September 2012

September was a pretty hard month that was filled with lots of good.

Saturday September 1 was full of rain, but Sunday things looked up and brought better things- including my dad!! I was so happy and relieved to see him!! He came and saw my dorm and we ate dinner on the Hill, stopped at Ted Drewes even though we were stuffed (because what would be a visit from my dad without ice cream) then made a stop at Target. Oh and he also checked out the fridge situation. I was sad to see him leave, but thankful for the time we spent together. I finished the evening by attending mass.

Monday September 3 was Labor Day. And also my Grandma Ludwig's birthday! I was sad to miss the celebration they had for her, but sent her a card and got to talk to her on the phone. I was also happy to be sent this picture even though I was missing out and missing them.

There was a sign up sheet on the white board at the end of the hallway earlier during the week to spend the day at a lake house. Maggie and I signed up, even though we weren't clear on any of the details. Luckily we heard that we were supposed to meet in the hallway about 7 or 7:30am, which was early but we decided worth it. It worked out and we had just enough people with cars to fit everyone. We drove about 30 minutes away to Danielle's grandparents' lake house. They were so pleasant and very welcoming. They had a pontoon boat and a speed boat that we all spent the day switching back and forth between. It was chilly that morning, but eventually the sun came out strong enough to deepen my tan. The day was so much fun and I was happy I took a chance signing up! I loved being on the boat and getting to tube on the lake. I also got to meet a lot of awesome people that live on my floor, towards the beginning of the day I was even asked where I lived and given surprised looks when I said floor 9. I guess no one had really even seen me yet before, and those who had didn't really know who I was.

I hung out with my new friends the rest of the evening after getting back to school over dinner and then at the library.

I loved continuing to meet and hang out with the other people on my floor. Towards During September we were still getting to know each other, and for some reason tended to just hang out in the hallway. It may have started because we got better wifi signal out there, but it continued for a while.

The rest of my week was filled with lots of sorority rush events: Tuesday I went to an info meeting, Thursday I had dinner with my recruitment leaders and group, then Friday night was rotational, Saturday night philanthropy, Sunday preference, and Monday was bid night. The whole process was a pretty intimidating whirlwind, meeting lots of girls and trying to keep the information about each sorority straight. I was pretty nervous because when we got our schedules of which sororities we go to on Saturday, I only had one listed that asked me back. It was Sigma Kappa and ended up being the sorority I accepted my bid from!

Both Tuesday September 11 and 18 I attended chapter meetings, as well as new member meetings on Sundays. I also had a new heart sister each week and would have dinner to get to know them. Then after about 4 weeks we were to rank our heart sisters and from this, get our big. Other events I attended in September included a greek convocation Thursday September 20 and watching Tangled with some girls from Sigma Kappa afterwards and a sisterhood retreat Friday September 21. I liked getting to know my new sisters and feeling like I was a part of something. However, it all got a little too overwhelming for me. I didn't anticipate the big time commitment, and didn't feel well enough adjusted to college in general or my classes yet. It took a while, but I finally signed out of it. I was sad to be leaving Sigma Kappa because I really wanted it to work out, but I felt a big sense of relief not having to try to juggle my sorority with my everyday life as a student.

Going back a few days, I ate lunch at Terra Ve for the first time September 5. Maggie convinced me to eat there and we have gone back many times throughout the semester. It is a vegetarian dining place only open for on the weekdays for lunch. They feature wraps/salads or flatbread. They also have really great gelato from a place on the Hill.

Another favorite lunch spot that we discovered and frequently ate at throughout the semester was called Fresh Gatherings. It is a cafe on the med campus (so we usually ate there after chemistry) that is run by the dietitian students and uses local grown food. They have tasty sandwiches and freshly baked bagels.

[While it was still warm enough we sometimes sat outside of Fresh Gatherings to eat, soaking up rays of sunshine as we waited for our next classes]

September 12 I walked with Brooke and Alex to The Flying Cow, a froyo place just a little off campus. That was also delicious. I love being able to get how much of whatever kinds of frozen yogurt and toppings as I want.

Saturday September 15 I joined lots of fellow ninerts for an adventure to the zoo!! We took the metro then walked through Forest Park to get there. We all really appreciated that it was free and loved walking around seeing the animals. I especially enjoyed the cats, the penguins, the seals, and the prairie dogs. I laughed so much watching the prairie dogs stand up and look alert, bringing me back to the Walking on the Wild Side videos that Trent and Michael quoted for most of the car ride to North Carolina. Such as "Alan, Alan, Alan Al Alan...""That's not Alan, that's Steve." "Steve Steve Steve..."

Also this was during the hot air balloon festival in Forrest Park. It was so fun to see so many hot air balloons in the sky as they took off!

Wednesday September 19 I got another visit from my dad that included a yummy dinner on the Hill again! It was quite the feast. I was happy to get to spend time with him! Oh and when he first got there we went to the church because he hadn't seen it, and we caught it just it time. It was locked, but the man locking it let us in even though the lights were out. It was so calm and serene and full of beautiful reflections.

