As soon as it ends, it begins again...

We clean up pretty nicely.

Yesterday, after packing up my mom's car for the second time and turning in my office and room keys, eating lunch with her and Vic, and dropping Vic off his apartment, we drove off to home.

I slept in my full sized bed for the first time in two months.  It felt very large and very empty.  I'm so used to sharing a twin extra long with Vic, and not having those soft snores and little fidgets was strange.  I was dive-bombed more times than is necessary by the stink bugs that have decided to call my room home.

I have most of my things unpacked, but there is still some stuff to go through and organize.  Papers to sort through, notebooks to clean out, laundry to finish... it's not too bad, but the living room looks like someone shook out my room at school.

Tomorrow begins my new GA job.  Classes start 3 weeks from tomorrow.  I'm going back to my other part time job as well.  Vic and I have a class together, and he's also joining my family for the mini family reunion of sorts for my grandfather's birthday party.

My dad is leasing me a car soon.  We're still at odds a bit with this, as we're both looking at different cars.  He claims that the one I want is too small, but I've countered with the fact that I'm the only one driving it and it gets awesome gas mileage.  It's also affordable, which is something we both want because he's paying for it for a year, and then I take over payments after graduation.  (Which in and of itself is terrifying that I'll be walking across a stage for my Master's degree in 362 days...)

But anyhow.  That's been my life in a nutshell.  I'm still waiting for 3 more grades to trickle in from the semester, but I got notification that I'm being inducted into an honors society, so I can't complain too much.  Life is pretty awesome.

Washington, DC, take 2

In years past, I've taken various weekend trips to see cousins in Virginia and an uncle in Ohio.  They all started and ended the same:  leave Friday morning (mom always says 9, but we never make it out of the house before 11) and come back Sunday pre-evening (to use a Sheldon Cooper term).  We did this for Thanksgiving and it worked pretty well (apart from my mother getting a speeding ticket of course).  However, this time the trip will be with Vic.

We're going to DC!  (Again, you might ask?  Yes.  He and I love the city and can see ourselves living there one day.)  Vic loves the Capitals (hockey team, for those unfamiliar), and on a whim (after some planning and thought) bought tickets.  So, on Friday pre-evening, we'll be heading downtown via bus and hanging out in the city.  Our bus to DC leaves super early on Saturday, but that also gives us time to walk around,  site see, and do touristy stuff, in the words of Vic, once we arrive.  That's fine by me.

The game is at 7:00 PM, and our return bus leaves in the early hours on Sunday.  So it'll be a whirlwind trip, but I'm looking forward to spending a weekend away from school, obligations, residents, and all the other fun stuff that grad school throws at me.  So, with travel toothbrushes, toothpaste, and small Listerine, my camera, and probably 2 clean shirts in tow, we'll be off to DC.  I can't wait.

Comforts and Connections

As I write this, I realize that I haven't updated in way too long.  Life has been at its constant state:  spending time with Vic, going to class and doing assignments, working for what often seems like next to nothing, and getting ready for the end of the school year.

Having these connections in my life is a comfort.  Spending time with Vic is the best and my favorite part of any day.  I'm pretty sure I'd go crazy if it wasn't for him, and I'm crazy about him.  Getting to date your best friend is amazing.  We've been together just short of fourteen months, and I've loved every one of those days  more than words can express.  I have no qualms in saying he's the best thing in my life.

Moving back home and living with my parents will be a stark difference from living on campus and seeing Vic every day.  However, we both have summer classes (including one together) and jobs on campus, so we will get to see each other then, which I know I'll look forward to.

This Wednesday marks my final program as a Community Assistant.  Last year, my penultimate program was creating blankets for an organization that donates them to children in need.  Although not volunteer-based, my last program will be instructing students in becoming peer mentors at the university I attend.  Ironic, considering that my new GA job will be with this very office.  Even though I changed my major after my freshman year, knowing that I had a mentor to answer questions I might have, give me advice in classes and professors, and learning about campus was something I really appreciated.

As I think about my work history, from baby-sitting as an adolescent, to working food service and retail, residence life, and now, soon to be in the mentoring office, I realize how much they all involve people.  Although I'm an introvert by my very nature, I feel comfortable around those I'm closest with.  My friends, coworkers, family, and fellow classmates have made me who I am.  Learning about them as people fascinates me.  My classes have made me realize who I am, what I want to do in this world (and what I don't), and the support of my professors aids in that as well.

I saw a professor tonight before class who had been out for quite a few weeks concerning a health issue, and he was back and happy and jolly as he had been before leaving.  He noticed the Kindle I was holding (my new toy, as he called it) and we compared notes on tech toys.  He showed me a few apps that he had on his iPad (which unfortunately aren't available on the Kindle store just yet), and listening to him speak so passionately about what he does inspires me.

I only hope that some day, as a counselor, mentor, what have you, that I'm able to make that sort of difference in a person's life and absolutely love what I do.

2 more months...

Only two more months until the first fall and spring semesters of my graduate school career are over.  Wow. Anyhow...

Fun fact:  Ever since my first day of school as a tiny five year old in kindergarten (no, seriously, I wore a size 2T shirt when I was 5), I have always had a love for school, school supplies, back to school clothes shopping (though that one has basically diminished since 9th grade), and the like.

Ah, kindergarten.

As many/most of you know, this summer, I'll have four classes, a graduate assistantship on campus, and a part-time job.  (A social life...that one's still iffy.)  The following fall semester, I'll again have a grad assistantship, three classes, and a practicum (abbreviated internship sort of thing that's twice a week).  This will also be the first time in five years that I'll be living at home and going to school instead of living on campus.  Apart for the fact that I won't get to see Vic every day, I'm looking forward to it in a way.  No 3 AM phone calls from residents getting locked out, no roommate disputes to mediate, no door tags to make... Ah, the non-residence life life.  Although this also entails once again sharing a bathroom with my 19 year old brother and 60-something father.  Ick.

My room at home is on the street side of the house, and I have a bay window in my room and I hear all of the traffic (not that there's much for a somewhat country road; though Country Road is one of my favorite songs...).  There's the good and bad of living at home.  My parents are going to be leasing me a car this summer, so that'll be helpful to everyone.  I also get to have home-cooked meals instead for food instead of the cafeteria food at school, which is awesome.  I will, however, miss Vic's cooking.  He's an amazing cook. I love it.

The first picture of us together. What an awesome year it's
been...Can't wait for forever with my best friend.

I've recently found myself looking for ideas for lunches to pack for school (I ate school lunches from ages 5-18 and don't particularly care to buy it again during my internships), trying to downsize and organize my room (having a drawer full of t-shirts at home seems ridiculous when I have a dresser at school that I only use 3/4 drawers of and only use one of my closets (Vic uses the others)), and also looking at different employment opportunities in the field of counseling.

I've worked in Residence Life for 3 years now, so I've considered that, but I also want something new in my life.  Student Affairs in general has always intrigued me.  And my degree will be in School Counseling.  Time will only tell what sort of job I'll have when I find it.

Vic has been looking for jobs with Academic Advising, something he really likes and not in this area.  We've talked about Illinois, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia... Basically, where the jobs are and a good place to live.  As I've told him many a time, no matter what he decides to do, wherever we wind up in this crazy world, I'll support and be with him every step of the way.