July 24, 2008

For the first time in the past month, I woke up to pouring rain and a thunder storm. It seems ironic because when we arrived in New Brunswick it was the same weather. Every other day has been super hot and overly muggy with temperatures reaching 36 degrees! Now our last day at Shad is mimicking the first.

Today was action packed from the start. As head of the photography committee I had to finish the slideshow for our month at Shad, setting many memories to music. I received a tearful reunion hug from my Mom in the cafeteria this morning. Many other Shad parents arrived today too to support their Shads at Open Day and Variety Show.

I have missed my family to be sure, but being with 59 other Shads is like one big family. It made the experience so much easier. It is however going to make leaving all that much harder because I will have to say goodbye to all the people that I have become so close with. The bond that all Shads share cannot be replaced, over even named. If you are or have been a Shad, you know the feeling. It is the feeling of getting to know so many people so quickly and so deeply. It is being able to sit down at dinner beside anyone and feel welcome. It is being able to talk to anyone on any subject, intellectually or not and know that they completely understand you. It is being able to feel comfortable calling everyone family. I know I am going to miss every single one of them when tomorrow comes. I am missing them already.

While most people were packing and prepping for Open Day, I was frantically finishing the slideshow. I had just enough time to grab lunch on the run, change into my new Shad shirt, and get to Open Day. All of our CT groups represented their projects. We Shads were given the opportunity to ask questions at the end and it ended with us all rolling on the floor laughing. We repeated the toughest questions that the judges had asked only to hear comedic answers in return. Overall it was great. As a break in between the presentations we played the slideshow which had everyone smiling, singing along, and laughing at the memories. We ended the CT presentations with the winning group, Deter-Mine Inc. giving an all star presentation.

After changing into formal wear, we had our banquet dinner. It was another great time for memories; our valedictorian speeches were amazing. We changed back into our Shad t-shirts to head to the Variety Show. Wow, do we have some talent. From piano to singing, improv to flute, guitar to acting, dancing to sax, we’ve got it all. Both our opening and closing numbers included all 60 Shads singing and dancing. Our show coordinator did an amazing job and the event went off without a hitch.

We got our month books when we returned to our residence. For the next 6 hours everyone sat on the floor passing books around and signing. It was a great time to review our memories and give hopes for the future. When the golf ball sized rain drops started, we all ran outside to dance in the rain. We got soaked, and we danced, and we sang, and we laughed together. We were carefree together.

Shad has meant so much to me and to everyone else here at UNB. These past four weeks have changed everyone’s lives. Not in the way I was expecting, but a change for the better none the less. I have 59 new best friends when I leave tomorrow and I know that I can call on any of them at any time. We are connected all across Canada, from Vancouver to Cape Breton, we are one. There is no crying tonight, we’ll save that for tomorrow. Tonight we celebrate the good times we had together. Tonight we live one last night together as Shads, for tomorrow we are Alumni.

Chanelle Gilbert
Shad Valley University of New Brunswick
Hometown: Surrey, British Columbia