I guess I’m an… alumn?

This is weird.

I walked across the stage, and shook a lot of hands.

I picked up my diploma, and thought about all the classes I took to get it.

I came back to an apartment full of families, food, and people relaxing.

I went out to dinner one last time in Stage College.

I packed up my room, and looked back at an empty space.

I said my ‘good byes’, and even thinking about that now makes me want to cry.

I drove out of town, and realized I don’t know when I’ll be back.

At our ceremony they said “Welcome to the Penn State Alumni Association”. That doesn’t sound right yet, but I guess I’m an “alumn”. And now I’m part of one of “the most powerful networks of college graduates”. Thanks, Penn State.

Now I’m en route to Florida for a family vacation.  We love us some “Disneyworld”, and I am pretty exciiited. I hope it helps to block out this whole “graduation” thing, because reality hasn’t hit, and I don’t want it to. So instead, I’ll spend my week at the Happiest place on Earth, having a Magical time.

Senior Year: Part 1

I got a little taste of what this year would be like over the summer. I finally turned 21, and began introducing myself to the bar scene that is downtown. I couldn’t wait for my best buddies (aka roomies) to be back so we could hit the town together.

We started off strong, the football season was looking gooood after a victory over Notre Dame in the first ever FULL stadium White Out. It was beeeautiful. Em & I even bought ourselves a Jersey for the occasion.

Ohio State may have beat us, but the experience wasn’t lost.  The whole day was spent at the Hanson’s tailgate–eating, warming up, drinking, eating, and preparing ourselves for the game. It was the first and only Late night game I went to in Beaver Stadium, and it was quite the experience. This is my favorite picture of all of us.

For most of the 07′ Season we enjoyed some gorgeous game-day weather, tailgating, and some Wins here & there. It took us to the Alamo Bowl in December, which I got to enjoy with the fam in San Antonio.  The last game we attended in Beaver Stadium as Students was sad, we sat until the very end and savored the experience.  I can’t say I’ll miss standing up for four hours every game, but I will miss being a part of the BEST Student Section in the Country (yea, that’s right.).  “We ARE……PENN STATE!”

Football weekends were crazy as usual; we quickly learned you can’t move (or breathe) in most bars unless you get downtown earlyyyy and mark your spot. On the off weekends, we explored the different bars, found a lot we liked and a few that we didn’t.  I introduced Larisa to “Lulu’s”, and she was never the same. We spent every Saturday there, with DJ Killa Kaos and $1 drinks.

My parents came to visit, I said good-bye to friends who graduated early, and I narrowed my options down to the internships I wanted to apply to. Last fall seems like so long ago already. It went by way too fast, and before we knew it there was snow on the ground and we were studying away for Finals.  We had our “Second Annual Classy Christmas Party”, and after learning from a few mistakes on the first round, it was no doubt a success. We celebrated the fact that we survived, and still had one more semester to go…..

Suddenly Juniors & Growing up….

Spending the summer here after a semester ‘off’ put me back into school mode. I remember driving in and seeing that sign, “Penn State University 2 Miles“, and I couldn’t get the smile off my face. LB and Em both stopped by for a weekend visit, and I was getting so excited for us all to finally be together in one apartment. I was still a little nervous about how it would work out, because it had only been just the four of us a handful of times before moving in together.

Something happened that summer that changed everything. It brought us all together for one day-LB and Sally drove 6 hours to meet up with me, and we drove another 3 to meet up with Em-and while helping one of us go through one of the hardest things she may ever have to deal with, we became a family.

I walked up three flights of stairs with my two big ol’ suitcases to start the move-in process, and was met with a very excited LB and a living room that was already decked out in everything PSU, including blue & white curtains for the big ol’ window. It was mostly ‘football’ themed, as we couldn’t wait to get back in that Stadium and watch the first kick-off of the season.

