Saguaros, Gila Monsters, Mountains...Oh My!

Ever since I officially proclaimed I will be attending the University of Arizona in the fall, I've been asked this question every other day:

"Are you sure you can handle living in a conservative state?"

...and the answer is YES. My decision to attend UA transcended political ideology. The truth is we only hear what we perceive to be the "wacky" and "ridiculous" political stories of Arizona up here in MA because that's what gets the most attention.  Having spent two summers living in Arizona and two whole years researching the contours and nuances of the politics the state, I've learned a lot about my future home and it's not all bad. The Arizona state legislature has passed legislation that has deeply impacted the lives of many residents, including documented and undocumented immigrants. The reality is that despite the fact that we only hear the "crazy," the "wacky," and the "wonky" stories up north; there is great progress being made on campuses across the state, especially in Tucson. UA just inaugurated their first female president ever in the fall and the university's commitment to social justice and diversity is felt through nearly every division on campus. I'm excited to be directly part of the sj movement through my assistantship with the Women's Resource Center by working in coalition with a number of other offices and divisions.

I chose UA for several including; location, quality of my program, and overall fit. I've always wanted to attend and work at an institution with deep rooted traditions and school pride. I'm proud to say that I'm going to be an adopted Wildcat (I will always be a Bear, first and foremost) and can't wait to call Tucson home for the next two years.  I'm excited to sit classrooms taught by my higher ed research heroes. I'm also excited live in the desert, have mountains in my backyard, enjoy the sunshine (and, yes, the heat!), and this should come as no surprise, be semi-proximal with my partner, Andrew.

I officially head off to Tucson to start my new journey in 11 weeks. I've waited for a long time to say that I'm going to grad school and living out exactly what I've dreamed and aspired to all these years.

Grad School Chronicles: The Decision

I had planned to write a post about reflecting on my interview weekend experience at UA, because I thought I would have to wait for a bit befroe I heard back from any of the positions I interviewed...however the turnaround time was a whole lot quicker than I expected. After much reflection about where I wanted to be and figuring out the fit of UA's program and my assistantship offer, I made the decision to move to Arizona in the fall and pursue my master's at the University of Arizona; where I'll be a GA in their Women's Resource Center!

Lenten Reflection: Living Out the "To"

Today is the start of Lent. Most people's favorite holidays in the Christian calendar are Advent and Christmas, however for me Lent and Easter take the cake. Many decide to give up something for 40 days, others decide to try something new; either way it's about making a conscious and intentional change in your life. 

A common verse that is reflected on during this season is Genesis 3:19, and it goes something like this: 

....for dust you are and dust you shall return 

The whole idea of  "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" is a call to action to live out the TO. What are we going to do between to live out our purpose and story? What conscious and intentional choices are we going to make?  This call to action resonates strongly with me and that's why I admire the season of Lent so fondly.

Tales Through Instagram: A's Visit to the Bay State

I had planned on posting this earlier, but the start of semester has gotten the best of me. Anyways, A made his way up for a visit to the Bay State during my winter break, and we had the most wonderful time. We toured breweries, ice skated, and did a whirlwind tour of Cape Cod, just to name a few things.  It was nice to finally spend more than two days together, and I'm really excited to spend a good amount of time with him again in March. I've also reached the point where I see a faint light at the end of this long distance tunnel; come July I'll be in AZ starting my grad program, my assistantship, and continuing to cultivate my relationship with A. Honestly, I could ramble on and on about what a super time we both had, but I'll let these photos speak for themselves:

Be Prepared...

Next Wednesday, I begin the final semester of my undergraduate career and I couldn't be more excited. I have a lot to look forward to and I'm ready for what's next.

More exciting things will be showing up on the blog in the next few months, including:

• Highs and lows from the relocation process. I'm moving to Arizona this summer to begin my graduate studies in either central or southern AZ. 
• Snippets from the grad assistantship interview process. 

Tomorrow

Tomorrow night I'll pick up A from the airport, and spend eight days with him. It's the second "in-person" visit of our LDR. You might be saying "what only you're second visit?!" Yes..it's true. But this upcoming semester, we'll be seeing a whole lot more of each which is exciting....in fact, there will only be a short two week span between two of our visits (crazy how things work that way).

Everyday, I'm more grateful for A and our relationship. I'll be happy for the day when we make it out of this distance thing and move towards something a tad more proximal...

One Word 2013: Venture

Instead of making of laundry list of sometimes very unsuccessful goals and "resolutions," I have begun to focus on one word to guide my focus throughout the year.

My OneWord  for 2012 was "choose." I wanted to make a more concerted effort to be more cognizant of the choices I have and more intentional with the decisions I make. I made a lot of big decisions that I'm proud of and am excited to see them take shape over the next few months..and maybe even years. 

For 2013, the word I chose is venture. As I set myself to graduate from college in May and enjoy my last few months of undergrad, I'm excited for what's to come. I'm venturing into the next chapter of my life which includes moving to Grand Canyon state, starting my graduate program in Higher Education, and a myriad other exciting things.

This year, I resolving to venture wholeheartedly into my next chapter; to live and love fearlessly and openly.