Seven2Six: Past 2 Present

It’s that time of the quarter again where people study day and night for their finals. To prepare, people pack their backpacks with snacks and their study material for the day. Next, they would have to figure out where they want to settle down for the day and study for hours and hours. For me, it’s a pretty simple decision. There is no where else that I would rather spend my time studying than at Price Center. I came to this school being amazed by Price Center, and I will stay being loyal to Price Center. (weird, huh?)

I remember back in the day when I would sit at the my table (aka. MASA spot), but it used to be the high tables and not the low ones. People would see me there so much, they eventually just settled down there and either did their work there or chatted with me. Soon, it would be the spot where people would meet up and get their day going. During finals week, people would study at Price Center too. Why? I just assume people got used to meeting their friends at Price Center. I’m guessing that’s the first place people would go to to find study buddies. PC study parties would be from 11am to 2am.

I guess times have changed. It’s finals week again and I’m at Price Center by myself. Everyone is elsewhere studying. I rather not change my ritual because I’ve been spending my time here way too much. I guess you could say I have been institutionalized. Why don’t I just join the others? They have asked me, but I feel like I should stick with Price Center. Loyalty could be the weird. Could you be loyal to an inanimate object? I started something in this place. I’ll stick with this place.

My first visit to this college was during the SoCal college tour in my senior year of high school. I was just a kid that didn’t care much for college. The only reason I even participated on the tour was because a friend of mine made me go. As I strolled down library walk, I was amazed by so many food vendors (it was a Tuesday, which was Food Market). I asked the tour guide if they had the fair everyday, and he kindly informed me that the fair happened every Tuesday. I looked over to my left and saw a really nice plaza with very nice buildings. It was Price Center. At that moment, I knew that I wanted to go to this school, which had yummy food on Tuesdays and a nice place to hang out when I want to eat.

I applied to five UCs: UC Santa Cruz, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, and  San Diego. Although I got into most of them, I knew that I would go to UC San Diego. My mom told me that if I got into UCLA, I would have to go there. Unlike most high school seniors, I hoped that I wouldn’t get into UCLA. Well, I ended up going to UC San Diego.

It’s been two years now; it seems like I’ve came a long way. My freshmen orientation was so awkward. Throughout the whole day, I didn’t talk to anyone in my orientation group because I was just a shy Chinese kid that missed the city. The majority of my first year was basically isolating myself and not wanting to try new things. After some thought, I decided to actually want to try new things and make college interesting. Fast forward another year, I met a lot of new friends, experienced a lot of new things, and created a lot of great memories. In about two weeks, my second year in UCSD would be coming to an end. It’s weird how fast two years passed by. When I was in high school, it was weird how fast two years passed by then too.

I’m already halfway gone from this place. I know that once I graduate, I’m going to miss this place. I remember after my first year, when I went back to San Francisco, I really missed a lot of things that I did in SD. I missed my “PC Man Spot”, which is now called “The MASA Table.” I missed how people would come over to chat and chill when I would be either studying or just passing my time in PC. I missed late-night hangouts doing random stuff with people. Once I graduate, there will be no PC Man Spot up in San Francisco. There will be no Price Center for me to just go to when I want to pass the time and not stay home. Maybe this is how people that graduated feel when they finish college. Ugh, how I don’t want that time to come.