A Day Four Years in the Making

 

My friend Eva and I walked together at Commencement. Very appropriate because she was the first friend I made at UNH.

Gnarlz gives high-fives to Seniors as they begin to walk onto the field for the ceremony.

After the ceremony-- the graduate!

Seven

Seven Things that Scare Me:

• Plane rides
• Big changes
• Deep water
• Heights
• Being alone
• Popping balloons
• Dangerous behavior

Seven Things I Like:

• Tea
• Chocolate
• Animals
• Gardening
• Sewing
• Organizing
• Adventuring

Seven Random Facts About Me:

• I have a tendency to be allergic to perfumes, soaps, plants, lotions, chemicals, and other things that touch my skin.
• One of my favorite things to do is sing. I have been performing in choirs, musicals, and school showcases since I was a toddler.
• Before the 2008 presidential election, I personally met and shook hands with every major Democratic candidate (benefits of living in New Hampshire!)
• I have been to Europe twice in my 22 years. When I was six weeks old, my mom took me to Switzerland on a business trip. When I was 17, I traveled to France with my school.
• I love to do genealogical research. Since beginning my research in 2006, I have added nearly 2,000 people to my family tree.
• There are many things that I like to collect. Most people only have one or two collections, but I have dozens. I love seaglass, heart-shaped stones, tea paraphernalia, pottery sherds, antique cookbooks, vintage sewing materials, paper cranes, houseplants, campaign buttons, etc.
• I spent a summer working at a Boy Scout camp in the equestrian program. There were 12 horses that we trained, cared for, and used for lessons.

Seven Things I want to Do Before I Die:

• Travel to my ancestral homelands: Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Austria, England, and Ireland
• Own a self-sustaining farm
• Live beside the Atlantic Ocean
• Get married to someone I adore
• Have children
• Become a well-known expert on experiential history
• Make a significantly positive impact on the world around me

Seven Things I Can Do Well:

• Sew
• Bake
• Cook
• Sing
• Write
• Care for others
• Love

Seven Things I Can't Do But Wish I Could:

• Play an instrument really well
• Be an Olympic athlete
• Live in Narnia
• Pay off all my student loans
• Apparate & Disapparate
• Marry Josh Groban ;-)
• Become a celebrated singer & appear on Broadway

Seven Phrases I'm Known to Use:

• "Good grief."
• "What on God's green earth...?"
• "Holy Moley!"
• "FALSE!"
• "Whaaaaattttt....?"
• "Let's roll."
• "Gee whiz."
  

A Little Update

The past week has been a flurry of activity, emotion, and decision-making. So I guess it's time I update everyone what has been happening in my life.

1. My senior Honors thesis has been submitted for review. The next step is defending it against a committee. Considering I have worked on this process for nearly a year and a half, I'm not terribly concerned about the defense. If you are interested in reading my work to date, take a look at the site that I've created:  http://foresttofreshet.blogspot.com/
 

This is a Skymall image, but I like to think it was meant for me.

2. Tomorrow I will be inducted to Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest honor society in America. I was also inducted to Pi Delta Phi, the French honor society, on Tuesday.

3. Two weeks from tomorrow I will be graduating from college with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History! Yikes!

4. I have officially decided to attend George Washington University for my graduate program. However, I found out that if I defer from GWU for a year to work and live at home, I will be able to cut my potential loans in half. That's a difference of $40,000 in loans, folks. So, instead of rushing off to Washington, D.C. in June, I will be headed back to my hometown for a year to get myself on solid ground.

5. I've been very fragile lately, but with the help of my family, friends and mentors, I know that I can make it to the finish line. I've come so far in the past four years that even the biggest obstacles should seem small, but somehow I still get upset. I'm hurting in so many ways right now-- but I'm also rejoicing at the opportunities that are before me. Transitions and endings are difficult to say the least, but they are also a time of celebration and rebirth. It's up to me to keep focusing on the positive.