New Faces, New Places (...and New Orleans!)

I have spent some time recently contemplating the realization that I have officially completed my first academic year working at Florida State University. Weird. I cannot say I have really come to terms with the number of thoughts going through my head right now yet. However, I can say this past year (officially a full year in July) has been...well...an experience.

I lived my whole life (well, most if it...that is another blog for another day maybe) in South Carolina. A true Carolina girl at heart, I grew up in Rock Hill and then spent six years in Columbia doing my undergraduate work at Columbia College (Go Koalas!) and then graduate work at the University of South Carolina (GO COCKS!). After graduation, I decided, for a number of reasons, it was time to get out of the state and try something new. Long job search story short, here I am.

I have found that Tallahassee (aka South Georgia) is not very different from the culture in SC, although there are some distinctions. Nonetheless, it has been a very new experience for me. I drove the seven hours in a U-Haul with my Jeep in tow alone, to an empty apartment alone, and unpacked alone. (With the exception of Julia helping me return the U-Haul...I probably still owe you for that!) Luckily it was 4th of July weekend and I have some pretty amazing friends in Orlando that let me crash their celebrations with them before starting work. Then, July 7th came, and the "new life" officially began.

Fastfoward...I have met and now hang out with some pretty cool people. My job has been a rollercoaster, but I feel like I am ready to take on the next year in stride. My coworkers are much more like friends, and so are some colleagues across campus. Movie days, coffee nights, poolside afternoons, pool halls, dinners, ice cream and donut runs, and I am working on some karaoke in the near future, I have to say I think I have found something of a niche. Of course, I miss the "Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places" of SC, especially when I am in desperate need of a Saucer Night, the porch at Jake's, or just good times with the people that were there and those that still are.

To break the sappy stuff, though, I still have lots to think about. What is coming next? Who knows...but I am enjoying the journey to get there for now. And tonight is my first trip to New Orleans with a few of these Tally people. Look forward to some interesting posts this weekend I am sure!

Sidenote: Congrats to all FSU grads today. You all will do great things!