When it rains, it pours.

It seems that Gettysburg College has postponed sorority and fraternity rush until further notice and apparently the entire Greek community is up in arms fighting this decision. Never in my life have I seen such outrage-- I mean, guys were genuinely mad about the college getting rid of ESPN and I'm sure the loss of Crabfest on campus is something that has caused a slight stir, but the reaction to this event is full on chaos. Sorority girls are running around in their letters signing petitions, threatening to send nasty emails, shouting angry things across the commons... Insanity, I tell you! Now, I must admit, this is all very funny, but also somewhat disconcerting because it doesn't seem like anyone running this school has looked at a calendar in the last six months-- they have already postponed rush once and was due to commence tomorrow (based on its new scheduled date). So the outrage is warranted. Anyway, long story made short, I enjoy being back on campus-- yet I wasn't at all prepared for the complete meltdown of over 60% of the student body.

College life is funny. I think if I was still a student there I would be more concerned-- probably having anxiety attacks and crying in the fetal position-- however, as an alumna, it doesn't phase me as much. Although, I feel empathy for all those that have worked hard to prepare for this weekend-- and I know the kind of time and effort it takes to arrange an event of this magnitude-- it's not my sorority anymore. And I'm okay with that.

Leaving on a jet plane.

Okay, maybe not, but I am leaving today for Pennsylvania. The plan is to go visit J for a few days and (pending my work schedule) then head down to Gettysburg for rush. At this point it isn't a definite if I will make it there for the weekend, but I am crossing my fingers. See you all later.

Vacations are always too short.

After a wonderful week in Maryland and Pennsylvania, I am now back home. I started off my trip with an afternoon in Gettysburg visiting my sorority sisters and enjoying some lunch at The Pub. It was great to spend time with them after being apart for a few months. Although, most of them are still in school and getting ready to start their senior year, it was especially nice to see Madeline and Eli, who graduated with me in May. We seem to be feeling and experiencing the same post-grad obstacles that this economy has created. I also visited with my seminar professor, who has put me in touch with an alumnus who works in public relations. Even if he can't offer me a job, it's nice to know someone else is out that that could keep an eye out for me.

Jason and I left Gettysburg that afternoon to head down to Maryland to stay with his sister for the weekend. On Saturday, we decided to go to Annapolis, MD for the day. I had never been there, so I was excited to explore a new city. The downtown area was absolutely adorable-- there were a number of small boutiques, historic sites and expensive, but delicious restaurants. Even though we were there for the afternoon, we were able to take a lovely harbor cruise around the Bay and the Naval Academy. It was much nicer on the breezy deck of the Harbor Queen since the weather was so oppressively hot and humid. I took around fifty pictures on our 40-minute cruise, so I think I went a little picture happy.

On Sunday, J and I went to our friends engagement party. It was a small gathering of 23 people consisting mostly of Gettysburg kids and Dave's family. We ate at a nice Italian restaurant (family style, of course) which included a menu of garlic bread, caesar salad, spaghetti and meatballs and cheese raviolis-- very tasty. It was nice to see everyone and to catch up, but I felt a little melancholy after we left the restaurant. I miss going to class, learning new things and participating in activities and sports-- I miss challenging myself. When I'm at home, the most challenging part of my day is choosing which new recipe should I try and what television show I should watch before bed. That isn't the life I wanted after graduation and despite my best efforts, I haven't been able to achieve much more than that. My job search commenced way back in March and amazingly, people who only started looking for a job after May 16 are already employed. How is that fair?

Anyway, the rest of my week was spent at J's beating him in mini-golf (haha), going out to eat, playing tennis, and spending time with his friends and some of mine. It was a great getaway and I can hardly wait until he comes to New York in a week or so.

Nostalgia

As some of my younger friends start going back to school, I can't help but think about the four years I spent in college. My journey from start to finish was a long, stressful, tedious one-- yet it was also full of laughter, adventures, and learning experiences.




Richmond taught me how to be a strong and brave-- a person who could visualize and overcome obstacles. And Gettysburg showed me how to make friends, appreciate the ones I already had and most importantly, who I was as an individual. Being able to start over some place new on my own was so beneficial to me because at that point in time all I had to rely on was myself. It took me a full year and a half at Gettysburg to finally figure these things out, but it was worth it. Looking back now, I couldn't be where I am today without all of what came before and I am so grateful for that.