We all had our separate rooms, and we have decorated them so differently. Of course I had to be the one to move my furniture around, just to test things out. LB’s is nice and cozy, with big curtains and blankets covering the windows, and drapery over her bed. Sally’s always looks relaxing, with her big quilts, and pictures of flowers and postcards from Italy on the wall. Emily’s is all pastels of course, it feels like Spring, with a touch of class in her Marilyn Monroe pics that have been around since day 1. Plus her awesome mirror with the green frame, I love that mirror. I tried to branch away from all things purple, buying a new light green Duvet cover and very light yellow curtains.

Junior year was a weird time for us. We met a lot of new people, and realized our time here was already winding down. We hosted our first annual “Classy Christmas Party”, requiring people to dress up (and they did!), and we had a few family visitors stop by. We dressed up as Crayola Crayons for Halloween (oh, we looked Awesooome), and I began to seriously Love Football (first game-and from there on out-I stood for the whole time, big accomplishment!). We had to start thinking about what our life would be like after college, as it seemed like everybody was starting to prepare for that. It was stressful in that sense, as I really had no idea what I wanted to do. We were getting a little burned out from ’school’, and also from seemingly be the only Juniors at this school that weren’t 21 yet. Obviously we weren’t, but oooh it felt like it sometimes.

Jack and I had started dating while I was in FL, so being only 8 hours apart actually felt close. Weird, I know. He drove up here, I drove up there. We had our weekends together, and they were so much fun. For as hard as that was, it was also good. I know that if he were any closer, or even here (crazy, I know), I wouldn’t have had as much time to devote to making memories with my roommates and best friends. My life here would have been very different, obviously in many good ways, but finding that balance is never-ending. We did fine on the phone and with sporadic weekend visits, because that’s just how it was. It’s how it started, and it’s how it progressed. The other roomies had “long term relationships” too, so we all did it, and we all had each other.

By the end of the year we had had ourselves some goooood times, some down times, some times when we were ready to be done with it all and felt like it was never going to be over (classes). We grew so close to each other, and become quite attached to this little apt of ours. Renewing our lease meant not having to move (yes!!!), and getting to be together for another year (yes yes!!). LB and Em finally turned the big 2-1 at the end of the year, so Sally and I only had to be jealous for a few weeks. Our time would come in the summer, and we had our whole senior year to look forward to.

Visitors: Lauren (the little sis) & Jack (of course)!

Sophomore Stories: Tales from Crazytown

After spending the summer at home, it was hard to go back. I wasn’t sure if this was the right school for me, and I hated to be so far away again. The first night in our new dorm room, Em and I stayed up for hours talking and talking and talking. We had so much to catch up on, and we picked up right where we had left off. I felt at home again, and I remembered why I came back.

We decided to call our room “Crazytown”. Mostly because of a few “inside jokes”, and also because that’s exactly what it was. It would turn out that I’d only be there for one semester, but that was one awesome semester. A lot can happen in four months.

Early on I decided that I was going to do an internship that would mean I’d live in central Florida for Spring semester. On a random Monday night I ran into two girls putting up posters for this program, and I uncharacteristically stopped to chat it up with them. That “chat” changed the rest of my experience at Penn State.

They knew somebody (Larisa, aka LB) who would be driving to the auditions for the program and would probably give me a ride. I jumped at the opportunity, e-mailed her, and we decided to have a lunch date. We “hit it off”, and I hopped in a car with her and Sally for a road trip the next weekend. We got lost, almost missed the audition itself, sang loudly to Mariah Carey, danced danced danced, chowed down on McDonalds, and somehow made it back alive. I remember calling my mom that night and telling her that these girls were awesome!! I remember saying that “we just clicked”.

From there we would move on to going to football games together, dressing up for Halloween together, having lunch dates on Friday at McElwain because they had Spaghettios….and I reallyyy like Spaghettios.

Em & I invited them over for a night in “crazytown”, and let me tell you…it was a little crazy. We did a Christmas-music themed power hour ( I survived until about minute 34, ehhhhh), and snacked on a ridiculous amount of chips and Chex-Mix. We didn’t know it then, but this was only the beginning to our roommate love story, and the start of many many many nights together.

