Oh. Deer. Hello.

Dear readers,
I will preface this post with a surprising statement. Yes, I'm going to do one of those diary-style what's-going-on-in-my-life blog posts.  Mostly, this is about life at SMU, which all three of you probably know too much about already since you all go here.

So...what IS going on in my life?

I moved in on August 25, 2010.  Yes, I have it down to the day because I was literally counting down about half the summer until this day. (I would have counted down ALL summer, but it would have been way too long that way.)  The first few days of catching up were GREAT. I got to see a lot of friends, do some roller-blading, and organize my room. However, the real fun began on the 28th, when everyone else--including my best friend, Matt--moved in.

 I really love my dorm.  Aside from the fact that it's kind of far from things, but it could be worse, it's in an absolutely beautiful location.  It sits just off the creek and right on the edge of the bluffs, so hikes are just outside my door.  It's close to St. Yon's, which is where Matt lives, and it's only a 2-minute walk away (but uphill both ways. I'm serious here--it literally is uphill both ways).  Kim and I share a suite (a bathroom connecting two rooms) with Lauren, the RA for our wing. She is a lot of fun, and even though we're supposed to maintain "boundaries" because of all the RA rules, we get along really well.  The most entertaining part is leaving her post-it-notes on the bathroom mirror and planting action figures in the shower. 

The first week was actually pretty slow. My classes scared me a little bit--especially Sacraments and Liturgy, when I looked at the syllabus and later this semester I'm reading about 100 pages per class.  I got to spend a lot of time with people I love, though, including Matt.  A week after he moved in, we became "Facebook official " (whatever that means, something along the lines of letting the world know we actually care about each other as more than friends).  Things are going great as far as that is concerned.

Since then, I have gotten significantly busier. The first month was hard, especially the part where I had to re-learn how to tell people NO, a skill I had lost over the summer when I really did have time to do everything I was asked to do.  The wake-up call happened in late September.  I had committed to volunteer parking cars in La Crosse for Oktoberfest (in September?! REALLY?!), but I had way too many things to do and eventually had to tell the woman in charge I couldn't make it because I had too much homework. A lame story, but a true one.  I felt so bad when I could hear her disappointment ringing through the email telling me she found someone who would rearrange his work schedule so I could have it off.  I know that I did the right thing in saying no later, but I shouldn't have committed in the beginning. At least it paid off--I did really well on both my paper and my presentation that I had been working on (A on both!).

My biggest stressor, however, has come in the form of St. Mary's service trips: SOUL. Last year, after my amazing SOUL trip to West Virginia, I applied and became a member of SOUL Council, the group that leads the service trips.  I'm faced with all sorts of new concepts: contacting strangers, figuring out how to feed a large group of people, making budgets, driving a 12-passenger van, keeping a group of 12 busy enough but not too overworked, and always being prepared in case there is an emergency.  Also, as of right now I have to plan a trip that is only 9 days away as well as a trip during March break.  On top of that, I still have school, Outreach Retreat Team, OCM retreat team, a roomful of ladybugs to deal with, a pile of dishes to tackle, work at the Press, and keeping up my prayer life.  Plus I'm trying to make sure I still have a social life somewhat.

The social part of college has completely changed since the beginning of my Freshman year.  It used to be that I couldn't handle being alone--ever.  I always wanted to be around a big group of people, and luckily the second floor lounge in Skemp provided that.  I didn't really spend time with just one or two friends--I had to be in the group.

Now, that my friends don't all basically live in the same building anymore...and now that I have a boyfriend...I'm seeing less and less of some people and more of others.  I'm spending more time one-on-one with people, but right now "hanging out with friends" mostly consists of eating meals together and working them into my regular schedule (clubs, power hour and mass, classes, service work).  And weirdly, I'm okay with that. I would rather have those few close friends than try to be friends with everyone.  It's not that I don't LIKE the people I used to be around all the time. It's that I'm just not as close to them, but I'll still say "hi" when I see them in the halls.

So. In short, there have been a lot of changes.  Some have been good, some have been bad, and some really are neutral.  God keeps throwing a lot of new things at me, but I'm learning to listen more to Him every day.

I'll be writing again, hopefully more often.  I think this is a good place to end here, though.  So farewell readers, and probably will see you around ;)

Sincerely,
Lolly

Song of the day: since today is National Balloon Day, "Hot Air Balloon" by Owl City