this is me now

Spending the summer here after a semester ‘off’ put me back into school mode. I remember driving in and seeing that sign, “Penn State University 2 Miles“, and I couldn’t get the smile off my face. LB and Em both stopped by for a weekend visit, and I was getting so excited for us all to finally be together in one apartment. I was still a little nervous about how it would work out, because it had only been just the four of us a handful of times before moving in together.

Something happened that summer that changed everything. It brought us all together for one day-LB and Sally drove 6 hours to meet up with me, and we drove another 3 to meet up with Em-and while helping one of us go through one of the hardest things she may ever have to deal with, we became a family.

I walked up three flights of stairs with my two big ol’ suitcases to start the move-in process, and was met with a very excited LB and a living room that was already decked out in everything PSU, including blue & white curtains for the big ol’ window. It was mostly ‘football’ themed, as we couldn’t wait to get back in that Stadium and watch the first kick-off of the season.

We all had our separate rooms, and we have decorated them so differently. Of course I had to be the one to move my furniture around, just to test things out. LB’s is nice and cozy, with big curtains and blankets covering the windows, and drapery over her bed. Sally’s always looks relaxing, with her big quilts, and pictures of flowers and postcards from Italy on the wall. Emily’s is all pastels of course, it feels like Spring, with a touch of class in her Marilyn Monroe pics that have been around since day 1. Plus her awesome mirror with the green frame, I love that mirror. I tried to branch away from all things purple, buying a new light green Duvet cover and very light yellow curtains.

Junior year was a weird time for us. We met a lot of new people, and realized our time here was already winding down. We hosted our first annual “Classy Christmas Party”, requiring people to dress up (and they did!), and we had a few family visitors stop by. We dressed up as Crayola Crayons for Halloween (oh, we looked Awesooome), and I began to seriously Love Football (first game-and from there on out-I stood for the whole time, big accomplishment!). We had to start thinking about what our life would be like after college, as it seemed like everybody was starting to prepare for that. It was stressful in that sense, as I really had no idea what I wanted to do. We were getting a little burned out from ‘school’, and also from seemingly be the only Juniors at this school that weren’t 21 yet. Obviously we weren’t, but oooh it felt like it sometimes.

Jack and I had started dating while I was in FL, so being only 8 hours apart actually felt close. Weird, I know. He drove up here, I drove up there. We had our weekends together, and they were so much fun. For as hard as that was, it was also good. I know that if he were any closer, or even here (crazy, I know), I wouldn’t have had as much time to devote to making memories with my roommates and best friends. My life here would have been very different, obviously in many good ways, but finding that balance is never-ending. We did fine on the phone and with sporadic weekend visits, because that’s just how it was. It’s how it started, and it’s how it progressed. The other roomies had “long term relationships” too, so we all did it, and we all had each other.

By the end of the year we had had ourselves some goooood times, some down times, some times when we were ready to be done with it all and felt like it was never going to be over (classes). We grew so close to each other, and become quite attached to this little apt of ours. Renewing our lease meant not having to move (yes!!!), and getting to be together for another year (yes yes!!). LB and Em finally turned the big 2-1 at the end of the year, so Sally and I only had to be jealous for a few weeks. 😉 Our time would come in the summer, and we had our whole senior year to look forward to.

Visitors: Lauren (the little sis) & Jack (of course)!

After spending the summer at home, it was hard to go back. I wasn’t sure if this was the right school for me, and I hated to be so far away again. The first night in our new dorm room, Em and I stayed up for hours talking and talking and talking. We had so much to catch up on, and we picked up right where we had left off. I felt at home again, and I remembered why I came back.

We decided to call our room “Crazytown”. Mostly because of a few “inside jokes”, and also because that’s exactly what it was. It would turn out that I’d only be there for one semester, but that was one awesome semester. A lot can happen in four months.

Early on I decided that I was going to do an internship that would mean I’d live in central Florida for Spring semester. On a random Monday night I ran into two girls putting up posters for this program, and I uncharacteristically stopped to chat it up with them. That “chat” changed the rest of my experience at Penn State.

