Rooms

School starts today!!

You may not know this about me, but I love school. If I won the lottery I would travel for a while, and then become a full time student. I am one of those people.

Fall semester has its own special attraction as well. In undergrad, fall semester was more anticipated than Christmas. We lived those summer days with joy and eagerness for fall to bring us all back together. Thursday nights I was either found at a sorority sisters house cooking food and watching Grey's Anatomy, or heading to the Sigma Chi house sport coat ready for Sport Coat Thursday... or both. Weekends were spent playing volleyball, drinking woodchuck, watching football, hiking, and spending time at my loom or print table in the studio. Any night of the week a group of us would meet for drinks at JDs Sandwich Shop,  and any night I wasn't there I could almost guarantee a random visitor would show up on my doorstep late into the evening. I miss those fall semesters.

Fall semester looks a bit different now, but in all actuality we haven't removed ourselves so far from this carefree lifestyle. Instead now we may live a bit further apart, but for the most part, my entire group of friends has relocated to Nashville. We all have big kid jobs now, but still spend the weekends hanging out. We work longer hours than school took up, and have a harder time staying up as late (maybe this one is just me, I don't know), but we give it a valiant effort as often as possible. Our social circles have grown and shrunk at the same time. We know more people, but I think everyone finds out who their closest friends are in the stage of life. Those friendships have really grown and I am thankful for this. We still act ignorant and young, spend more money than we should, and are always seeking fun first. I have a lot of friends who have taken on the responsibilities of family, marriage, and home ownership, but within my close group, we tend to shy away from any committal responsibility.

Even though things have changed, once summer recedes to fall you can still tell. That same pep and excitement is there, and I am just lucky enough to still be starting classes, pursuing a career I love. I can't wait till the kick off UT football game, pumpkin spiced everything, sweaters (and sweatshirts I am slowly learning the difference), slouchy boots, bon fires, and re-uniting those undergrad days once Homecoming rolls around. But till then I will start another semester of classes, and continue to remain thankful for a life so blessed.

This picture was taken the very first day of my undergraduate career. This is my old roomie Caroline (LOVE her) and I in our freshman dorm (Cooper Dunn). This was the day we moved in, and I remember taking this picture right before we headed out to FIJI patio party on South Patio.

Much Love,
  Emma