While I have an evening, I thought I’d post about my last week at the university.
For all 5 days I ran on a combination of adrenaline and caffeine. I wasn’t thinking about the job ahead, and I was trying not to think about the endings to be faced on Friday. It was a weird kind of excitement, kind of like the end of summer break and getting ready to ship out to college again. Not like the first trip to college, more like the second or third semester. Anyway, I knew my supervisor was also trying not to dwell on my absence-to-come, so neither of us really talked about it more than in passing, and by unspoken agreement neither of us brought up any mushy sentiments.
But my dear supervisor was great when it came to making me feel loved before I left. We had cake on Thursday, with photos on the frosting.
Is that cool or what? 
The cake was marble and the frosting totally rocked — buttercream, from Harris Teeter. A bunch of people from our floor and from the IT department stopped by, and I think I was glowing the whole time.
On Friday, I finished cleaning up my PC (though I did forget a couple of things which I had to email my supervisor about later) and packing my office (I had way more stuff than I thought), and I headed out to meet people for a farewell dinner at a Mexican restaurant, and we were able to procure three tables on a small second floor area where we could be loud without too much fear of bothering others. A couple of people from our floor were there, as well as some IT folk which was very neat. Happily, three former co-workers also were able to come by, including the graphic designer whom I had not seen since his departure 2 months earlier.
In total, there were about a dozen folks there. They gave me a fun navy blue t-shirt with the university name in glow-in-the-dark lettering, which they had all also signed in light ink. I’ve thought about hanging it on my wall in the bedroom, but I’ll have to see whether it glows too much first. 
Most special to me, though, was the gift from my supervisor, which she let me open right before we left the office for the last time. It turned out to be a silver and gold collar with a silver and gold cat face pendant. The pendant also has a pin backing, so I could wear it separately on a lapel.
It’s the sort of thing I probably wouldn’t have tried on myself if I had seen it in the store, but when I put it on on Friday, it was perfect. It sits just right around my neck and it’s gorgeous. I feel like a princess with it on, so I wore it to my first day at my new job, which was an all-day orientation.
I’ll save the new job for another post. Suffice to say that while I know a big and probably very rewarding challenge lies ahead, I miss my supervisor at the university. I miss working with her even more than wearing khakis. LOL.. 
I know it will take some time to get to know my new co-workers, but for right now I wish for some familiar faces I can chat with. Hopefully some plans for a “golden team of UR” reunion this weekend will work out!