The past ten weeks have been a complete whirlwind.
Fall term has been the best quarter of my college experience by far. I feel a strong sense of place on campus and have surrounded myself with people I care about and who care about me. The past two and a half months have been filled with meaningful friendships- new and old, personal growth, plenty of laughter and fun, inspiring academic conversations and most importantly, a lot of love.
However, fall term has also been my most difficult, academically rigorous, physically and emotionally exhausting term so far. Somewhere between not sleeping more than 5 hours most nights, never making it to the gym, overextending myself in extra curricular activities and coming to the hard realization that some friendships weren't what I thought they were, I now head back to California physically sick (hi, stomach flu) and mentally drained.
But still, I am filled with such great happiness looking back on the last weeks.
This past term, I have actively sought out opportunities to move beyond my comfort zone. I have tested my limits and realized that while I can't do everything, I will always have the time and energy to pour into the things I love. I really feel that I have grown so much.
I have returned home just in time for Thanksgiving, and I now realize I have so much to be thankful for, including the incredible times that lie ahead.
xoxo