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So You're Leaving?
So tomorrow is the big day, right? Well, that's what everyone tells me. Tomorrow I leave my family, friends, and everything that I have come to believe and value as "home." That's right, I'm off to college!

Throughout the entire summer after high school graduation, I could not stop thinking of how great it would be to simply relax, sleep, play basketball everyday, train and condition for Track & Field, go to movies, go out with friends, spend quality time with my parents, and visit my brothers in Los Angeles. Since my freshman year in high school, I've visited my brothers at least once or twice during the summer. It's great leaving Northern California for some time on the beaches of Santa Monica, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and walking down the 3rd Street Promenade. I say it was great leaving because I always knew I was eventually coming back home - to good ole Stockton, CA.

Working at the Youth Center was a fun job. I worked with kids who live on an Army base. With the kids, I played games, watched movies, went on field trips, and had a great time. It was difficult leaving them because I felt as if I was their mentor and friend. I hope to visit them as much as possible when I go home from time to time. I promised I would. Along with working at the Youth Center, I volunteered at a local radio station. I had a reggae gig every Thursday for three hours. It was so much fun I have decided to join the Stanford Radio Station. So with these two great life experiences and hanging out with my family and friends came a different range of emotions.

After returning from LA in late August, I had roughly two weeks before leaving home. I felt anxiety, enthusiasm, joy, pride, fear, longing, sadness, happiness, everything!! I was beginning to doubt whether or not I really wanted to leave home. Home·how can anywhere else be considered home? I am going to dearly miss my parents, brothers, my cousin, my best friends, and the new friendships and relationships I made this summer.

So here's the deal everyone·I'm attending a Sports Orientation Dinner Thursday night, and I move into my dorm Friday morning. If you stay tuned, I'll let you know how it all goes·Peace!

BIOGRAPHY:	Charbel Joseph Semaan
Age	18 years old
High School	Saint Mary's High School (Stockton, CA)
College	Stanford University
Major	Psychology
HS GPA	4.10
Accomplishments	Student Body Pres in high school Founded a website design company (Onbel Enterprises) CIF Spirit of Sport Award Track & Field Team Captain My partner and I were the Gavel recipients of the Santa Clara Valley Model United Nations Conference in the UNDP committee.

Article provided by iHigh.com

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