It was weird being at Waseda today after all the festivities have ended. The campus seemed so much quieter and less crowded (even when it was a bit crowded at lunch time as usual). It felt as if there wasn't a huge festival there the day before; everything returned to normal. I wish that there was an equivalent festival at my home university. There is really no event that goes on at Earlham, or most American colleges, that can compare to the scale of the Waseda Festival. True there are certain dance performances and other events, but they are no where near the scale or intensity as Wasedasai was. From what I saw, it seems that the students here really put a lot of time an effort into making the best festival that they can. Some groups practice for months so they can perform the best they can at the festival. When the waffles sold out at the Niji no Kai booth, one of the organizers started crying because she was so relieved and happy and had put in so much energy and emotion into Wasedasai. The festival really is a time to acknowledge and appreciate all the amazing things people are doing here. Looking back at Wasedasai I really am so happy that I was able to help sell waffles and participate in the parade. Just going to performances and walking around is fun, but it's a completely different experience actually being a part of the festivities. I hope I never forget this experience!