(this picture, um, sums up the night. oh, man)

In January, LB and I departed on the adventure of our college career. We met up in Florida, and found ourselves in an apartment with 6 other girls. Yes, we lived with 8 girls in one apartment. It was ridiculous, and one of the best experiences of my life. We were all on the same program, and came from very different places. The next four months would be spent working at the *happiest* place on Earth, playing, enjoying life without classes/tests/school, growing up, and learning a lot about each other. We made a few trips to the beach, a lot of trips to the theme parks, and had a few visitors along the way. The experience came at just the right time, a nice little break from college and the winter of central Pennsylvania.

I needed that year to realize how much I loved Penn State. I had no idea how much I would miss this place. I knew that coming back in the Fall things would be very different. Amy would be graduated and gone, and I would miss her so much. Emily, Larisa, and Sally would be my roomies and we would have our first college apartment. I would be a Junior, and I would be completely in love with this college life of mine.

We were only Freshmen

I was way too far from home, and had no idea what to make of it. I was desert born and raised, and the first time it rained I thought I’d be okay without an umbrella. But here, when it rains it pours, and I got soaked.

Emily lived right next to me, and within the first week I knew she’d be my saving grace. We were placed in the Honors dorm, and being that I was NOT in the Honors College, you could say I was a little out of place. I did get lucky; my first roommate was awesome, I couldn’t have asked for better. She was so nice, caring, un-confrontational, and completely sane. We got along just fine, and we never wanted to kill each other.

But when Emily ran into my room while I was getting ready one night, and said “Are you going out?!? Can I come?!?!”, I knew we were meant to be.

I joined a social service sorority, which only last until my sophomore year. Through this, I met the other person who saved my Penn State life. She was my “big” (you sorority-ers know what that means) and she took care of me. Amy is two years older than me & I’ll be in her wedding this Fall. She came into my life at the right time. Anyway-We had to have socials, which I was never crazy about going to. All I knew was that Emily would be ready and waiting for me at exactly 11:15 p.m. when I could leave, and we’d have our own fun for the night.

We handled the concept of college classes, and learned how to study/not study and get away with it. We learned that you can Not go to class, and still survive (I learned from the pro herself!). We learned that taking shots before you go to a Frat party may not always be the best way to start your night. We were painfully homesick, and found comfort in each other. We didn’t know it at the time, but we would be the main reason each one of us came back for Sophomore year.

She took me home with her over our Fall Break. We sat at the table with her parents and 7 other siblings, and enjoyed homemade macaroni & cheese with broiled steak for dinner. I remember thinking that by the end of the next four years, I’d know this place as well as my own house. I’d know where to find the cups in the kitchen when I wanted a glass of water, and it’d feel normal to help do the dishes after a big family meal. I was right, and I will always think of that house as my second home.

We met some of our best friends, but some of the best was yet to come. Somehow we survived the year, and have a lot of laughs to look back on. While neither one of us were a huge fan of this little town at the time, we did like the Football, and the ice-cream, and the plethora of flowers that bloomed around campus in the spring. Deciding to be “roomies” the next year was a no brainer, and we picked out where we wanted to live on campus. I was so sad when she left for the summer. It was the first time I realized I’d be happy to be back the next Fall.

Always the Responsible One

On a regular Tuesday night, you would find all of us in the apartment going through the TV lineup. Cash Cab, American Idol, The Office, etc. Maybe even stickin’ around for Sex & the City if we are feeling particularly lazy and not removing ourselves from the couch.

Today was like any other Tuesday for me. I didn’t have class on Tuesday, so I was usually the only one home in the morning. I go the gym, lounge around, watch daytime talk shows (Regis & Kelly, Ellen!! I loooove Ellen), get ready and then head off to work for the afternoon. But it was different for everyone else, because while they usually did have class, this is finals week. So everybody was around, lounging with me.

Tonight is different too. Without any classes, or real responsibilities tomorrow, everyone made the obvious decision to go out. We have to live it up for the next week and a half, this is all we’ve got! There’s one little problem though; I have a final at 8 in the morning. That’s early. Thats like, really early. And while I did look over it a little bit at work today, I definitely wasn’t confident enough to go have drinks all night instead of looking over my notes.

