Season 2, Episode 4: Take Me Home
Hey there friend!
I'd ask if you're ready for the story of a lifetime, but I'm not quite sure I can back up that statement so I guess we'll just have to leave it at "I've got a story that's strange but true" (throwback to being the student musical director for my school's senior musical).
To be entirely honest with you, I really wanted to sit here and say "SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED" but, in an even more honest sense, that would be boring. I say that pretty much every time I write on here. So instead, I'm going to give you a list of things that I'm really excited about.
I was terrified, and excited, and completely terrified, and awestruck. Oh man.
Before you start assuming that I did something really cool, and that's why I met him (I wish 😝), allow me to address the how. My sister works at the White House, and long story short, she was able to invite people to accompany her to a short meeting with President Obama himself, and by some twist of fate, she invited me along. Again, I was thrilled and terrified, but mainly thrilled. (It was pretty cool- by the way, he joked about beating Steph Curry in a basketball game "I beat him...Didn't outshoot him, but I beat him.")
Again, I think I've mentioned this before, but I'm going to be studying "The Rise and Fall of the British Empire" in London over my Spring Break this year, and again, I'm beyond excited (I should hope so, these are all supposed to be things that I'm excited about). It's going to be really great to be back in the city again (especially for a whole 9 days instead of 18 hours!!) and I'm looking forward to the community that I'll be in, and the ability to explore and discover the city again, with fresh eyes, two years later. The last time I went was one of the best moments of my life, and I'm completely elated to have the opportunity to go back again.
But seriously though, I'm thrilled to announce that I got a position as a writer for the Odyssey at UMD- which basically means you'll be hearing from me more often than you do at the moment. I'm currently looking at it like a challenge (*wishfully thinks: one that I enjoy*) and I hope to have the opportunity to reach more people than I do at the moment. Obviously, I love writing this blog- it's a time, let me tell you- but it's going to be really cool to know that the things I write won't be limited to an audience of just my friends and family. (It's pretty cool, and I'm pretty excited...Again.)
(Fun fact with this one: Maryland requires that you have at least 120 credits to graduate, and so when my advisor and I were (vaguely) planning out my classes, we kept that in mind and tried to make my class requests equate to the school's credit requirements. I had mentioned previously to my advisor that I wanted to be able to stay in Marching Band (aka Guard), but she suggested that we wait until all of the courses were planned out before adding it to my schedule, and I, understanding the logic behind that, agreed. Flash forward about five minutes, and I'm asking if we can double check that my class credits all add up to 120- lo and behold, I'm 4 credit hours short. But conveniently, I have two more fall semesters left in which I can add two credits of marching band each... Long story short, I have to stay in Marching Band to graduate 😊)
Naturally, I'm pretty excited about this (shocker) and I'm seriously looking forward to the classes that I'm planning on taking (Mock Trial... Constitutional and Criminal Law...The Supreme Court.. this schedule is pretty much made for me... because it was!) I'm prepared to push myself, and to enter into a lot of hard work, but also, I'm really excited to see where this takes me.
So, that's where I'm at right now.
A lot has happened (ha) and a lot is coming my way (haHA) and I seriously couldn't be happier that I'm here and I'm studying what I am, and that I have the opportunities that I do.
In a recent Instagram/Facebook post of mine, I wrote at the end " In summary: things change, people change, dreams change- but you'll end up where you're meant to be. I promise."
I'm not going to lie, I spent a very long time deciding what school I wanted to go to and what field of study I wanted to pursue, and after choosing, I spent a lot of time crying about it, because I was afraid that I was making the wrong choice. (Little known fact: I was looking at transfer applications before I was even in college yet). I was afraid that I was disappointing my parents by not going to a school as good as my sister's Alma Mater, or because I wanted to go out to Maryland instead of staying near them, and I was even afraid that I wasn't living up to my full potential.
But now I've been in college for a bit, and here's the thing: I think that this might just be the right place for me. Nowhere else in the country would I be able to take the Crim classes that I'm taking here; nowhere else in the country would I be a 45 minute commute from my sister; nowhere else in the country would I get to be a part of the Mighty Sound of Maryland. There are so many things that I wouldn't be able to do, and so many experiences that I've had here that I wouldn't take back, and I swear to you that even through the heartbreaking process of college decisions (because that's what it was for me- we can't all be Rory Gilmore, having a choice between three Ivy Leagues to attend), I wouldn't change a thing about what I chose or why.
This is one of my homes now, and as excited as I am to go back to my hometown, when I leave Illinois to fly back to Maryland, I'm going to be just as excited to come back and continue to fully dive into my education.
Signing off,
Amanda
(P.S. So I've changed the themes of the "Episode Titles", see if you can figure it out!)
I'd ask if you're ready for the story of a lifetime, but I'm not quite sure I can back up that statement so I guess we'll just have to leave it at "I've got a story that's strange but true" (throwback to being the student musical director for my school's senior musical).
To be entirely honest with you, I really wanted to sit here and say "SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED" but, in an even more honest sense, that would be boring. I say that pretty much every time I write on here. So instead, I'm going to give you a list of things that I'm really excited about.
