Chris and I like following the Cruise Channel on the ship’s entertainment system where a live map of our route is displayed. On our 2017 voyage, the line reflected our straight and fast trajectory to get across the Pacific Ocean. In 2020, we watched our course divert, sometimes at the very last minute, from ports that turned us away as the corona virus spread. In 2022, the map displayed intersecting loops and curves as we moved slowly and over shorter distances during our pandemic-influenced itinerary.

Two and a half years ago, I set out to “make waves” sailing to over 20 ports around the world on two consecutive Semester at Sea voyages. Interrupted by a global pandemic, I was excited to come “full circle” to finish my adventure in Spring 2022. As it turned out, this voyage wasn’t about completing something at all. It was about continuing it. Rather than coming full circle, we rode the waves in loops and curves keeping Semester at Sea afloat, building relationships and community, and challenging ourselves.

The ship is a second home where we feel safe and loved. Its officers and crew are family from whom I’ve learned kindness, acceptance, and tenacity. Through this profound shared experience, I’ve grown closer to my mom, Chris, and Olivia and adopted an additional mom in Linda Clark, a model of grace, positivity, and acceptance. We have new relationships with family in Sweden and friends made in other ports. And we have a community filled with lifelong friendships forged as the VoLT unraveled each new puzzle, the field team made magic happen, staculty and student life teams did backflips to deliver coursework and programing, and the students and LLLs persisted and flourished through it all.

This semester was filled with joy and wonder. We were pushed to our limits, we persevered, and we thrived. And in the end, Ted Lasso’s words ring truer than ever, “I feel like we fell out of the lucky tree and hit every branch on the way down, ended up in a pool of cash and Sour Patch Kids.” Now, how soon can we book tickets to San Diego to see Will?!