I knew going into the quarter that it was going to be more than I was actually probably capable of handling, but I tend to sometimes get the idea that if I act invincible, it actually might make me invincible. Obviously this idea is a falsity, but I often act on such an assumption anyway. My unmanageable life added up to a compilation of: working 20 hours a week, taking 21 credits of classes, being called into the relief society presidency, trying to keep up my relationships with friends who had moved more than several blocks off campus, serving as a mentor for two academic/leadership programs, leading a retreat for new students, helping to set up and participate in a weekly community group, attempting to finally cook for myself, and desperately trying to cling to any remnants of a long forgotten social life. Did that sentence overwhelm you? Well, then maybe that shares a little glimpse of the overwhelming feeling I had for about nine weeks straight.
Looking back of course it doesn't seem quite as bad as it did in the moment, but that is why everybody loves hindsight.
When I signed up for them, 21 credits didn't sound like all that much to handle, but of course looking at the class descriptions on a computer screen at my cabin in the summer time has a vastly different effect than actually sitting in the classrooms absorbing the knowledge my professors spew at me before sending me home to continue the learning process through endless hours of reading and writing. I loved every single one of my classes both because of and in spite of their difficulty levels. They were all really hard, but that hopefully just means I learned a lot.
Leading the annual New Student Retreat for my second year in a row was a tiring undertaking, but also one that I loved every minute of. Retreats are a common practice in Jesuit traditions and my school takes such traditions vary seriously. In my time there, I have become rather attached to retreats and thus I try to participate with them as much as I can. They are, admittedly, an added stress because of the weekly planning and preparation meetings, but the weekend retreats themselves are a powerful healing tool for which I am truly thankful. Escaping school, the city, work, and all my other stresses, even for just a day or two is always completely worth it. Plus, retreats usually offer a very serene, reflective, and loving atmosphere I have found in very few other places.
(Our morning group prayer. So beautiful to wake up and stand on the shore of the Sound with 60 of my closest new friends!!)
(Larissa and I sang a duet during the talent night on the retreat.)One of my other favorite things about retreats is that they force me to step out of my comfort zone and embrace or explore things I am usually to busy or too timid to do. For example, I hate ACTUALLY singing in front of people. I enjoy joke singing or impersonating singers, but when it is just me really singing like I would on my own in the shower or whatever... that gets scary. On retreat though, for some reason, that fear falls away and I got up the courage to sing in front of everyone. Surprisingly, it was fun and not nerve racking... well not totally.
(The amazing group of leaders I got to work with. My closest friends and favorite people!)As I mentioned before, one of the major adjustments I had to make during this quarter was making the switch from yummy fresh catered meals all the time (meal plans were awesome), to making my own food in my apartment everyday. I am by no means a chef, but it was fun to experiment and have more control over everything I ate. I do have to say though, thank goodness for my roommates! Seriously they are so amazing and I would not have survived without them; one reason being that they literally provided every kitchen thing for our apartment. I have not a single plate, utensil, or pot to my name. Okay, I do have a couple of mugs, but that really is the extent of my ownership in the kitchen. My three amazing roommates provided everything we needed though and together we made some pretty interesting meals and concoctions. One of my roommates is gluten intolerant, so we had some adventures making things with buckwheat and other wheat substitutes. None of those adventures turned out stupendously, but some of them weren't half bad.
The four of us fit perfectly as roommates, however, we won't be roommates anymore because they are all heading off on study abroads--a fact that makes me excited and sad at the same time. One of the reasons we all fit together so well was because of our mutual embrace of an unfortunately but awesomely located apartment. Our living room and kitchen look directly out onto the campus Skybridge, a fact that allows us the claimed title "creeper apartment." Every time any of us would be studying in our living room or making food in our kitchen, people walking by on the bridge would peer in, and to counter them, we would peer out. Over time it became a sort of game and our friends would simply stand on the bridge to talk to us out our window. We all loved it and made use of it in humorous ways.
(One of our living room windows. The Mrs. Pacman was put up to counter the little Ghostie in the window across the way. Probably the most non-academic way to use sticky notes.)
(Doin the Creep. Yes we brought to life the 90's song in a SNL inspired revamped way.)Fall quarter has many positive aspects. The beginning of the rain, the crisp clean air, the beautiful colors, and the famous Fall Ball. This year, our Fall Ball dance was held at the Seattle Art Museum. Dancing to crazy loud pop music in downtown Seattle beneath an exhibit of exploding cars hanging from the ceiling, well, nothing can really compare. Who wouldn't want to spend an entire night dancing with half their school and exploring three floors worth of priceless works of art. Definitely a fun night, complete with a photo booth and everything!
(Some of my favorite people goofing around with me in the photo booth.)
As has become tradition for my friend Alena and me, we signed up to perform some silly songs in the quarterly open mic night Scratch. Alena is a hilarious individual with a somewhat sinister sense of humor and together we always have fun goofing around on stage singing songs that either provide comedic relief for, or confuse our audience. Always a fun stress reliever to spend time goofing off like this.
(Alena and me.)Although it started out a like a wobbly weeble, my fall quarter turned out to be Okay, maybe even good. I gained three best friends in my roommates, stepped out of my comfort zone, defied the odds by maintaining my GPA with 21 credits, stepped out of my comfort zone, and lived to tell the tale. I am grateful for everything that allowed me to get through one of the toughest few months of my life and now I can look forward to the rest of a glorious break and a fresh new quarter of trials and adventures. Such is life...
(Helen, Me, Annie, and Katelen. I love my rommies! I am going to miss them!!)
