if I had one more day..

My last full day in Japan has, at last, arrived.
There is still so many things to do, so many places to go, and so many people to see, yet at a time like this, I'm at a loss for where to start.
Anxious, is there something important I'm forgetting?
Afraid, is there anything I'm gonna regret?
Flustered, every second seems to be passing by twice as fast.
Alas, the most important thing to me are the people I've met.

A couple of friends and I decided to meet up at Tokyo Dome City in the morning, but because of some miscommunications and the vast selection of exits at the train station, we were all delayed an hour. In that one hour, Naomi and I wandered around frantically in search of Jay. Since we both are leaving tomorrow, we already cancelled our cellphones, so we had no means of communicating with Jay. We walked around and somehow, after a couple attempts of calling Jay through the public telephone, and asking the train staff for directions, we managed to meet up.

The Cursed Teeth

We all agreed that we wanted to go to a haunted house. I admit, after experiencing the haunted house at Fuji-Q, I find these things quite thrilling. This one was not as large or long as the haunted hospital, but it was still fun getting scared, collecting teeth, and whatnot.

Since Naomi had to leave soon to meet up with Mireille, we decided to end out Tokyo Dome visit with the ferris wheel. I realize this is the third ferris wheel I've been on in Japan. :D

I used to think that all views from high altitudes, be it ferris wheels, observation towers, or the top of a mountain were about the same–generally, all big cities look the same to me–but I realized today that the time in place really makes the difference. Looking over Tokyo today, I had a different feeling–a feeling that I'm really gonna miss this place.

roller coaster~ I wanted to ride it..

byebye, Naomi! I'm gonna miss your 「ええと、ええと」!笑

After that, we proceeded to meet up with Sammie in Shinjuku. The day was quite messy and unplanned, so I feel bad about that, but honestly, I couldn't plan it. The only thing on my mind was just to be with you guys. It didn't matter what we did or where we went.

We ended up going to a cafe and just hanging out there, chatting. I'll admit conversation was awkward, but it was because I was so nervous, my subconscious mind was counting down every second of the day.

We finally took our purikura, the three of us. I'm gonna miss you guys soooo bad.

 

And before we knew it, it was already time for Sammie to leave. My kaiwa partner, my seishun buddy! We have soooo many memories together, it's insane. I couldn't help feeling sad. And my tears fell right after you passed through the ticket gate.

Jay and I spent the rest of the day walking around Shinjuku, looking through shops at Isetan, etc. It's strange that I was unable to think of anywhere I really wanted to go. 

 

We happened to come across a night street fair. Not really sure what was the event or holiday, but it was nice seeing food and game stands again. 

We left on the last trains returning home. I took my time walking down the quiet path from Nishi-kawa guchi station to DK House.

Then, I did some last minute packing.

Cleaning up all my papers, this is the stack of all the homework that I have done this semester. I'm proud of the fact that I have handed in every single assignment, taken every single quiz and exam, and written all the writing assignments. Besides a couple classes that I've missed, I've been in school 98% of the time.

Some people call me crazy and wonder how I get so much done when I go out and travel so much. Looking back now, I agree, but the best advice I can give is, don't forget your duties. The only reason why I came to Japan was to learn Japanese, as a student. While everything around you is new and interesting, you might slack off and start to neglect your studies, but don't forget your original motive! Don't forget that you're still a student. I think it takes a lot of time managing and prioritizing, good judgment and also hard work. I was always an overachiever and I don't accept anything less than perfect, so I always make sure my work is done before I go out and have fun. Yes, I did sacrifice a lot of sleep and pull many all-nighters, but it was worth it for the things I gave it up for.

In the end, it's all about self control.