College Transitions and Koi Fish

By Abbi Rinkenberger

Thursday morning, armed with a Zeus Spanish latte, I entered the Flamingo Hotel’s ballroom and eyed the metallic markers stocking the tables. An array of mind games and colorful maps decked the tables, items to maintain our attention spans during the sessions, but I focused on the pens and markers. During the sessions, while I doodled snails on a sheet of paper and sketched symbols on my binder, I listened to Mr. Dobson discuss transitions and how they affect TCKs immediately and in the future. The Senior Transition Retreat presentations opened my eyes to all the subtle ways my life would change through my transition to college and the importance of processing it now. 

During the break times, the ballroom hummed with energy. Students gathered in a circle to play Secret Hitler, a board game that elicited several instances of abrupt jumping and shouting. Others gathered in a reflective circle to pen their life stories on sheets of paper (I attempted to, but went off on a tangent on overthinking). A few played card games on the ground, the pleasant (though heated) banter radiating from the slap of cards. Card games that confirmed my snail-like reflexes. 

Regarding the retreat, Isaac Beaman (12) said, “I really appreciate getting to spend time with my classmates and playing board games.” 

In the evening and morning, I cherished the ocean breeze floating through the hotel, rustling the palm trees near the beach. The grounds of the hotel reminded me of the little details of Malaysia I would miss, from the view of the ocean to the vibrancy of the hidden garden. And it showed me new things I could appreciate, like the koi fish and red guppies dancing in the ponds. We were encouraged to appreciate our current home in the sessions – and I did. 

The final day of sessions carried a bittersweet atmosphere as we discussed grief and departure. Some seniors have an idea of where they are headed next, and others are waiting to hear back this month. Regardless, we were unified in our reminder to value the people around us and say goodbye well. 

Angel Lee (12) said, “I appreciated that the Senior Transition retreat actually made me realize that my senior year is almost over, and there was a session which introduced the grieving process. It's good to take it in, because I'm really gonna need it soon.” 

While I was mentally weary by the last session, I left the retreat with a commitment to enjoy my final months, process my emotions, and look forward to the next period of my life.