a reflection on my first semester and thoughts on returning home

I remember being so terrified to leave for college. Well, I suppose I wasn’t really scared. It was more so that I had no clue what to expect...or even begin to expect. That, coupled with the fact that I was leaving early for an NST on which I couldn’t speak to my mom for an entire week? My anxiety was HIGH.

It turns out that I had nothing to worry about. Not only was the NST a wild success (I consider it to have been instrumental to my success here), but I immediately felt at home here. The friends I made on my new student trip are still my friends today, and I expect them to be my friends for a long, long time.

I’ve mentioned it before, but I’ll mention it again: I am so incredibly lucky to have been cast in Passion Play. It allowed me to have an amazing introduction to the theatre department at L&C, which is going to be important because...you know, I’m a theatre major (I’m so sorry). I made so many friends and learned so much about myself as a person and as an actor. Everyone in Passion Play was so kind to me and always willing to answer my questions. I felt so accepted into the community, and I’ve already made a lot of memories here with them (I apologize, this blog is becoming the extended version of a Hallmark card). Okay, okay. I’ll move on now.

As someone who went to a college-prep high school, I didn’t really know how to feel about the workload here at L&C. Would it be less or more? Harder or easier? I was obsessed with school for almost my entire life and much to my surprise, school has become so much less important to me up here.

Now, don’t get me wrong (stop stressing, mom), I go to all of my classes and turn in all of my work on time. I still make the grade, but I’m not stressing myself out about it. It’s a MAJOR shift from how I was before college, and it’s actually been really nice! I don’t know what it is exactly, maybe the courses I chose, maybe the newfound independence, maybe something else. Whatever it is, I have somehow managed to balance school, relaxation, and social life this past semester. I guess I’m a living miracle or something, I don’t know.

Much like the beginning of the school year, I’m not really sure what to expect out of returning home for the winter break. Of course, I’ll be ecstatic to see my family, my friends, and my partner, but it also feels like it’s going to be weird. Like, really weird. I struggled for so long with leaving home and now that I’ve done so well away from it, it feels strange to return. I guess I’ll update you all in January.

Unfortunately, I haven’t tried any new soups since my last blog, so I can’t provide you all with one last edition of For the Love of Soup :( However, I expect to return next semester with plentiful dorm-adaptable soup recipes, and I know you’re simply at the edge of your seat waiting for that.

Lastly, here are some especially notable things that happened this semester :)

My beautiful friend Ava made vegan stroganoff for us :)
I went the entire semester without repeating an outfit (flex moment)
Kay and I watched Lord of the Bean on the BIG SCREEN (aka a Miller classroom)
My beautiful friend Ava hosted an event called MUPPETS AND CHEESE???? (HOW CUTE IS THAT?)(SO cute!)
I went to (and helped with) my first drag shows!
My bestie AC bought us matching gay Twilight (slayyyyy!)
I drank an inconceivable amount of tea