I am returning to school today after such a wonderful weekend at home in Chicago with my family. I love the hustle and bustle of the city. There is something mesmerizing about being amongst the beauty of the city lights and sky scrapers. I have a deep appreciation for my hometown, but I have come to think of Cleveland as my home as well. As I begin to close this chapter of my life here at John Carroll, I have learned to appreciate the calm of Cleveland. One of the characteristics that describe my experience at home is road rage. I am so angry when driving, however; I do not have these same feelings in Cleveland. There is something calming about pulling off of the freeway and seeing the bright Christmas lights and trees of Legacy Village. It adds an overwhelming cheer to the day and I am less inclined to be angry by the cute deer walking in the middle of a busy street during rush hour.
As wonderful as it is to return to Cleveland, it is still the second half of first semester. In other words, I am stressed beyond what seems reasonable. My law school applications are due very soon, I am preparing for finals and for some reason all 6 of my professors have given me some sort of major project to work on in the next two weeks. Alas, the not so exciting parts of college. Although, I must say that even the homework load is bitter sweet because I know that after this semester, it is never going to be the same. I feel that next year I am going to miss the late nights of doing work that I actually understand. For some reason I feel that contract law and civil procedure might be slightly more challenging.
There are several exciting upcoming events on campus. This upcoming weekend is Winter Formal. It is one of two dances that Carroll offers. It is usually held at a beautiful location in Solan, a local suburb. There is typically a serene atmosphere of a winter wonderland and I have always had a good time. However, I will not be attending this year. My sorority is putting on our semi-formal and it happens to be on the same day. As sad as I am to miss my last Winter Formal, I am excited to spend time with my sisters and engage in one of my last major school dances. I really love having a reason to dress up and feel pretty for a day. We are definitely a casual campus. Typically, I am in sweatpants or jeans and a T-shirt. Any chance that I have to do my hair and add a little makeup, I jump at it. It should be a very fun weekend. The semi-formal is being held downtown at a club called Anatomy. It is yet another opportunity to truly engage Cleveland and all it has to offer.
For many of you, I know this is a busy time and there are several different decisions that you have to make. Try not to stress too much; you will do what is right for you! Good luck on finals and enjoy these last moments with your friends in high school. It will all change next year and you will be opened up to a whole new set of experiences and people. I will say that this has been truly the best 3 and half years of my life. But there is still one semester left!
Talk to you soon!
Ariel
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