Friday September 21 I had my first college exam in chemistry, then a biology exam Monday the 24. I was surprised at how much studying I forced myself to do, compared to the little studying that I ever had to do for tests in high school. What a difference! I was nervous for the exams, but both ended up just fine.

Oh and in between, on Saturday September 22 we had PT day. This was a day packed a scavenger hunt  on campus, planning future goals and a personal mission statement, learning about the Jesuits, and a field day of games. These were done all with teams of fellow freshmen students in the PT program.

The last week of September, Monday the 24 and Wednesday the 26 I started attending a workout class in the evening called Physique Fusion. It was a class intended to lengthen and tone our muscles while incorporating balance and the ballet bar. Our instructor was constantly reminding us "ladies we are dancers! Have good posture and point your feet" as we were working out. I was proud of myself for going even though I didn't have a friend to go with, and for keeping it up during Mondays and Wednesdays all the way to December.

The last weekend in September was full of excitement. Friday night Alex, Brooke, and I went shopping at Old Navy then the mall. I also got my ear pierced finally! (although I unwillingly ended up having to take it out during Christmas break because it was infected) But I sure loved it while it lasted.

Then Saturday September 29 my mom, Dan, Maria, my grandparents, and Josue came!!!! Yayyy!! I was so happy to see them all and for Josue and my grandparents to get a chance to see SLU. We spent the beginning of the afternoon eating lunch and taking a trolley tour of campus.

Afterwards we checked in the hotel and let my grandparents rest while we shopped at the mall. I loved shopping with Josue and getting his opinions on the clothes I tried on. My best purchase was my riding boots! I loved them when I bought them, and still love them very much. They were my birthday present from my mom and Dan, along with a few other outfits I picked out while we were at the mall.

When we got back to the hotel we quickly got dressed and went to dinner on The Hill, an Italian neighborhood tucked away on a hill with lots of restaurants. Though we were a big group and hard to hear each other, it was a fun meal.

We hung out in the hotel together the rest of the evening, eating cupcakes that my mom brought and chatting about our lives recently. Soon my grandparents went to their room to sleep, and the rest of us eventually fell asleep too. However, before that Josue gave me my birthday present right at midnight and I gave him the ones I had for him! I got candy and a gift card from him and he got shirts, a book, and CD from me.

Sunday September 30 I turned 19! We all got ready in the morning and managed to make it to mass at College Church on time! What an accomplishment. The mass and church itself was beautiful as always. I loved getting to be there with my loved ones from back home.

After church we were in search of lunch, but ended up going to the Flying Cow. My grandma agreed that it was the perfect idea.

When we went back to my dorm I found a cupcake and card from my roommate Erica wishing me a happy birthday, and later received another from Maggie as well. One was strawberry, the other pumpkin, both from the Cup and both delicious! I also got a card and present from Alex which included chocolate and a cute necklace with earrings.

Oh! Also! Getting mail was always exciting at home, but I found getting mail at school was even better. I didn't think it was possible. During September I got a care package of stuff I had forgotten at home, cold medicine, and my early birthday present from Maria! I love when I find the perfect present for someone, or when they find something perfect for me. Maria hit it spot on with these bracelets. I also got a birthday package from my best friend Sarah Warner and cards in the mail! Yayyy!

But back to the weekend...Then, not much longer after it was time for them to leave. :( I was so sad as I hugged them each goodbye, knowing I wouldn't see my grandparents until the spring when they returned from Florida. I knew it'd be less than a month when I was home on fall break and would be with my mom, Dan, Maria, and Josue again, however I couldn't act like I was coming home. Dan was in the full gear planning my mom's 50th surprise party which included the surprise of me being in attendance. It was hard to dismiss the idea of coming home every time my mom or grandparents brought it up, because it was what I wanted with my whole heart and I had a difficult time acting otherwise.

As they left me, I cried. I cried tears that they were leaving me. I cried tears of the weekend being over and having to prepare for the school week ahead of me. But mostly I cried big, heavy tears of it being the one-year exactly that my Grandma Demeter passed away. I laid in my bed as I relived the events leading up to her final moments with us on this earth, read through my blog posts about it, and listened to the song my cousins so beautifully sang at her funeral, You Raise Me Up. I hated that I was alone, and that none of my friends at school knew this event that altered my life forever. (Although I eventually told Maggie who comforted me with kind words). I think of her, and my Grandpa Demeter, often while I am at school, but especially the first few months. This happened a lot of times during mass  I feel like. It never failed that I was reminded of them either by the music, or maybe felt their presence watching over me, and fought the tears. My heart broke time and time again as I thought about their passings and how much I, and the rest of our family, miss them both. As more time has distanced the day my Grandma passed away, September 30, 2011 I have began to accept and cope with it much better and have found less tears cried over it than I did during those first few, difficult months of SLU as I was adjusting to college and living miles away from my mom, Dad, siblings, Maggie, Dan, and, other family members.