root of the root

this is going to be the quintessential new year's blog post. i'm sorry to do it to you. kind of.

2011 was good. definitely good.

Spring

Spring of 2011 was an awesome semester. It was the first time in years I had been single for an extended period of time. I didn't have to worry about anyone or anything except me. Selfish, maybe. Refreshing, definitely. I was crazy with schoolwork, and I loved it. I felt so free to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I realized that you should feel like that even with  a boy in your life, or maybe even better.

This was also the semester that Megan Hall became my best friend. It's a long story, but it wasn't until our second semester living together that we realized we were in love. You would never tell, you would think we were friends since birth, because we act so stupid around each other. But seriously, I've never had a friend who gets me like that girl.

It was also the semester of David James. I think we first talked via Megan Hall's Skype. He is the perfect 'nice guy.' He's going to kill me for writing that. (What a contradiction!) It's lovely to know that people like him inhabit the world. 

Finally, it was the semester of Rebecca Wojtaszek. I'm so glad there is someone as quirky (and IBSy) as me in Cogswell. She's so strong. In her beliefs, in her friendships, and in her work. Really and truly, one of the most amazing people I've ever met.

Lastly, it was the semester that my cymbal ladies graduated. How daunting.

1. I have to do college without them.

2. I have to do bayund without them.

3. They're going on to do life. 

I mean, no matter what, Kerry and Sarah make my life easier. They always set the path one year before me, kind of giving me hope. Kerry and Sarah did it. I can do it too. That sort of thing.

Summer

This summer was the greatest learning experience I've ever had. My DC internship blog is one of my greatest accomplishments (in my opinion).

http://hideyourbadge.blogspot.com/

Fall

This fall, was also one of my greatest accomplishments. Just the sheer fact that I made it through. The volume of work I did was incredible, in addition to living with dudes, not being able to eat anything, and holding down a job. 

That being said, it was one of the best semesters ever. 

I got to know Cam & Sarah so well. I really needed them this semester, and do not know how I would have fared without them. For life.

I had a kickass drumline. Rookies '11 = Rookies '08. Grace will lead you home.

There were a ton of leadership lessons. Apparently I'm intimidating? 

I produced the Gen/Choral Assembly. Which no one, unless you've done it, really understands. Especially my parents. I try to explain it, but they just don't get it. I also sang in front of people. Which was absolutely, 100-percent, totally and completely petrifying.

Winter

This winter began the winter of trips that we, as a group of friends, will go on every year (hopefully.)

We went to Orlando. And I fell in love with these people all over again every day.

Kerry, Megan, Sarah, my new friend (Shane), Bean, & Cameron.

They each teach me new things all the time. It's really incredible. 

My new year's resolution is to be...

...as dedicated as Megan.

...as honorable as David.

...as strong as Rebecca.

...as thoughtful as Cameron.

...as caring as Sarah Shreve.

...as loyal as Kerry.

...as faithful as Sarah.

...as brave as Shane.

...as good a teacher as Bean.

living with gentlemen. no wait, boys.

i had the pleasure tragedy experience... i lived with boys this past semester.

why? well, because of certain circumstances i had to.

i found a cheap apartment for us... all 5 of us... (4 boys + 1 me = ApPpartment #4). it isn't the nicest of places, but it's in a decent location and it's cheap.

i had decent expectations, i think. i knew it would be dirty. i knew i could get woken up in the middle of the night. i knew the bathroom would probably always be disgusting. i also knew that i would have a pretty good time. boys are less drama, right? and they generally tell you what's up?

well, i was kind of right and kind of wrong.

the good
we really did have fun. in a way that's completely different than girl fun. i laugh with my current girl roommate/best friend, but it's not in the same way. boys are just ridiculous in the stunts they pull. boys do funny things while girls use witty words.

they were great about being straight-up about everything. there was little to no passive aggression, with the 'little' coming from me rather than any one of them. if they had an issue, they told me. if they were excited about something, they told me that too. if i needed relationship advice, they'd give that to me straight too.

it also helped me understand differences between boys and girls. for example, the guys would show me things all the time, have me check things, etc. 'look, raj! isn't this cool.' it was like i was the mom, and they needed approval. chicks don't do this. they look for approval, just not so bluntly.

one of the guys was an ex. weird that this is under 'the good', right? well, no. we had a terrific relationship, that i think got better after moving in. it is possible to have a super positive relationship with an ex, which was really refreshing to discover

we hosted parties... and they were the best parties i've been to while at school.

the bad
one time they blew up Ramen in the microwave (it caught it on fire), which was then put out with our fire extinguisher causing an ashy apartment at 3am. i slept on my windowsill trying to breathe.

they let one of the other guys we know live in our apartment for free. all semester.

i live next to the bathroom, so when you yell, "i gotta take a shit," then do the deed, and don't wash your hands... i know... when you do this everyday, it is almost mandatory that i would notice.

the ugly
did i mention they were all drummers? no? well they were. don't get me wrong. drummers/percussionists are all my friends. seriously. my best friends.  in fact, now that i think about it i have only ever dated drummers. sheesh.

i knew this going in. i knew that there would be constant drumming. i didn't know it would be on the hard side of the drum pad, all hours of the day and night, in the living room. i took 10 classes this semester. like 22 credits. so when i finally get to sleep, i should get to sleep. i earplugged, i listened to music, i slept with a pillow over my head. it worked out ok, i guess.

the dishes, though, were by far my greatest battle. if you dirty a dish, clean it. if you can't clean it now, clean it in a reasonable amount of time, so that others who come behind you can clean their own dishes without a clogged up sink full of dirty dishes... also, so that my really nice pots and pans don't get ruined.

i lost this battle.

when i left, there was a huge under-bed storage container full of dirty dishes... from weeks before thanksgiving. i left mid-December.

next semester, i'm living with my bff, a lady. when she took me out of the apartment to move me into her house, i felt like an woman being rescued from an abusive home. i didn't know i had so much anxiety about it until that moment, when i felt that. it was a huge sigh of relief.

i suppose i can't really blame them. i mean, as it got more and more gross, i stopped hanging out as often, and kept to myself when i was in the house. they resented me for that a bit, i think. i didn't feel welcome anymore. but now that i don't live there, they can't really have any expectations for me... so perhaps i'll bake a cake for them now and again... as long as i can make it in my own clean kitchen with an empty sink.