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A Valediction

28 June 2011
Clara D
We arrive to whitewashed dorm rooms, blank canvases for us to make our own. It seems like it was months ago, not years, that I first arrived here, welcomed by the smiling faces of strangers soon to become friends. Each person is drawn to Brentwood for their own reasons, whether they be family ties, a fresh start, or the lure of new opportunities. For me, it was a dream that was inspired seven years ago.

In May 2003, my parents and I went on a trip to Vancouver over the May long weekend and stayed at the Westin Bayshore. After going out to dinner, my mother and I sat in the lobby of the hotel to watch the coming and goings of the students celebrating their graduation. We had fun watching the girls in their beautiful gowns and upon hearing that it was a boarding school, I made a commitment to someday go to a school like that. Four years later I found myself touring Brentwood, falling in love with the school on one of its perfect, sunny Mount Baker days. It was not until last fall that I connected the dots between the anonymous Bayshore graduation and Brentwood. I had in fact, been watching the Brentwood graduating class of 2003 and had ended up exactly where I had dreamed I would someday go.  

Over my own grad weekend, my parents and I chose to stay at the Bayshore for the first time since visiting there seven years ago. Although the Brentwood Grad is no longer held there, it was a nostalgic visit, and provided perspective about how far I had come and how much my life had changed.

I felt it appropriate to share that story, as my blog, and my Brentwood days, come to a close. I have written countless articles about my favorite aspects of life on campus, but few on my personal connection to the school. Writing has always been my means of expression; this blog has become an invaluable way for me to share my experiences. As the walls of my last Brentwood dorm are returned to their original bare state, I begin to realize what a big impact coming here has had on my life. I came to Brentwood three years ago with hopes for new adventure and gained more life experience than I could have imagined -- countless Alex sisters, lifelong friends, a world-class education, and memories I’ll treasure forever.

To those returning to Brentwood next year, I wish you another wonderful year; to those setting off on the next chapter of their life, all the very best in your future. 
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