2009 was a year of "firsts" for me. First time living outside Florida, without my family. First day of graduate school. First time living alone. First big snow fall (23.2 inches). First time driving in snow. And many more.
This year I made a big decision. Not my decision to apply to graduate school, (although a big decision) that decision came earlier, during my last year of undergrad. The decision I'm referring to was my choice to apply to out-of-state programs. I've wanted to leave Florida since my senior year of high school. At the time, I thought I would be going out of state for my undergrad, but I ended up staying relatively close to home. I wasn't ready to be out on my own. Not completely, that is. I still needed to know I could call my parents or sister and in a moment's notice they could be by my side if necessary. I needed the option to drive home on a weekend I was feeling sad or stressed, knowing my mom would sit on the bed beside me and listen to me vent, or comfort me when I cried (I miss that).
This year I made a big decision. Not my decision to apply to graduate school, (although a big decision) that decision came earlier, during my last year of undergrad. The decision I'm referring to was my choice to apply to out-of-state programs. I've wanted to leave Florida since my senior year of high school. At the time, I thought I would be going out of state for my undergrad, but I ended up staying relatively close to home. I wasn't ready to be out on my own. Not completely, that is. I still needed to know I could call my parents or sister and in a moment's notice they could be by my side if necessary. I needed the option to drive home on a weekend I was feeling sad or stressed, knowing my mom would sit on the bed beside me and listen to me vent, or comfort me when I cried (I miss that).
I lived in Florida for nearly 17 years, and I don't think I ever really felt emotionally attached to it. I, of course, was emotionally attached to the people there, but not to the place. The idea of living apart from my friends and family is not what appealed to me. It's difficult living several states away from the people I care for and love most. Despite difficulties that come with moving away, the idea of living some place so vastly different (and trust me, New Jersey is vastly different than Florida) from where I spent most of my life is what appealed to me. A place where the culture, people, and weather are so different. Maybe the fact that I've been fortunate enough to travel a lot throughout my life was a catalyst for my move. I've had the opportunity to see so many different places; places I've fallen in love with- New York City, Boston, Vermont, Vegas (but not to live), New Orleans, and Maine, just to name a few. Visiting these places has made me want to see more. Experience more. True, I could have moved to some place close, like Georgia, but that would not have been nearly as satisfying for me. So with my yearning to be some place else, some place new, I started applying to out-of-state schools. I applied to schools in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and not one school in Florida. I wanted to apply to schools in NYC, but my family all made it very clear that it wasn't a place I could live, at this stage in my life. And sad as it is, they were right. My final decision came down to Rutgers and Boston University. The idea of living in Boston appealed to me more (Boston is a great city!), but not enough to outweigh the fact that Rutgers was a better program, and better suited for me, in my view. And instead of a program of over 50, I'm 1 of 12 students. There are so many advantages of being part of a small cohort, like being able to work one on one with faculty in the program. It has been quite a change, leaving a school whose student body is over 53,000 (now the third largest university in the U.S. by enrollment, surpassing UF), to Rutgers' smallest campus with about 5,000 students. The fall of 2009 was a time of great adjustment for me as well as a constant struggle to navigate these crazy roads with crazy drivers! But, I have never regretted my move. I'm learning that New Jersey's reputation as the "armpit of the U.S." is mostly a misguided one. Like everywhere there are beautiful parts, and not so beautiful parts. I'm quickly getting used to the cold and finding that with the right clothes and multi-layers (and a down coat), it's really not too bad. Although, I still haven't experienced the worst of it, I'm afraid. My rain boots are a close friend of mine, as it rains here often. Still, with all the rain and snow, I'm glad I came.
Below is my year in pictures. Relay for Life, St. Augustine with a dear friend, trips to NYC, farewells to my managers at Pottery Barn, lunches with Kathy and Smash, the aftermath of the second biggest snowfall in Philly's history, my Halloween in Scranton as a Go-Go dancer, 4th of July in mud (on the back of a 4-wheeler), my car buried in snow, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a day with my 94 year old aunt, my internship at the clinic, Philly sunsets outside my apartment window, scrapbooking creations, one of my Rutgers professors, my beautiful, gold Christmas tree, and the St. Patty's day parade in Ybor.
