19 - Saying Goodbye Round 1 (The Applebuddies Edition)

So this past Sunday marked the end of my time working as an Applebee's employee for the next few months and it's a bit surreal. I started with the company at the end of my senior year of high school, actually I was hired on Cinco de Mayo, and I've been working there every week for the past 2.5 years. If you've kept up with any of my social media, or you know me personally, you know that I truly have a love/hate relationship with the place. There are shifts that I felt so compelled to just walk out (but clearly didn't) and then there were shifts that I loved every (okay almost every) minute. Just like every Applebee's employees has, I've had my fair share of nightmares about work, and my fair share of dreams of quitting, but now that I've officially laid down my apron until possible September, I'm not quite sure how I feel. To be honest, I cried a little. Not because I love serving that much, but because of the many crazy and amazing friends I've made while working that I've now said goodbye to. Truth be told, I don't have many friends at school because I commute, so work has been the central place where everyone I know and talk to is. As people came up to me, hugged me, and said goodbye, I became a little overwhelmed. To my amazement, people that I didn't think cared too much either way about me, just mere aquaintances, I found coming up to me and sullenly saying goodbye. This whole event has really made me step back and appreciate all that I have, and the opportunity I've been given. So, to those of my Applebuddies that I won't see at my birthday outing or at the Christmas party, please keep in touch, and I love you all. And to those of you that I will see before I leave, I love you all too, and here's to hoping I can keep it together when I do finally have to say goodbye to all of you!

(Get ready for 2.5 years of pictures below that is in no particular order!)