An overdue letter to AUC

Dear AUC,

Where to start? You suck. You are hands down the most corrupt and least efficient organization that I've ever been part of. Registration pains, pointless courses, too much money spent, and shallow students. You overload us with midterms and give us little to no time to prepare, and you insist on giving us our holidays in the most annoying times when all the rest of Egypt are still taking their exams, so we're forced to spend most of the holidays at home. We spend half our college experience on the bus to and from campus, or running around all over AUC to register courses because your online registration also sucks. Most of your food is overpriced and ranges from unhealthy to poisonous/inedible. I was one of the last to witness first-hand the life at the Tahrir campus, where you could also add "crowded" and "way too small" to the nice list I wrote above.
But damn it if you weren't the most important chapter in my life so far.

Through your intense suckiness, you've taught us to depend on each other. I'm not exaggerating when I say that my second family is in AUC's Petroleum Engineering department, where I know from experience that everyone will do everything they can to help you through the rough patches. I'm singling them out because they're my family, but it's not just the PENG department... even though I've met my fair share of fuckwits who I'd rather never see again, I've met amazing people worth twice their weight in gold.
I've made friendships I know will last forever. I had a second home.

I came to you a self-conscious, insecure, socially awkward teenager with a bad haircut, and I'm leaving you as a confident, insanely hot guy (sarcasm) who understands his self-worth and who is not afraid to speak his opinion, and for that I will be eternally grateful. And for all my friends - nay, family- at AUC, whether they've graduated or if they're still going through the character-building maze that is AUC, I appreciate everything you've done for me and I will miss you all, but I'm sure we'll still see each other around. And as much as I hate to admit it, I'll miss this Goddamned place more than I thought I would.

Farewell, AUC. Thank you for making my decade.
But seriously, fuck you still.

Sincerely,
Bondok (2008-2013)

Frozen

Let it goooo, let it go! Can't hold it back anymooooore

Naaaah, just kidding.

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I look around, but I only see
Gloom and grey and shades of white
Why does this sight fill me with glee?
Do I not fear the freezing night?

For I am lost in a wrathful storm,
Snows cover all and cold winds rage
They attack my skin, like a vicious swarm
Of angry bees, in a war they wage

"I shall not fall", I swear, I vow.
"I will not die both cold and alone
I fear no winds, I'll not move now!
My roots are deep and hard as stone"

I feel the cold, it gives me hope
And power and strength and an icy grin
For the cold is me... and I shall cope
With the furious sea of pain within.

"Storm, do your worst, I fear you not!
I've been through far worse storms than you."
The storm replies "You'll die and rot"
And the winds of vengeance blew and blew.

Curse my pride, what kind of man
Would challenge a storm and still survive?
Chased by bees, though other men ran
I walked right up and kicked their hive

Though I am strong, I've made mistakes,
For those I'll pay, for years and years.
Though my regret would fill all lakes
It would not dry their endless tears.

Winter's child and forged from ice,
I was so proud of my cold heart
I had not thought that the price
Would be paid most dearly by their part.

With that, I did kneel in the snow
"My sorrow does not appease their pain"
For every breath I take is a blow,
To the happy memories I have slain.

And thus, I shall await my fate
The king of cold and ice shall freeze
I'd make amends, but it's too late
For me to apologize on my knees.

Some men might wish for a noble death,
With the glow of the Sun, in which they bask
But I'll call for the winds with my last breath,
For a frozen death is all I ask

And though it seems so, it's not mad
For a man to pay for what he's done
and though I freeze, do not be sad
Fulfilled; I'll smile until I'm gone.

*******************************************************

For everyone I've ever hurt. I am sorry.

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