Ready... Freddy... Go!

Tomorrow is Commencement.

Commencement is:

1. The first existence of anything; act or fact of commencing; rise; origin; beginning; start.


Many people sit and reminisce about dorm experiences and studying in the pine grove. We have walked to school in snow storms that could bury the smaller students and completed papers that have and they are both things to take note of. We are not the first or last to experience anything, but we should treasure it. I have plenty to be thankful for. My time at Hope College has been filled with joys, neutral feelings, and the less favorable kind, but it was time and I like to think I've grown, that we've grown. We've figured a couple things out and now we're ready to commence! It's time to begin. With an even stronger safety net that's further than it's ever been, we are entrusted with great knowledge to achieve great things and love fully.

Nine members of my family are in Holland this weekend for my graduation. While the actual event may not warrant throngs of people flocking from Ohio, I believe any opportunity to spend time with family is [almost always] one to be taken. I have amazing parents who believe in me and are 100% behind me. I have siblings that are already accomplishing great things and continue to care about their work, their friends, and their loved ones. I have Grandparents who love each other and who struggle every day, but remain strong and love even stronger now than ever before. I have relatives that care and a family that wants to be a family. I hope to always be in and foster such families. Whether it's a Confucian duty or something completely different, I don't know. I just know that they radiate strength and love and I want to radiate it back.



In truth, thanks to everyone. Sure, there are certain events in the last four years one could complain about, and I won't try to claim that I was always in a place that felt "right," but there have always been people there to support and love me. My whole senior seminar class seemed to do that this semester and not a single one of them was obligated to in any way. They encourage my belief in "Good People".

Thank you for making the last 4, and the last 21/22 years of my life what it has been. Tomorrow is commencement, but we already know that every beginning is some other ending... and that's okay.




Things I love:
Seeing friends out
My housemates
Adventures
My Grandparents
Nice Displays of Affection
Affection
Breathing

The Ides

I just paid for the last full month in my Michigan residence. After this there's one half month to pay and that's it... then we go elsewhere. At least four of my five housemates know what city they're moving to in May. I, on the other hand, am not so sure. I miss New York and am quite interested in moving back, but am not going to go without a job. I'm not necessarily against moving elsewhere, but the "success" I had there is encouraging.

The tricky part about figuring out what comes next is that in order to decide I must first figure out what I want. My sister and I talked about this a lot this weekend. It was incredibly beneficial to talk with someone whom I know I align priorities with. So I'm still working on figuring out what I want, but it's less scary if I continue to remember that what I want right now does not have to be what I want a year from now or ten years from now. Of course, that's why the year-long commitments intimidate me, I'm not even sure what I want for a summer, how can I know what I want for a year? I know I do not want to 'settle' or for others to think that I have failed, but if anyone knows me at all, I won't settle for anything- particularly failure. Whatever happens, there will be changes. I just need to trust in this, send out applications to everything I could ever imagine wanting and hope that the one that I will enjoy the longest will call me back...


This weekend I was extra thankful, but I didn't post it. I was too busy living wonderfulness to write about it. My sister [yay!] came up this weekend and went to closing night of my show. It was a wonderful show and I thought that it was the best I had seen it run. The audience was strong and laughter was plentiful. They were still a little slow on the Dogberry jokes, but hey, at least most of them realized it in time. Perhaps I find it funny earlier because I know it's coming?
My sister and I ate at CityVu and one of the wonderful people of my senior seminar was there [she's the manager] so that was wonderful! My sister and I ate delicious food. I think I will be taking people there a bit more often. They're green, friendly, and tasty in one wonderfully decorated restaurant. After the show my sister and I went back to my house and talked, did a tiny bit of job browsing and just enjoyed our company. My wonderful roommate was accommodating as usual [I wish I could keep these housemates post-graduation]. The next morning my sister and I skipped the run, ate breakfast, and then I dropped her off in Michigan City. We had impressive timing and managed to even get in another meal before the train. I drove back and went to strike where the actors were amazingly helpful and we cleared out a large percent of the fixtures in the catwalks. It would have been painful without them. The rest of strike went well, but my body is always tired the next morning from hanging off the cats. And that, my friend, brings us to today. I slept in a bit, ate some cereal [I love cereal] and now need to be productive before a run and more striking of Dewitt.

I hope you all had wonderful weekends as well.
xoxo.