themselves as family; the ones who actually are family.

_ Gayathma Weerawanni _