I recently made the 14 hour round trip trek to Manhattan, Kansas. Taking a roadtrip and attending a visitor football game was on my bucket list and what better time is there than the present.
Hannah and I miraculously left by 8:30am on Friday. The drive was filled with falls in the mud, run-ins with highway patrol, questionable roadtrip food and of course we ran out of gas in a town with population 12. When we reached Kansas State, we had no where to stay, no one to call and no agenda. It was perfect. We reminded ourselves that moments like these are where you truly experience life and we did just that. We made every moment count, met some of the craziest characters, played a horrible football game but tailgated in a million dollar RV, barely got sleep and before we knew it- we were back out on I-70 heading west.
Everyone told me Kansas was one of those states you can do without- that it's the same as Nebraska and Oklahoma and that there's nothing really there. Lies. I've never been to Oklahoma (next roadtrip?) but I've been to Nebraska and it was completely different. Kansas is gorgeous- Kansas knows fall. The colors were the kind you read about in books or the kind you crave to fill a blank canvas with. The open road offers everything. Miles of clear thoughts, blue skies and a few clouds that let your imagination run wild. The Kansasans, as I liked to call them, contain the most school spirit I've ever seen. They bleed purple and the entire town is dedicated to the Wildcat mania.
When I was applying for college, I thought it was going to be the biggest decision of my life. I spent hours looking at pictures, reading blogs and trying to figure out where I'd find myself. By the end, my dad reminded me that wherever you go, there you are and months later I moved to CU and now years later here I am- still happy as ever to have chosen CU but my happiness here wasn't found- I created it. I truly think that I would have been happy anywhere I attended school because you make it what it is. I'm about to make another one of these "life changing decisions" and currently it seems like the biggest yet- where to go after graduation. But I think it's clear that I'll make life enjoyable anywhere. Whether I end up in Manhattan, Kansas or Manhattan, New York I know I'm going to be just fine.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Falling Back
Suddenly it's October. The leaves are golden, the air is crisp and life is finally beginning to slow down. Already we're in midterm season- but didn't school just start?
Today finishes fall rush- I was a Rho Gamma or basically a guide for the freshmen girls going through recruitment. To be honest, I thought I was completely done with the sorority. I skipped out of rush and did the Rho Gamma thing and was contemplating dropping or going inactive. But within these last few days I've seen how much Theta has meant to me and how I honestly couldn't imagine my life without it. Maybe it was sitting at pref night speeches and seeing all the potential members nervous as hell and wondering if Theta was the right house for them- I remember sitting in their exact seat just 3 years ago. At first I was extremely jealous- so envious that their experiences are just beginning and sadly the ends of mine are in view. But I realized that these last years in Theta have molded my life in every way possible and I wouldn't trade that for anything. I guess I'm "that" sorority girl they talk about during rush- I've met the girls that will be in my wedding, the girls that will stand by my side no matter the situation and people that truly want the best for me and are determined to see me succeed. When I chose Theta 3 years ago, I never saw that in my future. I saw parties and boys and fraternities and fun. Who knew it would be all that and yet so much more?
Senior year has been by far the most stressful and most academically challenging but to be honest- I like it. I'm always at the library or Starbucks studying (I've been reading so much I had to break out my glasses from high school...) and my planner is maxed out. But I just keep reminding myself that this is the last year- the last time I'll have homework or midterms or class and suddenly it doesn't seem so bad.
It seems the future is a frequent topic amongst college seniors- what are you going to do? Where are you going to live? How does your resume look? When's your next interview? Some people freak out and wonder how life could possibly go on post college but I'm getting excited. It will be the first time in my life where I can do absolutely anything I want. As a classified roadrunner, my plans are always changing but as of today I want to move to the east coast- New York or Boston- and work my way into the publishing world. Make some money, work on my writings, publish them and travel. I want to be dead broke and live on a tight budget. I want a tiny apartment that barely fits my bed but has a large, inspiring window to fill my head with possibilities. I want a library card to explore the passion around me and a coffee pot to brew my imagination during the late nights.
Does that seem like too much to ask for?
Today finishes fall rush- I was a Rho Gamma or basically a guide for the freshmen girls going through recruitment. To be honest, I thought I was completely done with the sorority. I skipped out of rush and did the Rho Gamma thing and was contemplating dropping or going inactive. But within these last few days I've seen how much Theta has meant to me and how I honestly couldn't imagine my life without it. Maybe it was sitting at pref night speeches and seeing all the potential members nervous as hell and wondering if Theta was the right house for them- I remember sitting in their exact seat just 3 years ago. At first I was extremely jealous- so envious that their experiences are just beginning and sadly the ends of mine are in view. But I realized that these last years in Theta have molded my life in every way possible and I wouldn't trade that for anything. I guess I'm "that" sorority girl they talk about during rush- I've met the girls that will be in my wedding, the girls that will stand by my side no matter the situation and people that truly want the best for me and are determined to see me succeed. When I chose Theta 3 years ago, I never saw that in my future. I saw parties and boys and fraternities and fun. Who knew it would be all that and yet so much more?
Senior year has been by far the most stressful and most academically challenging but to be honest- I like it. I'm always at the library or Starbucks studying (I've been reading so much I had to break out my glasses from high school...) and my planner is maxed out. But I just keep reminding myself that this is the last year- the last time I'll have homework or midterms or class and suddenly it doesn't seem so bad.
It seems the future is a frequent topic amongst college seniors- what are you going to do? Where are you going to live? How does your resume look? When's your next interview? Some people freak out and wonder how life could possibly go on post college but I'm getting excited. It will be the first time in my life where I can do absolutely anything I want. As a classified roadrunner, my plans are always changing but as of today I want to move to the east coast- New York or Boston- and work my way into the publishing world. Make some money, work on my writings, publish them and travel. I want to be dead broke and live on a tight budget. I want a tiny apartment that barely fits my bed but has a large, inspiring window to fill my head with possibilities. I want a library card to explore the passion around me and a coffee pot to brew my imagination during the late nights.
Does that seem like too much to ask for?
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