Well, as with most new years resolutions....they don't survive very long (and for some of us not even to the end of January). I said that I would blog once a month.....here are the past three months of my life :)
January started out with the first week spent at home finishing up my winter break and a quick visit to Northern Tier & the North Shore. Once the semester started things hit the ground running. Being on two broomball teams, lots of USG (Undergraduate Student Government) stuff, and a new set of classes kept me busy. Nonetheless, I made room for other fun activities as well. Attending hockey games, a ballet, comedians, basketball games, and Winter Carnival special events (ice bowling, curling, & snow volleyball) are just a few of the things!
February kicked off with the superbowl, which I hosted a huge party for the floor in my residence hall. Shortly thereafter was the culmination of all of the Winter Carnival activities, including the well-known, all-night snow statue competition. TreeHouse (my hall) took second place overall for all-night statues! So proud! We get a few days off school for Winter Carnival, so it was nice to take a short break, relax, and hangout with friends. Snowshoeing, a bluegrass concert, and some late night chats were just a few things I did to relax.
Late February brought on more snow, cold, some car troubles (fixed now :), and some long dreary days. I led a group winter camping, some of which stayed in a wood-stove fueled cabin and some who stayed outdoors at temperatures around -15 degrees. During this time I was busy with the USG budget hearing process, which I have been a part of now all four years. This is the process which student organizations must follow in order to receive funding for next academic year. Needless to say, it has been a busy month of paperwork and correspondence as a USG representative.
Oh, somewhere in all that I failed to mention that I got a JOB! Yes, I have employment immediately following my college career! I have been hired as a Centennial Volunteer Ambassador by the non-profit company Student Conservation Association (commonly referred to as SCA). I will work at a National Park Service Site for a year, coordinating volunteer service events and getting people/the community engaged in the national park sites near them. This is an AmeriCorps position and, though it won't pay much, should launch me into something even bigger! More details will come in the next month or so, such as which exact site(s) I will be working at, where I will be moving to, and the exact projects and job description. These are exciting times!
So, now that the looming 'must-be-employed-at-graduation' burden is lifted, I have been taking things in a different stride. It is difficult knowing that I will soon leave the place I have called home for 4 years. However, as I always have, I will cherish my time at school (only 53 days more days!). There is still a lot of work to be done before I walk across that stage :)
So, before I get teary-eyed simply thinking about how quickly the past four years have gone, I will leave you with this thought. If you are reading this blog it is most certain that have had a impact on my life in one way or another. I want to take this opportunity to thank you. For everything. It is people like you (yes, you!) in my life that make it so great!