The responsible thing to do is to stay in, study, relax, go to bed early, and wake up early. The responsible thing to do is to be prepared for a final, even if it is the LAST one you will ever take. I always do the responsible thing.

I’m never the person that goes out before the test, or stays up until 5 a.m. on Sunday writing a paper because I spent the whole weekend out at the bars or with friends. I’ve never pulled an all-nighter, because I’ve never needed to. I can count on one hand the amount of times that I’ve put school on the back-burner during the important times (tests coming up, projects due, etc.) to realize that this is Just “school”, and I’d rather have fun for tonight. Yes, I’ve done it, and yes it was worth it. Every time. Obviously it would have been a little detrimental if I had always had this attitude. I know that. I know that for most situations I’ll find myself in during this life, this is a good trait to have. But I also feel like I have a hard time finding the balance….

After my roommates left I just wondered…will I regret this? Will I really learn so much in the next two hours before I sleep that it was well worth missing out on one more night with them? Will any grade I get on this test really make me think, “I’m glad I stayed in and studied instead”?

Obviously I don’t think I’m going to fail. And obviously I realize that most people wouldn’t go out the night before an 8-a.m. final. I know, it’s just one night. But I’m looking at this from the “Senior” prospective. I know that tomorrow I’ll feel amazing because I’ll be DONE and I won’t have to worry about this nagging thought anymore. I know that tomorrow night-and every night until next Saturday- I’ll be out with my roommates-and my best friends-with a drink in my hand to celebrate, laugh, relax, and enjoy the company of best friends.

Tomorrow night can’t come fast enough.

One Down

Helloooo Finals week.

I just finished what was supposed to be my “hard” final, and it’s only 9 in the morning. It started at 8 (ughhh), and I was done within an hour. I’m notorious for being the first person done, and I haaate it. So sometimes I just sit there and wait until somebody else gets up. Actually, I do this every time. Who knows why.

Anyway, that puts me at: 1 down, 1 to go! Seriously. ONE final Exam, and then I’m done with college! Weird feeling. It shouldn’t even be that bad because our teacher writes the study guide after  she writes the exam. It’s perfect. She basically gives us the test. Lovely.

After I work today me and LB are goin’ down to grab a Margarita and celebrate my desert heritage (ehhh, or something like that) and Cinco de Mayoooo. I’d say there could be an argument as to why we celebrate Cinco de Mayo in this country, but then again, why do they celebrate the 4th of July in Cancun? And on that note, how do I know they celebrate the 4th of July in Cancun? My family was there last summer. Ponder that one. And I guess we don’t really “celebrate” it, so much as use it for an excuse to eat more tacos and have festive drinks. No complaint there.

Anyway! I think it’s a pretty awesome way to start off the week. I’m pumped for some Mexican comida (food) and bebidas (drinks). Yummyyy.

((also, hop over and visit LB. She’s got a lot going on over there, and some really cute pics xoxo))

Oh, Hello Friday

After four days of surviving off of Motrin, and wondering around in a Dayquil-induced buzz…..I finally feel better. Just in time. Today is my last day of class as an undergrad at Penn State. Whoa.

To say that this ’snuck up on me’ is an understatement. I have no idea where this semester went. I have no idea how all of a sudden it’s May, and I’m done with school in 5 days. Oooh man. My attention has been turned to finding an apartment in another state, a job this summer, and where the hell I’m going to store the insane amount of crap stuff I have accumulated in the last four years. Oh yah, and the route I’ll take back home. Ehhhh.

But I’m not thinking about any of that. Nope nope. I’m thinking about the good stuff. The fun stuff. The stuff that needs to be taken care of in the next two weeks, and the stuff that we have to look forward to. Stuff like….

