NYC

The semester ended and I made it through.  I moved into my new place.  I fell in love.

Right after the semester ended, I went on a (free) trip to New York City!  Along with 120 of my closest friends, I did community service for the greater NYC area.






I had the time of my life.


I made a library for the women in the YWCA.
I spent quality time with lovely Jewish seniors from the Bronx that had never been around Southerners.
I shopped until I dropped.
I ate until I couldn't move.
I was a citizen of Little Italy and Chinatown in one afternoon.
I called an international youth hostel my home.
I saw Times Square in the rain and the snow.
I laughed with people on the streets.
I belonged on the subway.
I mastered the art of gracefully draping my scarf around my neck.
I was asked for directions.
I saw my first real Broadway play.
I caught the Christmas spirit.
I woke up at dawn and stood in the cold for hours to get to shake hands with intelligent people that I respect.
I witnessed a beautiful child succumb to the staggering emotions associated with her pure belief.
I lived with black drama.
I felt at home somewhere around 72nd Street.
I walked and walked and walked.
I caught the perfect snowflake.
I saw a miracle on 34th Street.

I was wrong and I was right.  I lived and loved and laughed.

I did not want to come home.  I wanted to stay where the air is crisp.  Where the people are determined.  Where you walk with purpose, wherever it may be that you are going.  I wanted to be a part of the city that never sleeps; a place where I would fit in.

I went to New York City.
I have never been happier.

November Blue

I have always heard that November is a time to fall in love.  I never really believed it.  Why would people fall in love during a month that is so cold and so full of change?  I never realized that the love could be with the cold and full of change.

I fell in love this week.  It was a great week.  Full of thanks and family and friends and change.  My heart was full of glitter and I was spreading it around.

November shadows shade November change.

November spells sweet memory, the season blue remains.

I fell in love with the changes within me and the new people and places I experienced.  My world is turning and is about to go in a direction that I have never even imagined.  I did things this week that I have never done, with people I would never dream of spending time with.  And I am about to be in charge of something bigger than myself.  Something that means the world to me.  Something that will be fragile within my hands.  With that responsibility comes the added bonus of moving into the big white house.  I am fortunate enough to get to move into a wonderful, spacious room with a friend that means so much to me.

But all of this means change.  I am moving out of my comfort zone.  I am leaving friends that I haven't been a day without in almost two years.  I know, I am only moving down the street.  I won't be really leaving them for long.  But I am opening new doors for myself.  Doors that are heavy and that I can't see through.  And I'm scared and excited and so incredibly happy.

I have fallen in love with November.  Fallen for the cold and the change.  The love and the glitter.  Fallen for the new faces and new places.

My heart is dancing to a November tune.

I hope you hear it singing songs about you.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am so thankful for:

great room mates and friends
a wonderful environment to grow in
the best college experience I could ever imagine
a loving family
being able to spend the week with my sister
having three homes that are so special: Oxford, Collierville, Belzoni
the great food that I have eaten/will eat this week
being lucky enough to spend time with all of my family
being a part of something special
earning the respect of the those I hold dear
being trusted with huge responsibilities
getting a little bit closer to my goals
having the opportunity to travel
getting to spend time with new and old friends
classes coming to an end
sweater and boot season
a new pair of glasses so that I can actually see
feeling normal and calm
beautiful compliments
attention and recognition
an update in living arrangements
experiencing a new city and new people


I am thankful for all of this and so much more.


But mainly, I am thankful for this season of life.
For everything it has given me.

All Day

I planned on being a lot more productive today than I have been.  But some battles you lose, and you just don't mind losing.

I luckily figured out earlier that one of my favorite artists was releasing a new album today.  True to its form, the internet at school was being less than helpful.  I tried, unsuccessfully, to download this album all day.  I am not exaggerating when I say all day.  I literally tried for about 6 hours.  Then there was finally a breakthrough!  I was able to download it and I haven't been able to stop dancing since.  It is seriously one of the best things I have heard in a long time.

Tomorrow night (well, considering it is already a bit past midnight... I really mean today) we have a swap with one of my favorite fraternities.  It will surely be a good time and I could not be any more excited!


I don't plan to stop dancing anytime soon.

Come dance ALL DAY with me.

Study, Study, Study

Fall Back

After one of the best weekends of my life, it is time to get back to the grind.  I partied, laughed, cried from my laughter, held on, settled down, jumped around, and just had a lot of fun.

The midwesterner came to town and I loved getting to spend time with her and the new people in her life.  After meeting them, I understand why she is so happy there.  Despite the differences in the culture and climate, good friends can make anything better.

We had our first formal of the semester.  The dynamics were definitely different with the new pledges, but it was so much fun.  This formal was some of the most fun I have had in college.

Yesterday was game day, and a winning one at that.  It might have been cold, but it was fun.  After that, I spent some quality time with some friends that I haven't gotten to see in a while.  It was so much fun and we all really needed it.

Today I got to spend some bonding time with the new members.  They are so funny and I am so glad that we have every single one of them!




This weekend was worth it.  I might have to have an all-nighter tonight and tomorrow to catch up from the weekend, but I don't mind at all.  At least it was daylight savings time this weekend.  While I should have used the extra hour for work, I used it for sleep and couldn't have been happier.  We fell back for just an hour.  We fell back into our routine and back into the real world.


Fall back.

Midwest Mississippi

The midwesterner is coming home.



Tomorrow, she will pull into the driveway.  She will be at home.  In our house.  The one that we grew up in.

And she will show her friends.  Show them how we live.  What it's like.  They will understand her better.  Understand us.

She will drive and drive and drive.  Knowing her, she will sing and sing and sing.  She will drive until she sees the haunts of her past.  The place where she went to school, played soccer, hung out with her friends, lived, loved, grew up.  She will be home.  Her bed, her room, her past, her roots.

Then there is Oxford.  She will be back in her place.  Our place.  The one that she shared with me.  It will be the same; it never changes.  But it will be so different now.  She won't be staying here this time.  She will go back to the midwest, to the big city.



So this weekend, after the long road home, she will love Oxford and be happy.  Although she won't be here for that long, it will be worth it.  It will be home, and it will be happy to see her.  We all will.

Keep driving.  We want you home.