With week one and two down, people are starting to get into the swing of everything and creating a momentum with classwork and other responsibilities. As for me, I’m figuring out a routine as well but I’ve also been reflecting on the summer and how quickly it went by. Here are a few of the major things that occupied most of my time the past few months:
- Vienna, Austria. If you read the past blog I had with Marvin, you know that I went to Vienna for three weeks for a May term. This was honestly probably the most exciting experience I’ve ever had. It allowed me to be independent while being around peers in an unknown country. So many friendships and memories were made as well as hilarious moments of getting lost, confused and turned around because of the culture. Regardless, the places we went and how quickly people grew to know one another was such a blessing and I wouldn’t exchange those memories for anything.
- Work. After coming back from Vienna, I went straight back to work at a local farmer’s market called Sprouts. I worked there last summer as well and man does it teach me patience and people-skills. It’s remarkable the types of people that you encounter working as a cashier. Besides the work aspect of the job, I made some great relationships with coworkers in the meantime and I actually miss working (to an extent!) because I don’t get to experience their companionship anymore.
- Bel-Air. For those of you who don’t know where Bel-Air is, it’s an area in West Hollywood where celebrities are known to live. Well, I was fortunate enough to meet up with one of my close friends that I actually met in Vienna and hang out with her and her family in Bel-Air. The lifestyle there is absolutely ridiculous—I felt out of place in my little sundress going to the Bel-Air Country Club for dinner. It was such a blast regardless of my inability to adapt to a different lifestyle but it was cool knowing that we were staying up the street from Jennifer Aniston and Clint Eastwood! How crazy is that?!?! I absolutely loved the idea that my Vienna adventures created such great relationships that I was able to continue those after the trip and meet up with someone that was visiting California!
- Applications. Besides all of the fun that took place and beach visits I had with friends, this summer was very stressful because I was applying to grad school! Even though this is my last year at Hope, I get to go through another three years for Physical Therapy. It was such a relief to get applications and the headache of deadlines out of the way. It’s hard for me to imagine how stressed I would be if I hadn’t completed it all before school but had to juggle that with classes as well! Now I just have to wait for my acceptance… hopefully that comes sooner than later!
- Big Surprise. This surprise I’m talking about is not my own surprise but between my best friend and her boyfriend. I’m excited to say that my friends Alex and Melissa are officially engaged! It was especially difficult for me because I had to keep it a secret for about six months and I had to lie multiple times to Melissa so she wouldn’t find out she was being proposed to! Despite the deceit that took place, it was all worth it when Alex got down on one knee and proposed to my closest friend. Not going to lie, I think I cried more than her own parents. I was an emotional mess to say the least! It was by far one of the best moments I have witnessed and I’m happy to have been part of it.
Welp, those were some of my big highlights of the summer! It most certainly went by quickly and it’s weird to think that I’m writing this blog post as a SENIOR! I feels like I was just moving into Dykstra freshman year and trying to get to know people and the campus. Time sure flies by but I’m excited to see what this year has in store!
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