I'm going to break this post into topical sections so I don't spend too much time rambling.
1 - Meeting New People
I'm obviously always meeting new people by virtue of new students finally arriving to Indiana or the surrounding areas in preparation of the fall semester. But one thing that I've learned to appreciate about myself over the past several weeks is that I am incapable of joining a clique. Of course I expected cliques to naturally form in my cohort, but I was not expecting it to happen so quickly (part of that may have to do with the fact that there are already 2 couples established in my cohort...lol). But anyway, I've noticed myself shying away from getting close to any one group of people since they've been here. I like everyone, but I'm definitely an independent "floater" type of person -- I will go out and hang with just about anyone. I think it has something to do with the introvert in me, because I like to have my space and feel like I'm free to come and go as I choose. Being in a clique always makes me feel smothered and gives me less opportunity to get to know other people around me. And while at times I do feel sort of lonely that I don't necessarily have a go-to group of people yet, it's still very early, it's also nice to have my freedom and not feel obligated to do things with the same group of people all the time. In any case, I'm having a blast with every weekend that I meet someone new!
2 - Closure and Moving On
I mentioned in my previous post about going to Kennywood, an amusement park in Pittsburgh, for IUP Day. That was a few weeks ago, but I went and had a blast! I wasn't too crazy about the rides, but it was better than nothing. Anyway, I liked being associated with IUP while I was there. For the first time I felt like I belonged to this community, being around hundreds of alumni and their families. I felt like I've been "over" my undergrad for a while now, but I'm now realizing that, in a way, IUP Day brought me closure from Susquehanna and my undergraduate experience. Don't get me wrong, I love and will always love SU, and I wouldn't trade my 4 years there for anything. But I can't visit my friends there forever, and I refuse to let my time there be the peak of my life. I'm so young and have so much more to do and see; SU was a very special time in my life, but I know that that chapter is over and has been, and I need to move on. So I think I've succeeded in doing that, which is great because now I can focus on my time here at IUP and treasure that, as well as focusing on what my future has in store for me!
3 - My GA and Future in Study Abroad
My graduate assistantship is only getting better. I love everyone I work with, as well as the work I do. And I'm so happy to be a part of this field. I know that I've mentioned before that I'm not sure what I want to pursue in terms of a functional area for when I begin applying for jobs next year, but the longer I'm in Study Abroad, the more I want to stay. Granted, I have to complete 2 practicums in other functional areas before I graduate, so everything might change. However, if there is one thing I'm passionate about in terms of a career direction, it's international education. My experiences in the 3 times I've studied abroad have only strengthened my belief that cross-cultural study is essential for human growth and development, especially when it concerns students. Plus, I love to travel, and I know staying in this field will give me more opportunity to do that. Anyway, I have a vision of me doing this for the long hull, and I'm ready to begin now, whether it's sending US students abroad or hosting US students overseas for abroad programs. In some way, I want to contribute to this experience for students. I could discuss this for years and years, but I'll stop here.
I'm fortunate enough that my program will be doing a study tour abroad next summer, and I can't wait to see what higher education is like in the universities we visit. Rumor has it the trip will visit France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands... I'll be sure to confirm this later!
So those are the recent developments in my life so far. Nothing fabulous but I'm treating everything as a learning experience! It will probably be a while before I get time or have something to update -- I only work until Thursday this week and then I'll be making the journey to my parents house for a Pauly D/Jesse McCartney/Backstreet Boys concert (Friday) - yes I'm 12, and tailgating and attending a Phillies game (Saturday). Really looking forward to the visit to catch up with my best friend over a NJ diner breakfast, as well as seeing my older brother for the first time in months and meeting his girlfriend. The following week is international student orientation, so I'll be super busy with that, followed by the start of classes. Bye, summer, it's been real! Jk, because it didn't feel like summer.
-J