-taking (only!) 2 finals!!! My college record LOW. Except they are both at 8 a.m. (on different days, of course). Gah. Thanks penn state. Much appreciated. I have not had an 8 a.m. final since Greek Mythology freshman year. Yes, I’m a nutrition major and I took a Greek Mythology class (honors option too. I’m dumb.). Whew. That was interesting. The only good part was that Em was in there with me. We survived together.

-being done with everything by Wednesday next week! Which means I have 10 days after that to do absolutely Nothing. My only responsibility will be picking up the siblings at the airport the next Tuesday. And showing up to the “Commencement” ceremony the following Saturday. Hmm, life is hard good these days.

-buying detergent. The laundry basket in my closet is screaming at me. Random, yes. Necessary, double yes (yes).

-going out to dinner to celebrate those lovely birthdays discussed below. Location-their choice. Delicious food and the best company around. Mmmmm, can’t wait.

-surviving “Senior week”. Aka-the week after finals, where the only people left in this college town are seniors and citizens (Not senior citizens). Which translates to ridiculous amounts of time spent at the bars taking advantage of $1 drinks and Happy Hours all around for as long as we can. And hopefully lounging at the pool (get warm! get warm!!!!) and using the Grill for some tastyyy food. Yesssss.

Yup. That’s all I got on my plate. And maybe some studying that should, but probably won’t, consume my life until Monday morning. We’ll see…..

*Happy Fridayyyy*

Apartment Searching

Alright, all you “real worlders” (aka, non-college-ers), I might need some advice.

As mentioned below, I finally found out where I’ll be living/learning/working next year. Which is awesome, and a huge relief, and *whoa*. For the first time in my life, I have to find an apartment, live with people I don’t really “know”, in a city that I’m totally unfamiliar with. And I’m SO exciteddddd.

I’ve done all of the above, just never all at once. I’ve lived in Orlando (internship), and had no idea where I was going for about a month. I knew how to get to and from work, and to and from Target (obviously). That’s about it. But I lived there with LB, and our apartments were provided. Oh, the good life.

I’ve lived with people I don’t know, but someone I did know was always there too (see above). In fact, we lived with 6 other “someones” that we didn’t know. 8 girls, 1 apartment. Yes, I’m crazy. But it turned out to be amazing, and I still love them and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Not to say I’d do it again, if I don’t have to, but we live and we learn.

I’ve lived in an apartment for two years (also with LB, and Sally, and Em, hi!). However, I had nothing to do with the selection process. LB said “Hey we have an extra space, want to be our roommate?”, and I said (omg, YES YES YES) “Sure! That’d be awesome!”, and then I made sure that Em could come too. And that was settled. And two years later I refuse to accept that I have to move out in three weeks. We are not talking about that. Oh, college.

Anyway. Now I have to exit this “bubble” of a town and enter the real life. I’m searching for apartments online and hoping that the picture I see isn’t cropped to avoid displaying the rotting property next door, or shot from an angle that makes the “beautiful park in front” look spacious and inviting, instead of the 10 ft square of grass that it actually is.

No, I’m not actually that pessimistic about this process. But this is definitely quite the task to take on while finishing up classes, studying for finals, and packing (which we are not thinking about). Plus, I won’t be able to go down there to actually visit any of these places, which is also hard. Because I happen to be driving across the country in the other direction. Of course. Alas, on goes the apartment search!

Any advice, throw it out there. I’m all ears! (or reading eyes)

Classes on Monday

Monday is easily my longest day of the week. I have three classes, meetings, and work. Ehhhhh.

Sitting through my 9 a.m. this morning was ridiculously tiring. My eyes were constantly falling, and I could not have been less interested in the lecture. Not one bit.

The only thing getting me through this rainy Monday is knowing this is the LAST Monday of the semester. Whoa. And a few other things I have to look forward to in the next couple of weeks…..

Graduating (oh man….)….I’m going to be an Alumni. How old does that sound?? Weird.

Family Vacation….to the happiest place on Earth!

with some Roller-coaster action….I could seriously ride this over & over. All day.

Followed by some cross-country drivin’….Roooooad Trip.

Ending with a summer full of sunsets like this.

I guess I can handle this rainy campus for one more Monday. Gah.