Chew on This

Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it.  The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.  ~Earl Nightingale

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.  ~Albert Einstein

The road leading to a goal does not separate you from the destination; it is essentially a part of it.  ~Charles DeLint

Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion.  You must set yourself on fire.  ~Arnold H. Glasow

What am I going to do? Live.

The first semester of my senior year of college was quite hectic. I was the Alumnae Relations Chair for my sorority, I was on the senior rep for Centre Democrats, and I was prepping to go abroad. On top of that I got mono and a sinus infection at the same time. Needless to say, I was stressed. But, the thing that worried me the most was my future. I would be graduating that year and I had no idea what I was going to do with myself. I knew that I wanted to continue my education after my bachelor's degree, but not immediately. In one of those glorious senior panics, I wound up in the office of my American Literature professor. I asked him what on earth I was going to do with myself. In a succinct and gentle manner, he replied that I would live. That was just what I needed to hear.

In my time after graduation, I have lived (despite evidence to the contrary that this blog has not been updated since June). In fact, I enjoy my life. In August, I was hired to the job of my dreams. I am the technology coordinator for the historic Pine Mountain Settlement School. In addition to working on community broadband advocacy, I am the director of the oral history project. I live in a wonderful community and enjoy a slower pace of life. I think this blog will reflect that over the next year. There is life after Centre.

Weddings

This is a strange post to come back on, but I just couldn't avoid the topic. Weddings are everywhere! My facebook feed looks like a wedding photographer's portfolio. And it's just fantastic! Like many women, I love weddings. It's not just the dresses, the flowers, or the jewelry, it's the idea that good things are still happening in the world. It's so easy to been depressed over the state of the economy, the continuous political scandals, or the atrocities of war. It is nice to see something genuinely happy; a young couple in love just starting their lives together. Societies are built on families and marriage represents the culmination of a new family. So in this post I want to wish the best of look to all of my engaged or recently married friends :). Enjoy your new life with your spouse.

While we are on the topic of weddings, I happened to be in London for what may well be "the wedding" of a lifetime. On April 29th, Kate Middleton lived every little girl's fantasy and married her "Prince Charming." London was turned upside down for momentous occasion. For months, vendors peddled "Will & Kate" souvenirs. The couple was on the face of every newspaper and tabloid. By the time the big day arrived, people were packed into the city like sardines. Several tube stops near the Westminster Abbey and Hyde Park were shut down due to high volume of passengers. A few of my London classmates and I went to Hyde Park to watch the festivities on giant screens that had been erected for the occasion. A good time was had by all. There were 150,000 people in Hyde Park that day, making it essentially the biggest wedding reception ever. It was one heck of a party. People were waving British flags, women and men dressed up as brides, and the alcohol was flowing like the Mississippi. It was a truly monumental occasion, and it was done only as the British could do it.

That's me in Hyde Park indulging in the festivities.

Life After Centre is Back in Action

Where to begin? So much has happened in the past month. First and foremost, I am proud to have officially begun my life after Centre. I graduated on the 22nd of May in the company of family and friends. It was a magical day and I did cry. President Roush got me during his commencement speech. But I am happy to report that it was a pretty cry so I didn't look like a racoon following the ceremony. So to sum everything up in a quick post here we go:
During the the month of May I ....
-Made it back safely to America with a few small hitches along the way.
-Spent a weekend with some of my favorite ADPi sisters.
-Had dinner with a professor and some dear friends.
-Became an Alpha Delta Pi alumnae on the 160th anniversary of the sorority's founding.
-Made the Honor Walk with a professor who has quite literally changed my life.
-Survived Senior Week or Senior Disorientation as it it known by some.
-Graduated from the best college in the South.
-Went on my first job interview.
Needless to say I am a bit tired, but I am glad to be blogging again. I have found that since I returned to the states, if I am not busy, I am bored!

Life After Centre is Going MIA

Life after Centre will be out of business for the next two weeks or so. Its just going to be so busy that I can't justify spending much time working on my blog. I leave for Paris this morning and studying for finals begins when I get back. Wish me luck. Hopefully the next time you see this I will have completed all of my college work. Until then, sit back, relax and enjoy the weather for me. Until I go stateside again...

Why Study Abroad in the UK ?

I believe a better question to pose after watching the video is why not? Here you have all of the essentials: royalty, the English countryside, rail, the Thames, Big Ben, and of course Corgis!

Join Me @ Goodreads!

In my time in London I have bought many things. However, my preference seems to be for books! London has some great bookstores. For used books SKOOB in Bloomsbury is hard to beat. For new books I like Foyles near the Charing Cross tube station. You can spend hours in there! Floors upon floors of books. Its a kind of nerdtopia. My English classes have saddled me down with a lot of reading but when I get home I plan on reading my London finds. I found a great website called GoodReads where you can join in book discussions and create your own virtual bookshelf with the stuff you have read. I am also the moderator for a group called Centre College Reads, for current and former students, faculty, and staff. So when you get spare time, head on over to the website and join me!