First One... Done!

Wow, I have finished my first quarter of college. It's surreal. My exams are done, my final paper is submitted. I feel like I just showed up at DU and now I'm heading back to Palatine. It is completely weird.

I think that my first quarter at the University of Denver was a big success. I don't have all of my grades yet, but I think my classes went pretty well. I definitely didn't get straight As but hey, it's college. Getting an A in high school is soooo much easier than getting an A in college. My classes and professors were wonderful. I actually feel like I learned some useful stuff. I had the amazing opportunity to report on my school's amazing D1 athletics. Interviewing head hockey coach Jim Montgomery was undoubtedly the highlight. He is such a nice person and a wonderful coach, plus he's almost like a celebrity to me which makes it that much cooler. I also got to work in a psychology lab doing amazing research. The opportunities I have had are completely unreal.

The BEST part of my first quarter was all the incredible people I met. Granted, there are some people I have met that I would totally be okay with never seeing ever again in my life (my best girls know who I am talking about!). But, there are people that I don't know how I am going to survive being away from for 6 weeks. I know that sounds like an exaggeration but when you live with your best friends and you see them every day, the thought of not being with them for that long is just terrible. It's only been a few months but I can seriously already tell that some of these ladies are going to be my lifelong friends. We've had some crazy memories and I can't wait to see what will happen next.

Just thinking back on all of the stuff that has happened since I've been in Denver seems impossible. It has only been 3 months but so much has changed. I never thought I would be single again, but I am. Oddly enough, I have found a way to enjoy it. I never thought school would be difficult, but it was at times. I got through that too. I didn't think not having my mommy to take care of me would be so sad. It was, but it was also incredible. Freedom is a blessing and a curse. I feel like I have grown up so much. I'm almost a different person. I'm not the kid that I was. College changes you and life changes you too, but I am so happy with who I am.

DU was not my first choice. I wanted to go to Notre Dame for as long as I could remember. Then I wanted to go to Vanderbilt. Then it was Georgetown. DU was always just there in the back of my mind. When I got rejected by Georgetown I was heartbroken. My ex (that is still so weird to say) brought me Ben&Jerry's Chocolate Therapy when I got that letter. A few weeks ago I went to Ben&Jerry's near campus with my new friend. My point is this: everything happens for a reason. I know how cliche that is but it is a cliche because it's the truth. Being a single girl at DU was never my plan. That wasn't what I wanted for myself. But thinking about it now, I wouldn't want anything else. I wouldn't want to be anywhere but DU. I wouldn't want to be anyone but me. I've had sadness but I have also had moments of surreal happiness. I've felt on top of the world at only a mile high. Damn, life is beautiful.