[Letters]

“What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.”  

[Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.]

Just because it makes me smile. Drawn by Brittany, age 19. 

Dear Dad- I miss you more than ever this week. Maybe it's the 6-month mark creeping up on me. I love you. Dear LLC- We are now, we have become, the Leadership Living and Loving Community. I thank mostly Brian, but also you guys for finding it in yourselves to apologize. We girls here on 4W hope you enjoyed the candy peace offering. Dear 1st Pledge- I wanted to scream for joy and jump up and down when I got you today at work. Thank you Mr. Alum for making my night and donating to the ever-fabulous UWEC! Plus I got free cheerios and a reese's peanut butter cup out of the deal, so that pretty much rocks. Dear Govs- I feel so loved here. It makes my day to just walk in the lobby, down 1st floor(saying hi to my man friends along the way), look in on 3W and then pop on up to my "home" at 4W. I love that everywhere I go people are saying hi to me, recognize me, or I can just be my over-friendly self and strike up a conversation with a complete stranger. I love being a part of this community.

P.S. Who know that getting involved made life so rockin? Campus gets about 10 times smaller every time I join something or meet new people. (Maybe this was what my mom was trying to tell me all throughout high school...). I love the opportunities and all of the kind, friendly, open people here!

[Thoughts]

My life lately is like standing on the top of a mountain. I literally feel like I have accomplished something, like I am on top of the world. Occasionally I'll lose my footing and slip, but then a hand quickly grabs me and pulls me back up. I'm standing at the top, enjoying the view, soaking in the feeling of exhilaration, when I remember that there is a valley below, and I wait, ready to slip back down. 

Me standing on top of a literal mountain, surrounded by the people that support me. (Minus seester, pictured below. Sometimes she supports me by taking me to rockin concerts.)

Normally, extended cliches aren't my preferred form of blogging, but that's the best way I can describe life right now. I feel constantly challenged, but somehow, everything keeps working out. It's bound to make a person suspicious. It's hard to understand what I'm saying without fully explaining myself, so buckle up, here comes exampletown. 

Example A. I get an amazing roommate and built-in friends on my wing. 
Example B. My friends from high school don't in fact forget I exist, and I am able to skype a few a week. 
Example C. I slave away applying for jobs, only to find out my work study was taken away because of a scholarship I recieved. After a trip to the Financial Aid office, I transfer my unused loans into even more work study than I originally had! To top it off, I get the job that fit best with my schedule. Boom. 
Example D. I find out that I don't actually need to take the Lit class I'm taking(due to AP credits), and that's the class I disdain. Dropping it will drop my Honors privaleges of signing up for classes first. I talk to the head of the Honors department, and he tells me that because of other AP scores, I still have that privilege. I drop the class. 
Example E. I show up the bullies in my math class by not only guessing the solution, but correctly identifying it as the Fibonacci sequence. Double boom. 
Example F. I run for RHA(Residence Hall Association) against 8 other people and basically my entire wing comes to support me. I get one of the three spots. 

Being here, seemingly at the top of the world, where everything just falls into place for me feels so odd. Perhaps I'm just getting better at counting my blessings; because I don't think that I'm entitled to these opportunities, it feels better when I am able to have them. Perhaps it's just God showing me how much he can really work in my life. Every morning, every time I feel the tears, or butterflies, or frustrations coming, I pray simply "God please give me the strength to face [the day, my speech, the truth, my decision, etc.]." I guess all that's left to do is to thank God and to thank all of those around me supporting me. I'm ready to live. 

[Letters]

“ We are all one. In the human form we are pioneers embarked on a wonderful journey, exploring and experiencing the physical world.”  [Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh]

I am so glad that Danielle really got me into photography. I miss taking photos with this girl. 

Dear Dad- I am trying my hardest to create balance in my life, but between intervarsity, job hunting(and finding), class, and other activities it's hard to have time for homework. Dear Photography Expedition- You were the perfect Friday afternoon activity. I'd been itching to explore the beauty in and around campus. I'm so excited to get this roll of film developed! It was even worth the cut I got on my foot. Dear Katie- Your attempt at shimmying tonight was the first time I belly-laughed in weeks. Thank you for that. 

P.S. I didn't get to make this point in Poli Sci today, and although I don't exactly like discussing politics so openly, I think I want to share this. The question: What is wrong with the American political system? My point: Our presidential office has been switching back and forth between Democrats and Republicans for decades, which creates a separation and a pull backwards, instead of a unified and cooperative force that can move our country forward. There, I said it!

[Letters]

Once upon a time...
I went to college and forgot I had a blog. No I'm kidding, but this is the first opportunity I've had to be on my own for more than 10 minutes. I decided to walk back up to my dorm and read and organize(and now blog) instead of staying on lower campus and freezing my butt off for 3 hours. Literally.

My favorite part of my dorm room. Pictures, a chalkboard, books, jewelry box, music, calendar, Julio, my smile box, and of course, christmas lights.

Katie, Katarina, and I as superheros. Go 4W!

Dear Dad- Being away from home just makes me miss you that much more. I wish I could call you up and just chat, even though you HATED talking on the phone with the other two. Dear Angela, Amy, Ana, and Anne- First of all, why do all of your names start with A? This is a crazy coincidence I think. I would just like to say how amazed, blessed, and thankful I am that God put you in my life this first week on campus. I already feel so plugged in to IV and Valleybrook, and I am so excited to get to know my new church family. Dear 4 West- You guys are the best. Not only are you my closest and fastest friends here, I'm pretty sure you're the nicest, most chill, and funniest group of girls on campus. I love our random wanderings, our rambling conversations, and our general hatred of Higherground. Plus we make pretty killer super heroes. 

P.S. I am happy here. I feel as if I belong. I can't wait to grow and learn and become.