Year in Review

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_1832 (1)IMG_2419 (1) IMG_1373 IMG_1202This year I have literally lived differently in the sense that this was the first time I shared a room, let alone with three other girls. However, it has allowed me to gain long-time friends and learn how to share space and to take into account their interests and habits. As weird as it sounds, I have also hung out with more guys, which I didn’t really do in high school. Mainly because I lived far away from everyone, so I didn’t even hang out with my girl friends that much outside of school either. Because of that, accompanied with my room situation and the layout of Morrill, I have made so many great and long-time friends that I’m going to continue to stay in contact with over summers and after graduation. Other decisions I’ve made this year, well this one is just in the past month and a half, but I chose to separate myself a bit more from my parents in visits and texts and such because throughout the rest of the year I felt that I was cheating by seeing them so often and them dropping off some supplies every once and a while. By separating myself, I finally felt as if I was on my own. Even though my parents hadn’t been staying with me, I wasn’t getting that separation I needed to help ‘find myself’ by doing things like going out with friends to things like football games-which are amazing and thrilling live. I have also chosen to be more active in the outdoors through my Scholars group. This has increased my love for the outdoors and nature and has exposed me to hiking and camping which I didn’t have really any experience with. Oh, and I know this list is getting kind of ling, but I have also chosen to live differently by applying for leadership council and mentor council because I didn’t use to get so involved in things or apply for leadership roles because I was anxious about what it would entail and if I would like, etc. but it has turned out as great thing.

Some other changes I would like to make is eating and living healthier next year. I want to find a more routine schedule for working out and have a better idea of what’s healthy to eat on campus. I believe I have a much better sense of it now, but I believe it can still be improved upon. Well, technically my ‘choice’ to share a room with three other girls wasn’t my choice, but now that I have gone through the experience I wouldn’t have it any other way. My reasons for creating more distance between myself and my family is to gain even more independence. My choices have been prompted by my environment, like Morrill making it so easy to make friends, my want for more independence, and a desire to break out of my shell a little more.

I have taken in the friendship of all of those around me from my friends, to those who were so welcoming on the leadership council. All of which made me feel accepted and that I would want to make sure others feel the same. Not only am I getting a sense of acceptance and friendship, but a sense of independence as there are more and more things that I do and need to do on my own. I’m also picking up on a love and desire to protect the environment. I’d like to think that I’m giving back friendship, a willingness to help and a passion for the environment.

I hadn’t gotten to thinking about that, but going vegetarian was meaningful. Especially after talking with Katie and Bugg one evening about the effects on the environment and economy of eating vegetarian versus meat, it became very meaningful in the sense that I was helping a system that was having such an effect on the environment. I won’t continue with the last two weeks of my challenge because those were eating vegetarian basically all the time. Unfortunately I still like meat, but I’m more aware of the effects of doing so, so I will be more aware of what I eat and try to eat vegetarian more often.

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