you found it by the light of the moon;

but i -

i found it in you.

CONNege.

(Making good use of my $54,000 education)

Well, here we are - one month down! Somehow in these four weeks, college has gone from an awkwardly terrifying experience to one chock-full of adventures, mishaps, difficulties, and many sleepless nights...though not (yet) due to any academic all-nighters. Contrary to my previous beliefs, I've found myself actually enjoying it all. I have a solid and great group of friends; I've met so many interesting people; I find myself never experiencing a dull moment, which can be both a gift and a hidden curse. It's simple, yet seemingly impossible for my tiny brain to comprehend: I'm happy.

As of one day ago, I am also officially employed! I was recently hired as an Advancement Communications Intern for the Office of College Relations. Essentially, my job is to interview alumni about their current professions and how their experiences in the working world relate to their undergraduate education at Conn. I also have to attend the occasional banquet here and there to report on alumni attendance, events hosted by the college, etc. The hours are slim, but the opportunity sure isn't - it'll look great on my resume, and having a little extra cash around certainly won't hurt!

Classes, however, are difficult, and while I'd like to say that I'm up for the challenge, I'm actually not one hundred percent convinced. With European History, International Politics, the Idea of God, and Chinese all in one semester, my day-to-day schedule is jam-packed and leaves little to no room for breathing. I'm hoping to catch up on sleep and homework alike during our Fall Break - it runs from tomorrow afternoon through Monday, and as most of my friends will be leaving campus, it'll be a great time for me to buckle down without any distractions.

Honestly, in terms of new friendships...I never thought I'd see the day. I've met some pretty awesome people, and already I'm starting to see how it'll be hard for us to spend the summer away from each other. Living in such close proximity with others does something to a relationship - it creates intimacy out of seemingly nothing, forms friendships out of the smallest exchanges. There are people who, when I don't see them for an hour, I miss; there are people that I always want to be with, to talk to, to be in the same room as - even to do nothing with. There are people that intrigue me so much that I want to know their hopes, their dreams, their experiences, their lives outside of this college campus. It's a different kind of sensation than I've felt before, but I like it.

In fact, I'm finally at the place where I can say that I'm happy with where I am. I find myself wanting to 'catch up' with friends on campus if I only haven't seen them for a day; constantly texting and calling my friends back home has taken a step back in my life, allowing me to grow past the intense missing stage and settle into the growing one. I find myself thinking, "So...this is what they meant when they said college was the best experience of your life..."

Now, just to tackle that next philosophy paper...