The Snow, The Sled, The Big Red

Yeah, you're right.  I haven't blogged in a while.  I have an excuse: this week was finals week, so of course I was super busy.  But now I'm at home, all alone in my room with my heated blanket and my queen sized bed and HECK YES I just found my iPod, the little bugger.

The first semester of college is kaput, and now I'm getting my long-needed break.  Life couldn't be better.  It's kind of hard to believe that it's only been 1 semester of college.  I feel like I've been gone a lifetime already.  I've changed so much from all of my experiences.

Speaking of experiences, imagine a quaint, slightly Southern college town.  Imagine lots of hills and a very pretty red building, on top of the greatest hill in town.  Now imagine a few inches of snow, and a bunch of college kids that have just finished finals for the day.

This is how my last day before heading back home was.  I played in the snow like it was nobody's business.  Sure, I cleaned my room, did my laundry, packed to leave, but I had a few precious hours to spend with my friends, and so of course we went straight for the snow.

I forgot how much fun sledding is.  Sledding down the gargantuan hill in front of Main Hall, soaking my pants and the tips of my hair.  Making a snow angel for everyone to see; throwing handfuls of the cold, powdery stuff at other people.  I might have been freezing, but I had fun.  I didn't worry about what other people would think of me, or wonder if sliding on the icy, slushy roads after taking a running start was really the brightest idea.

I'm so glad that I can be a kid sometimes.  That even though I'm an "adult", and "adults" think about "serious matters", I can still take time off from my laundry to roll in the fresh snow outside.  I love it that I have friends who I can share that moment of kidhood with.

I'm really glad for the lessons that I've learned while away at school for the first time, and, more importantly, the appreciation I've gained for the things I have at home.  I will never underestimate the beauty of a stocked refrigerator and the luxury of a room to myself again.  It makes me happy beyond compare to be able to get into a car and drive, instead of hearing the whistle of the biting wind outside and thinking Do I really need to go somewhere right now?  I think I'll just stay inside, where it's warm.


But, as much as I love being home, I miss college, too.  It's my home, whether I want it to be or not.  Sometimes that makes it hard for me, because I can't feel completely peaceful here, in the house that I grew up in.  There will always be something missing, just like there's something missing when I'm away.  It's impossible for me to be completely content.

So, look sharp, University Hill.  Your steep slopes and big red historical landmark on top will always have a place in my heart.  You are my home away from home, and as much as I may hate on you, I think I love you just a little bit, too.