1. I'm going home in a month (21 days to be exact)😊
As I think I mentioned in one of my more recent posts, it miraculously worked out that I was able to fly home for both my birthday and Thanksgiving, and I'm beyond excited. I've been not-so-casually counting down with a couple of my closest friends, and it's actually indescribable how much I miss everyone back in Illinois (especially with all of the Chicago pride that's been going around with the Cubs being in the World Series).
2. I got to meet the President😊
HOLY. COW. (I was in the Room Where it Happens)I was terrified, and excited, and completely terrified, and awestruck. Oh man.
Before you start assuming that I did something really cool, and that's why I met him (I wish 😝), allow me to address the how. My sister works at the White House, and long story short, she was able to invite people to accompany her to a short meeting with President Obama himself, and by some twist of fate, she invited me along. Again, I was thrilled and terrified, but mainly thrilled. (It was pretty cool- by the way, he joked about beating Steph Curry in a basketball game "I beat him...Didn't outshoot him, but I beat him.")
3. I'm going to be in the same room as Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Monday (hljsadhfljksdahgflkasdhglkshglkasghdfh CAN'T HANDLE IT)😊
I'm going to be going to hear an Oral Argument on Monday at the Supreme Court, and I seriously caNNOT HANDLE IT. I'm ecstatic- I get to see the justices ask questions and I get to hear the way a case gets presented and goodness WOW am I excited. This is basically a dream trip, and all I have to do is take the metro down to D.C. (I'm not crying with joy, what?) I don't even have the words to describe how lucky I feel to be able to do things like this on a whim given where I live.
4. I'm going to London over Spring Break😊
5. I am officially a writer with the Odyssey 😊
Peep at your girl sometime in the near future, writing articles on the weekly!But seriously though, I'm thrilled to announce that I got a position as a writer for the Odyssey at UMD- which basically means you'll be hearing from me more often than you do at the moment. I'm currently looking at it like a challenge (*wishfully thinks: one that I enjoy*) and I hope to have the opportunity to reach more people than I do at the moment. Obviously, I love writing this blog- it's a time, let me tell you- but it's going to be really cool to know that the things I write won't be limited to an audience of just my friends and family. (It's pretty cool, and I'm pretty excited...Again.)
6. I'm graduating in three years (instead of in four)😊
This last one may be my personal favorite- and also is something I haven't gotten a chance to officially announce. As of right now, I'm set to graduate in the Spring of 2019 (it'll be weird, not graduating on an even numbered year) with my cute little double major. I've double checked all of my classes with my major advisors, and I've made sure that I have the correct amount of credits.(Fun fact with this one: Maryland requires that you have at least 120 credits to graduate, and so when my advisor and I were (vaguely) planning out my classes, we kept that in mind and tried to make my class requests equate to the school's credit requirements. I had mentioned previously to my advisor that I wanted to be able to stay in Marching Band (aka Guard), but she suggested that we wait until all of the courses were planned out before adding it to my schedule, and I, understanding the logic behind that, agreed. Flash forward about five minutes, and I'm asking if we can double check that my class credits all add up to 120- lo and behold, I'm 4 credit hours short. But conveniently, I have two more fall semesters left in which I can add two credits of marching band each... Long story short, I have to stay in Marching Band to graduate 😊)
Naturally, I'm pretty excited about this (shocker) and I'm seriously looking forward to the classes that I'm planning on taking (Mock Trial... Constitutional and Criminal Law...The Supreme Court.. this schedule is pretty much made for me... because it was!) I'm prepared to push myself, and to enter into a lot of hard work, but also, I'm really excited to see where this takes me.
So, that's where I'm at right now.
A lot has happened (ha) and a lot is coming my way (haHA) and I seriously couldn't be happier that I'm here and I'm studying what I am, and that I have the opportunities that I do.
In a recent Instagram/Facebook post of mine, I wrote at the end " In summary: things change, people change, dreams change- but you'll end up where you're meant to be. I promise."
I'm not going to lie, I spent a very long time deciding what school I wanted to go to and what field of study I wanted to pursue, and after choosing, I spent a lot of time crying about it, because I was afraid that I was making the wrong choice. (Little known fact: I was looking at transfer applications before I was even in college yet). I was afraid that I was disappointing my parents by not going to a school as good as my sister's Alma Mater, or because I wanted to go out to Maryland instead of staying near them, and I was even afraid that I wasn't living up to my full potential.
But now I've been in college for a bit, and here's the thing: I think that this might just be the right place for me. Nowhere else in the country would I be able to take the Crim classes that I'm taking here; nowhere else in the country would I be a 45 minute commute from my sister; nowhere else in the country would I get to be a part of the Mighty Sound of Maryland. There are so many things that I wouldn't be able to do, and so many experiences that I've had here that I wouldn't take back, and I swear to you that even through the heartbreaking process of college decisions (because that's what it was for me- we can't all be Rory Gilmore, having a choice between three Ivy Leagues to attend), I wouldn't change a thing about what I chose or why.
This is one of my homes now, and as excited as I am to go back to my hometown, when I leave Illinois to fly back to Maryland, I'm going to be just as excited to come back and continue to fully dive into my education.
Signing off,
Amanda
(P.S. So I've changed the themes of the "Episode Titles", see if you can figure it out!)
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