It's Real Now...

Obviously I've known for a while that I wouldn't be going back to SMC this fall for school, but it has really been hitting me these past few days...I helped my sister move in to her room yesterday and hearing all of my friends who are still at SMC chat about their classes (which start tomorrow) and their new living arrangements has really made it officially sink in for me...I'm really not going back!

It's sort of a hard feeling to explain, considering that I've been looking forward to being out of school for quite a while. I am excited to move on to my new job, glad that I don't have to do homework and happy to start meeting new people in Middlebury. But there will always be a part of me that feels like I belong at St. Mike's!

I will miss spending time with friends and roommates, eating in the dining hall, seeing familiar faces around campus and feeling completely comfortable in my surroundings. I will miss dance classes, English discussions, weekend entertainment and activities around campus. I will miss skiing for nearly free at Smuggs and seeing shows for next to nothing at the Flynn. Most of all, I will miss the supportive community that Saint Mike's was for me.

It's a strange feeling, knowing that I'll never be back as a student. But I'm happy with where the experience has me headed, and I know that during midterm week, I'll be laughing about ever wishing I might go back...

New Job!

I have officially started my next adventure - being an AmeriCorps*VISTA! I traveled down to Middlebury College this week and started my work in the Alliance for Civic Engagement (ACE) office. I am happy to say that although I am feeling a little overwhelmed with all of the new information, for the most part I am really enjoying it!

In addition to general orientation to the new job, I got started right away with my first big job - planning the annual MiddAction fair. I worked really hard to send out invitations and work on the fair's promotion and logistics. This is a huge job, but I have definitely made headway and have learned a lot by jumping right in!

Next week I will be out of the office to attend my Pre Service Orientation (PSO), which is a training that all AmeriCorps*VISTA members have to attend. I will be traveling to Philadelphia on Monday and returning on Thursday. I am looking forward to this opportunity to travel and learn more about the upcoming year!

I will be moving to my new apartment on Septembr 1st, which I am really looking forward to. It is just a few minute walk from my office, and is located right in downtown Middlebury. I keep getting more and more excited for what is to come this year!

I am heading back to camp tonight to pick up two friends, Amy, who is from Utah, and Kerry, who is from England. They are going to stay with my family for two nights and I am going to show them around Burlington before they head off to Boston to go home. I can't wait to see them and enjoy an awesome Vermont weekend!

Back to Real Life

I am officially home from camp! It was a challenging summer, but I learned a lot and feel much more prepared for my next challenege. I can't believe that I am already finished my first post-graduation adventure! Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the summer...

Amy (Junior Line Division Head), me, Ginny (Owner and Co-Director), Emily (Senior Line Division Head) and Kerry (CT Mom) at the awards ceremony after first session in our blues and whites, the traditional Lochearn dress (don't worry, we only wear them on Sunday nights and special occasions!)
My amazing staff on Sub-Senior Line - they came from all over the country and the world (South Africa, Australia, Canada and England were all represented!) and we all became awesome friends!

Emily, Amy and I at our staff dinner between first and second session of camp. These two lovely ladies became some of my very best friends!

I learned a lot this summer about so many different things. I learned how to effectively manage people, how to handle extremely stressful and confrontational situations, how to survive with complete strangers and then how to thrive with them as they became some of my closest friends. I learned to waterski (thanks Catherine!), how to do a back dive and a flip off the 3m diving board (thanks Hickey!), how to make some pretty killer friendship bracelets and how to crochet (thanks Flannery!). As much as I am happy to be home and ready to not be awoken at 5am by various wildlife and take less than hot showers among various creepy crawly bugs, I will miss the beautiful scenery and wonderful friends that I made during this experience!

I will officially begin my year as an AmeriCorps volunteer on Tuesday when I head down to Middlebury for four days to get my feet wet before my official orientation, which is a big conference in Philadelphia from the 24th- 28th. I'll keep you posted...and this time I mean it!