Thursday, May 15, 2014

Lucy! I'm Home!

(Warning: This post has no pictures and many bullet points. Consider yourself warned. :) )
Well here I sit.
On my couch
At home.
I've been here just over 2 weeks.
In that time, I have managed to

  • find a job at HyVee (I can check you out! Haha!)
  • clean lots of things
  • hang out with some of my wonderful friends from school
  • hang out with a college friend
  • actually work at HyVee (the code for bananas is 4011)
  • attended a bridal shower
In that time, I have also managed NOT to

  • put practically anything back into my room (the logistics are hard when you are sharing the room with your sister, who is a permanent resident)
  • gone to bed before 9 p.m. (but then again, that is normal)
  • gotten up before 8 a.m. practically ever (except for church)

Being at home in the summer is hard. 
Maybe hard isn't the right word, because it really is just what I need. The ability to spend copious amounts of time with my closest friend/practically another sister is really just what I need. And I have missed it.
But being at home during the summer is different.
First, even though you know it isn't true, you have this nagging thought in the back of your head that ponders if anyone really cares that you are back. Not your family and close friends, of course, but those people that you used to see all the time. That you used to interact with for one reason or three. If you're like me and sometimes journey too far in to your introverted mind, you start over-analyzing things. But then you have to sort of shake yourself and remind yourself that there are people who are so glad you're back that it is not worth it worrying about it because you can just hang out with awesome people!
Also, for nine months you have been trying to get used to not having your family around. And that is hard because you miss them. But then suddenly they are all back and you are back and it is the best thing because you have missed them so much. However, you haven't had to live with them for 9 months and vice versa, and even though you feel like you have plenty of experience (you know, about 19 years....) interacting with them is hard again. And you don't want it to be. And it quickly gets easier (for example, now is better than 2 weeks ago). But you have to get over doing everything by yourself for 9 months and you get to enjoy hanging out with the people you love. You just get back into the swing of things.
For me, the swing of things has included:
  • getting re-used to sharing a room with someone who does not have the same cleaning priorities as me (which is just fine.)
  • not having a schedule/routine
  • not seeing the same people day after day and getting to interact and laugh
  • not seeing much of anyone aside from my family from day to day because school is not done yet here and colleges are just beginning to finish up. (I was done SO EARLY. I realized this very quickly.)
However, summer is just barely beginning, so I have high hopes. At least it better get better, or HyVee is going to be the most fun I have in a day. And while I do have quite the knack for memorizing things (just ask 3-year-old Kara who memorized a whole VeggieTales story) I don't want memorizing the codes for fruits and vegetables to be the highlight of my days.
And really, it won't be.
There are already some exciting plans!
  • refinishing a chair
  • graduation parties
  • hanging out with Kelli and one of our cousins in MN with our fabulous aunt and uncle
  • going to Washington, D.C. with the family
  • one of our very close friends' wedding!
  • Reading Pride and Prejudice and The Fault in Our Stars (I've started Pride and Prejudice. It sort of sounds like what my life would have been like if I lived back then...)
So here's to a summer full of interesting things and also making money. And also hanging out with some great people. And also making memories.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Freshman Year: A Recap (Wait, we're recapping already?!)



Now that I'm home for the summer, I've spent some time reflecting on my first year of college. Here's a little recap.
First night in the dorms. I was super lonely because I had to
be there before everyone else because of band camp

Roommate bonding time! Sonic and brick-buying!

First day of classes!
People sent me letters and I loved every one of them! <3
I did marching band!
And it was wonderful!
Pretty soon, a victorious football team meant
the marching band following them to the
national championships in Alabama....
And came back to this weather...
Luckily music students are a resourceful
bunch, so we shoveled out with music stands!
I was honored to be invited to join Kappa Kappa Psi, the
National Honorary Band fraternity! The Kappa people quickly
became like a second family!
We had a women's retreat for Navigators,
which was tons of fun!
Then there was the music fraternity formal....
Which was awesome...
And so much fun!
As the year came to a close, I officially became a member of
Kappa Kappa Psi, and gained so many wonderful, amazing,
caring Brothers!
To sum up this year, it's been one of learning and fun. There have been some downs, but mostly there have been ups. If you would have told me when I first got here that I would be sad to leave, I would have laughed (and then cried because I wanted to go home). But now I can't wait to go back and keep having fun with all of those crazy people I get to call my friends! The Fine Arts building really was full of fun people, fun memories, and fun times, and I also can't wait to move back to South Complex with the wonderful Olivia!
Here's to a fun summer (I'll check you out at HyVee... your groceries that is. :) ) and to a swift conclusion to the school year for my blog-writing pals!