Thursday, May 7, 2009

1 year anniversary

I cannot even believe it.  365 days ago today I graduated with a master's degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of South Carolina.  Two years of  student development, learning outcomes, legal issues in higher education, the history of higher education, career development theory, practices in couseling, Comprehensive exams, and oh...maybe 500 pages of papers.  365 days ago I had no clue what my next step was but I did know that I had come to actually love South Carolina.  A year ago I'd applied for jobs in Tuscaloosa, Charleston, Charlotte, Atlanta, Athens, Nashville, Ft. Collins, New York City, Dallas, Birmingham, Chapel Hill, Washington DC, Ann Arbor..... many of them were shots in the dark, but when you're job searching that's kind of how it goes.  Then, FSU just kind of fell in my lap.  I definitely think there was a reason I was called back to Tallahassee, but I can't say I was looking to come back.  I adore Tallahassee, FSU, the community, and the people, but there's something missing.  Growing up is hard.

Top 5 things I love about Columbia
1. Shagging at Vista After 5
2. Gervais and Vine (I could cry how much I miss this place)
3. Beer and cheese tots at Salty Nut
4. My HESA family!  Never thought I'd find the friends that I did. 
4.5. Lunch at the McCutcheon House patio on the USC horseshoe (best deal around)
5. Broad River Trace and apartment #736

Top 5 things I  hate about Columbia
1. That Columbia is situated on top of a vent from hell (read: hotter than the Sahara)
2.  Rooster's Den and/or Triple Crown
3.  The road conditions on Bull Street
4. Harbison - the chain store Mecca of the universe, and also where I got in my first accident (not my fault!)
4.5 Spending my days as a grad assistant/grad intern in basements (CAA, Greek Life)
5.  THE TRAINS. How can one city have so many train tracks going through the middle of the city?

Pics from graduation day, 2008

On the horseshoe!

Kinsey and Julia: Carolina Alumni Assn grad assistants
Seminoles in Gamecock territory (love dr. plyler)
Julia, Chris and Carolyn before the hooding ceremony
Sisters, roomies, best friends celebrating

Sorry for the nostalgia.  Wonder what another 365 days will hold?

Activity that cannot be done in flip flops, and therefore not worth doing: Cleaning up nuclear waste.
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8 comments:

  1. Michael WilliamsMay 8, 2009 at 10:30 AM

    ohhh the day of the basements- never knowing what the outside world was doing- I swear those two years pigment in my skin actually died from lack of sun!

    I can't even begin to understand where the last 365 days have gone- where is the pause button!

    ReplyDelete
  2. DanaMay 8, 2009 at 10:52 AM

    i just cried a little...

    1. you forgot to mention knock knock
    2. you applied for a job in Ann Arbor?! are you insane? it snows there.
    3. the muccutcheon house is amazing, i miss it there.
    4. i miss the brt pool, i went there like everyday in the summer even tho i didnt even live there.
    5. the salty nut website really cracks me up.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The MierzMay 8, 2009 at 11:26 AM

    So funny that you posted a blog about remembering the college years... that is what I am about to post!

    ReplyDelete
  4. J. KellyMay 8, 2009 at 1:23 PM

    I fought pretty hard to get out of SC myself, but there are lots of things to miss! I can't belive it's been a year either!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jess LanghaimMay 8, 2009 at 1:47 PM

    Happy Graduation Anniversary!
    (side note: You took me to Gervais and Vine and it was delicious...)

    ReplyDelete
  6. MegMay 10, 2009 at 2:07 PM

    I like the picture of me and you that you put up from graduation.

    Oh wait. You didn't.

    ReplyDelete
  7. CarolynMay 11, 2009 at 12:36 PM

    I miss 736 too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    But you're right, I don't miss Rooster's Den/Triple Crown. I will never go back there. Never.

    Also, the Seminole picture at graduation has a caption underneath it that reads, "Julia, Carolyn, & Chris getting ready for graduation." I thought to myself, ooooh, Vinny didn't make the cut, faddeddd. But then I realized you were referring to our other Chris. Dang.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousMay 13, 2009 at 11:22 AM

    1. How is it that Palmetto Pig was left off the list of things you love at SC?
    2. You definitely should have come up to DC.
    3. Your hott.

    ReplyDelete

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