Welcome 2011

I've waited a few days to write this post, moving back to state college and whatnot has been taking up the past few days. But here goes.

2010 was a year of so many changes. It was good in some ways, bad in others, but overall just very stressful and emotional. I am glad that 2010 is behind me. Here's a few things that happened in 2010:

I spent an unbelievable amount of time in the senior design lab working on my senior design project. And my CFD project.

I applied to graduate schools. It's expensive and time-consuming to apply to graduate schools. I wasn't accepted into one of them.

I watched an organization that had such an influence on me in my undergraduate career fizzle out as its members lost interest and passion. However, I saw the woman's bible study that was part of that group thrive and form meaningful relationships.

I said goodbye to a Grandpa that I love very much.

I was ecstatic when a friend who needed a heart transplant got one, but saw what toll that took on his body. I helped him with his walker in our senior design meetings.

I graduated from a college I love very much, and was forced to say goodbye to friends that I love very much.

I visited two graduate schools. I said goodbye to my childhood dream of attending Virginia Tech.

I was on so many airplanes it was unbelievable (14 different flights, all of them between March and August). And if you're a regular reader, then you already know how I feel about flying. On the good side, I think I may have finally conquered my fear of flying. And I rode in a company jet for the first time.

I bought a new car. Reluctantly, but it was necessary in order to not die on my trip to Indiana.

I attended some beautiful weddings. One of them was of a childhood friend that I've known since I was 6 years old.

I moved to a city other than Erie PA for the first time since I was 11 years old.

I moved to Columbus, Indiana. Indiana is a state that I had never set foot in until I lived there. Columbus IN doesn't have a whole lot going for it, but I ended up having a blast. When I left Indiana, I had to say goodbye to my new friends that I had made there, knowing quite well that most of them, I will never see again.

I went cliff jumping. And I went to a tractor pull.

I moved to State College PA. A town that I had visited many times before, and had decided before I got there that I didn't particularly like it in State College.

I spent a few months being very lost in the new graduate school environment. I had a lot of work to do, was overwhelmed by the hugeness of the school, and I had very few friends to distract me from these stressors. I wanted to quit. I wondered why I was here. I spent 7 weekends in a row in places other than State College.

I started dancing again, after taking 3 out of 4 years of my college career off from dancing.

I began to form new relationships at graduate school. By the end of 2010, I could say that I had friends. Good ones. I still do miss my old ones though.

So much in my life changed this past year. And it was expected ... when the year 2010 came I had my typical "Oh no, that's the year I graduate!" freak out. On January 1, 2010, I couldn't have guessed that a single one of those things would have happened. Well, other than the applying to grad school part and the senior design part. But otherwise, the year was a complete surprise, full of change! It was good in some ways and bad in others, but overall change stresses me out ... and I am glad 2010 is over.

Good news: 2011 is entirely predictable! I will NOT be moving, not even from one apartment to the next. I will not be getting any new jobs or attending any new schools. I will likely make a few new friends, but nowhere near the number of new ones I made this year. I also won't be saying goodbye to as many friends as I did last year. I know where I will be spending my summer. I hopefully will not have to buy a new car. Extreme amounts of change? I am done with it for awhile. I am always open for adventures, and I know 2011 will throw some new and exciting challenges my way, but the intensity will not be anywhere near as vast as this past year.

It will be SO REFRESHING. It's like a vacation on the beach after a long semester of craziness.

Happy 2011!