Home?!

Obviously I’m going to start off by apologizing that I haven’t blogged for a while.
Can my excuse be that I’m at college? Can I play the 400 pages of reading a week card? Can we just say that I had to write thousands of words that were actually required for class? (If I’ve learned anything at college, it’s how to make excuses. ;-))

In reality, I’ve just been really busy, and that’s about the whole of it; however, I feel like I owe it to myself to sit down and pound out a quick blog about my time here. Obviously it won’t be totally exhaustive or explain exactly where it is that I’ve been the last two months, but I hope to catch up on those details in the coming weeks. For today, I just want to say that I’m here, I’m alive, and I am in love. =)

Two months ago, I wanted nothing more than to be at home forever. I wanted an eternity of Johnny’s pizza, Friday night football, and cuddles with my kitties. The thought of four years away from home seemed like torture. I wondered if it were too late to spend a gap year appreciating all of the comforts that I disregarded for so many years. Simply because the days kept ticking down and I didn’t give myself a choice, I packed my bags (and several boxes) to head off to a place where I wasn’t even sure I would want to be when I arrived. In all of the moments before I left- packing my bags, telling my best friends goodbye, boarding my plane- I imagined living life for four years feeling like I didn’t have a home.

The beautiful, incredible thing that I failed to realize in those moments was that although I was leaving my home, I was also leaving FOR a home- a different, slightly crazier home, but one of my homes nonetheless.

I’m home here at Harvard. (I say that 7% for the alliteration and 100% for the truth of it.) The environment here is, in general, one of solidarity. It is an incredible feeling to be in a room of people who define themselves as nerds and who have lists of favorite words (yes, I told you, I am NOT the only one.) It is an incredible experience to sit in a classroom full of people who are not there because they have to be or because they want an A but because they are genuinely interested in learning the material.  It is a beautiful feeling to stand in the middle of campus and hear a hundred intellectually charged conversations and a hundred mundane conversations.- all a blur of thoughts that I’ve whispered to only myself for eighteen years.

I was afraid that I would come to campus and find myself alone. Instead, I’ve found a beautiful family of friends. I could not ask for crazier, funnier, more caring people to come home to after a heinous day of reading in Lamont. I love that I’ve met a few incredible Bostonians who are willing to show me their city and even their homes.  I love that I’ve met other people for whom “real home” is millions of miles away who are willing to sympathize with me when I’m feeling a bit homesick. I love that in a matter of months I have found people who make me feel so loved and comfortable that I am able to be open about who I am, what I stand for, and what I want. I would not have made it through the craziness of the last two months without these people. I love my family here, and they are part of what makes this one of my homes.

Don’t get me wrong; I miss Monroe like mad. I would give most anything for a crazy night out with Anna and Clair, some Johnny’s pizza, a WMHS football game, or a real shower.  Home will always be in Monroe with my momma and people “that tawlk lyyyyke meee.” (More on that in a future post…) At the same time, Harvard and Boston/Cambridge are already such a wonderful part of me, from the way that I say silly things like “awk” to the way that I am no longer afraid to have my beliefs challenged. This place is crazy, but it is home, too. In a lot of ways college has lived up to my expectations, and in a lot of ways it hasn’t. In every way I am content, and I can’t imagine having this experience at a better place with better people. I can’t wait to get back into the blogoshphere and write about all of the exciting, ridiculous, and sometimes mundane moments I am living. I promise a lot more posts, and I hope someone in cyberspace will hold me to that.

Unfortunately, this is getting a little long, and I really do have about 400 pages of reading to catch up on. ;-) So, for now…

I’m here. I’m alive (contrary to what you might assume from the lack of blog activity), and I am so in love with my second home. =)

The Beginning... (#clichetitles)

Well hello there!


I don’t know if you can tell, but this whole blog thing is new to me.

But here’s the thing: these days, everything is new to me.
Because in ten short days…
-I’ll be living in a new town going to a new school full of new people!
-I’ll be living away from my fantastic mom, amazing friends, and sweet kitties for the first time in my life.
-I’ll be balancing my own college kid budget.
-I’ll be taking crazy classes like Swahili.
-I’ll be using public transit and a community bathroom. (Not so glamorous…)
-I’ll be attempting to be a productive citizen and make a noticeable difference in the world around me!
-And I’ll be documenting it all here on my brand spankin’ new blog in hopes that my friends, family, and random creepers can keep up with all of the happy Harvard happenings that will be happening to me. =)

So stay on the lookout! I can’t wait to start posting about the crazy things that are about to start happening in my life. In the coming weeks you can expect to see a lot of posts about goodbyes, last minute shopping, and awe at my beautiful new home! I am so excited about all that is happening, and I am even more excited to share it with you! =)