They knew somebody (Larisa, aka LB) who would be driving to the auditions for the program and would probably give me a ride. I jumped at the opportunity, e-mailed her, and we decided to have a lunch date. We “hit it off”, and I hopped in a car with her and Sally for a road trip the next weekend. We got lost, almost missed the audition itself, sang loudly to Mariah Carey, danced danced danced, chowed down on McDonalds, and somehow made it back alive. I remember calling my mom that night and telling her that these girls were awesome!! I remember saying that “we just clicked”.

From there we would move on to going to football games together, dressing up for Halloween together, having lunch dates on Friday at McElwain because they had Spaghettios….and I reallyyy like Spaghettios.

Em & I invited them over for a night in “crazytown”, and let me tell you…it was a little crazy. We did a Christmas-music themed power hour ( I survived until about minute 34, ehhhhh), and snacked on a ridiculous amount of chips and Chex-Mix. We didn’t know it then, but this was only the beginning to our roommate love story, and the start of many many many nights together.

(this picture, um, sums up the night. oh, man)

In January, LB and I departed on the adventure of our college career. We met up in Florida, and found ourselves in an apartment with 6 other girls. Yes, we lived with 8 girls in one apartment. It was ridiculous, and one of the best experiences of my life. We were all on the same program, and came from very different places. The next four months would be spent working at the *happiest* place on Earth, playing, enjoying life without classes/tests/school, growing up, and learning a lot about each other. We made a few trips to the beach, a lot of trips to the theme parks, and had a few visitors along the way. The experience came at just the right time, a nice little break from college and the winter of central Pennsylvania.

I needed that year to realize how much I loved Penn State. I had no idea how much I would miss this place. I knew that coming back in the Fall things would be very different. Amy would be graduated and gone, and I would miss her so much. Emily, Larisa, and Sally would be my roomies and we would have our first college apartment. I would be a Junior, and I would be completely in love with this college life of mine.

I was way too far from home, and had no idea what to make of it. I was desert born and raised, and the first time it rained I thought I’d be okay without an umbrella. But here, when it rains it pours, and I got soaked.

Emily lived right next to me, and within the first week I knew she’d be my saving grace. We were placed in the Honors dorm, and being that I was NOT in the Honors College, you could say I was a little out of place. I did get lucky; my first roommate was awesome, I couldn’t have asked for better. She was so nice, caring, un-confrontational, and completely sane. We got along just fine, and we never wanted to kill each other.

But when Emily ran into my room while I was getting ready one night, and said “Are you going out?!? Can I come?!?!”, I knew we were meant to be.

I joined a social service sorority, which only last until my sophomore year. Through this, I met the other person who saved my Penn State life. She was my “big” (you sorority-ers know what that means) and she took care of me. Amy is two years older than me & I’ll be in her wedding this Fall. She came into my life at the right time. Anyway-We had to have socials, which I was never crazy about going to. All I knew was that Emily would be ready and waiting for me at exactly 11:15 p.m. when I could leave, and we’d have our own fun for the night.

We handled the concept of college classes, and learned how to study/not study and get away with it. We learned that you can Not go to class, and still survive (I learned from the pro herself!). We learned that taking shots before you go to a Frat party may not always be the best way to start your night. We were painfully homesick, and found comfort in each other. We didn’t know it at the time, but we would be the main reason each one of us came back for Sophomore year.

She took me home with her over our Fall Break. We sat at the table with her parents and 7 other siblings, and enjoyed homemade macaroni & cheese with broiled steak for dinner. I remember thinking that by the end of the next four years, I’d know this place as well as my own house. I’d know where to find the cups in the kitchen when I wanted a glass of water, and it’d feel normal to help do the dishes after a big family meal. I was right, and I will always think of that house as my second home.

We met some of our best friends, but some of the best was yet to come. Somehow we survived the year, and have a lot of laughs to look back on. While neither one of us were a huge fan of this little town at the time, we did like the Football, and the ice-cream, and the plethora of flowers that bloomed around campus in the spring. Deciding to be “roomies” the next year was a no brainer, and we picked out where we wanted to live on campus. I was so sad when she left for the summer. It was the first time I realized I’d be happy to be back the next Fall.