Funny story:

Last night, on route to the gym, my best friend from back home—Alyssa—called me to yell at me for posting that music blog. Apparently I caused someone to procrastinate from their final as well, as she tried to pinpoint what song was from the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Moreover, I was raked over the coals for failing to write about my journey to see her at Mercyhurst, and told that I had to write a blog about the experience. More to the point, that blog had to be at least two paragraphs of about ten sentences each. And so here we go.

A few weeks ago I began the process of slowly but surely taking my belongings home with me. It was a bit of necessity, as not only did I manage to cram an impressive amount of stuff into my room, but also in that my family owns no large cars. So, essentially, moving out with only one vehicle would be a severe issue. I also forgot to register for my absentee ballot to vote (do your civic duty, people!) and had to drive home to vote for Mr. Obama, though sadly he lost anyway.

Thus, in essence: The Jillian had reasons to go home. So, I did. During one of these day trips—taken after Mr. Duffy’s philosophy on Wednesday but prior to Dr. Snyder’s romantic period on Thursday—I received a call from Alyssa who was planning to do the same (I.e, start sending items home again). The only issue is that Alyssa attends Mercyhurst, far away in the land of Erie, and has no car. Also due to recent life events, a talk with the best friend was essential for the two of us, and some things are just better to discuss in person. With food of some sort.

Because of this, I ended up leaving Hutchapalooza at an ungodly early hour in order to retire to my dorm, sleep for a few hours, and make the trek back to Washington. Once I made it to Washington I met up with Alyssa’s parents, and we proceeded to Erie with what her father dubbed “an afternoon with the Magnones.” As Alyssa’s parents are freakishly like my own—perhaps why Alyssa and I occasionally share a brain—it was an overall good time.

Once in Erie I did the standards, which pretty much go without saying—met Alyssa’s friends, helped her pack up, ate some terrible food, etc. The latter item actually caused some severe stomach protests, so Alyssa and I ended up spending an hour or so lying in her bed watching TV (Will and Grace, mostly), and shooting the breeze to it’s upmost.

Of all the things I was worried about when coming here—and trust me, I like every other freshman had some concerns with college life—losing contact with one or two of the people back home who truly matter to me was one of them. When you find someone in life who understands you completely (and Alyssa is practically my sister), you most assuredly want to hold onto them.

I was actually supposed to attend Mercyhurst with Alyssa—I was pretty set on the school—until I visited SVC on my mother’s whim (a fact I will never live down). SVC had crept up on my searches for great English schools, but the sometimes stubborn will of a girl is a formidable thing, and I refused to come here for a variety of insane reasons. Nonetheless I came here for a tour the summer of my junior year, and knew within minutes that I was supposed to be on this campus for some reason. It felt right in a way that the other schools I had visited—and trust me, I had visited a lot—didn’t. I knew when I left the campus that I would be coming to SVC, and as soon as I received my acceptance, I canceled my other applications. There was no decision to be made, really—I still feel like this is the place where I need to be.

Driving back from Mercyhurst, and then back to SVC, I thought a lot about how this year ended up, because it certainly is closing in a place I didn’t expect it to…and yet I’m very happy about.

The only downside—or perhaps upside, in the interests of growing up—is that there was a forced moving away from friends and family. Of my family I cannot say enough: I lucked out in ways I only slightly understood before I came to school, but have since realized completely. I have great parents, and I don’t just say that because their names are on the checks to SVC too.

But your friends are the family you choose to form, and those that were close to me in school were all such unique people…I’m still not sure, to be honest, how we all became friends or how it works. I don’t need to know, though—that’s just how friendship is. There is no formula for relationships, boys and girls. Trust me on this one.

So, I’ve spent a great deal of my time here at SVC holding on to a few people back home, and trying to establish connections with the people up here I’ve found to be the definition of fantastic. First semester I met the XC girls (you really can’t find a better, funnier team) and worked out living with the roommates—Alexa, and I really had a second roommate, Emma, with how much time she spent studying/working out/sleeping/bs’ing with us in our room). I met some interesting characters to be sure, and did a lot of random nonsense, including but not limited to numerous 3 a.m. conversations and trips around Latrobe for the most asinine reasons ever.

Second semester, which flew by the way, was marked by my time with the Human Right’s foxy ladies, primarily also known as Kylie, Alicia, Steph T, and Steph C. I’m pretty sure we lived outside of the cafeteria for various causes, and came away smelling like the café and a job well done. Which is similar to the scent of stale pizza, but I digress. I also expanded my circle to the other English majors of greatness, including but not limited to fellow blogger Emerson. I spent a lot of time at Denny’s, out in the pod talking to people about the sham that is going to be the 7th Harry Potter movie and religion, and going on some pretty classic walks. I also finally managed to learn the names of everyone I lived with—though in fairness to me, people moved into our pod all year because of open rooms.

 Of course I learned in the classroom as well—it’s impossible not too. I didn’t die in Dr. Snyder’s class despite my freshman-ness (though that is completely yet to be seen, as I have a final for him in a few hours), found Philosophy to be one of my favorite classes (People: Take. Mr. Duffy.), and discovered that I loved my East Asia classes so much that I was going to gather a China minor…and not just because saying “China” and “minor” at the same time produces a fun effect.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, has been my time at SVC in a nutshell. I’ll be blogging over the summer, and you’ll have access to my musings next school year as well, but my college career is now 25% done. It’s been the definition of grand for me, and I’m not going to lie, I don’t want to see it come to an end.

But honestly...I think it’s going to be a hell of a 3 years.