I'm Glad to Have Met You

As the quarter comes to a close at UC San Diego, we find ourselves holding both deep gratitude and the bittersweet reality of farewell to this year.  In our final gatherings, there were tears of profound thankfulness for a community where students could bring their whole selves and be met with welcome, respect, and care. Throughout the year, our shared space became a place of belonging, where questions of faith, purpose, identity, and hope could be explored honestly. For many international students, far from home and navigating an unfamiliar culture, this community offered friendship, encouragement, and a sense of family in a foreign environment. Watching those relationships take root and flourish has been one of the great gifts of this year.

Goodbyes matter because they remind us that what we have shared is meaningful. As students prepare to return home, graduate, or move into new seasons of life, we are learning once again the importance of honest and vulnerable farewells. Taking time to express gratitude, share memories, and acknowledge the impact we have had on one another is itself a sacred practice. These moments of parting invite us to celebrate growth, honor relationships, and trust that the connections formed here will continue to bear fruit long after the quarter has ended. Even as we say goodbye, we do so with hope, carrying one another's stories forward and giving thanks for the ways God has been present among us.