Dear Whitman

Dear Whitman,

I dedicate this post to you. I am having some severe nostalgia for you right now. Since October, I also haven't said a proper goodbye or thank you for everything you've done for me, mostly because I was just slightly bitter for having to leave, but I'm now ready to move on. 

On Thursday, the fourth sunny day in a row (a rare occasion) I was able to have a wonderful conversation with a friend who is also a transfer student at UPS this semester. It was one of those conversations, you know, where you can talk forever about anything and everything. We sat outside, soaking in the sun while sipping on some smoothies. Nothing could have been better. We talked about our lives, and mainly about our experiences so far at UPS. This got me really thinking about my time here at UPS, but it also made me really homesick for Whitman. I don't feel homesick that often, but I was experiencing it in full form this weekend. I'm not sure why, but maybe it was the rain that did it.

First of all, I want to thank you for the best 2 1/4 years in Walla Walla. I am sad that I had to leave you, but I am also thankful for all that you done to prepare me for the outside world. I strongly believe that you have prepared me for the path that I am now on. Without having gone to you first, who knows what I would be doing now or how different my priorities, focuses, and values would be. I also thank you for giving me (by having me transfer) the opportunity to refocus my priorities, energy, and time to focus on the things I truly care about at UPS. I've been able to take a step back, reevaluate, and figure out what I want to do differently at UPS than I did at Whitman.

So thank you for..

• The endless opportunities you have given me to allow my personal, intellectual, social, spiritual  and emotional self to grow exponentially.
• The friendships I have made that will last me a life time. Though my time at Whitman was short, I know that the friends I made will be the ones I want to share the rest of my life with.
• Showing me what real friendship is.
• Giving me the opportunity to achieve my life long dreams of traveling to Europe and China on two separate occasions with my favorite professor in the world.
• Giving me confidence in myself to be comfortable with who I am.
• Showing me that I, someone of a quieter demeanor, can lead.
• Laughter.
• Professors who become good mentors and even friends.

Because I am feeling really nostalgic, I really miss...

• The rolling hills of eastern Washington.
• The endless wheatfields that stretch along the highway.
• The endless conversations with friends late into the night.
• The beautiful Walla Walla sunshine.
• The nice walks downtown.
• Sharing life stories.
• The crazy, unpredictable summer thunderstorms.
• Random shenanigans with friends on campus.
• My cubicle in the basement of the library. Also, just the library in general.
• The AWESOME gym and pool. 
• Ankeny field.
• Weekly football practices and games (though we lost.. almost every game)
• My Ohana! Our small family, which has grown so big now, is the best! No one will ever get left behind or forgotten.
• LOTR marathons in the chapter room, which we managed to do twice so far. 
• The herbarium. I miss dead plants.
• Most of all, I miss the feeling of being home, which is a feeling of peace, love, and joy in the company of my Whitman family.

So here's to my friends and favorite memories:

freshman year

 

first theta function freshman year

one of the greatest nights ever, seeing the tallest man on earth.

d-sec reunion (credit to angie)

an unforgettable summer spent with the birds and the bees in sweden

triple in co-ho!

sophomore year trip along the silk road

ohana family, before we expanded

shenanigans on our way to the library

wheatfields

Things at Whitman were not always easy. I remember all too well the endless days of stress, sleepless nights, and frustration. But it is the good things, the precious memories and moments with friends that I remember the best.

For those still at Whitman, appreciate every moment you have in the unique and special place you are. It probably sucks at lot of the time, but remind yourself everyday how lucky you are be there. Spend time with those you love; time is short and it goes by way too quickly to not spend it in the company of friends. If that means taking a little less time to study for that test, do it. In the end, it is not the time studying that you will remember; it is the friendships you make and times you spent together.

So, thank you Whitman for the memories and the experiences you have given me. Thank you for the friendships. I miss you everyday, but I am also happy to be where I am now. I feel so blessed to be at UPS, and I thank you for preparing me for life here.

Sincerely,
A grateful Whittie and Logger

t-25 days

In just a mere 25 days, I will be DONE with this incredible, challenging, surprising, rollercoaster of a semester. I am officially mind blown. How has the time gone by so quickly? How has it almost already been an entire semester? At first, I didn't want it to end, but my goodness, I am sooo done. I am so ready for this semester to be over. I can barely see the light at the end of the tunnel, and there is quite a journey ahead to see the end, but it's there. My motivation is severely lacking, hence why I am writing in here. 

But I have an exciting summer ahead. I still have absolutely no idea what I am doing, and that is just kind of how life is right now... not knowing what is ahead, but just taking each day as its own and trusting that everything is going to be okay. I did find out that I was approved for work-study over the summer, so I WILL have a job! Whew. 

25 days. 25 days. 25 days. 25 days. So close, yet so far. 

best semester ever.

For the first time EVER, I am taking classes to get into occupational therapy school (Anatomy and Dev. Psychology, YAY!) AND I am taking MARINE BIO!!!  I have been waiting soooo long to take these classes. Oh, and I am taking martial arts. I am so excited for next semester!

On top of that, I will actually be living in a house, which I have been waiting for forever.

I am really looking forward to great things next year :)

Letters set free to the world

Throughout the course of the day, I set four love letters free to the world. I left the first letter by the mail room in the basement of the student center after I picked up a package. I set the next three letters free after I went to eat dinner in the student center. I left the second letter tucked in the bench of a booth. I left the third letter on a bulletin board in the basement. Lastly, I made a trip down to the Cellar to get some noms, and I left the last letter in the ice cream freezer, tucked between some ice cream cartons.

When I wrote these, I had originally planned to write only one. After the first one, however, I just couldn't stop. I let my mind wander and my hand go free, and I just kept writing until I finished the fourth letter. After leaving these in odd places, I can now only wonder whose eyes will lay upon them and whose hands they will be held in. That is the magic of these letters; I know not what people will feel or think when they read them, but I can only hope that they will bring at least the smallest bit of hope, encouragement, or love in the lives of those who read them.

Interestingly, it was actually really difficult for me to let these letters ago. I had actually written them two days ago, but I didn't seem to find the "right place" or "right time" to place them on campus. I was hesitant; it felt like I was leaving a little piece of myself to be exposed and vulnerable to the outside world. In one of four of the letters, I wrote a little about my story at UPS.. they were.. some of my deeper and more vulnerable of thoughts that I wanted to share, in the fated chance that the person who may pick it up may relate to what I wrote. Maybe that is why it was difficult for me to let these letters go, for the fear of someone reading them and thinking that they are ridiculous or meaningless. But I have to remind myself that they are anonymous! They are fun! They are meant to spread love! What comes of them are a mystery, and that is part of the enjoyment of writing and leaving them to be read by others :)