So sweet, the fall!

Oh my goodness, College street on the residential side of campus is simply gorgeous right now! All of the leaves on the trees lining it have turned stunning and subtle shades of red and yellow. When I got back from break and saw the change that had taken place, I had to pause for a moment and appreciate life and being here at Beloit. Sometimes I think I don't live my life with enough gratitude, but I need to keep in mind how lucky I really am.

And speaking of gratitude, I am extremely grateful for the relaxing time of fall break! Beloit certainly does know how to split up a semester, and after being here for a couple of months it is nice to escape back home for a breather. Over break my friend Emma and I went on a roadtrip with stops in Plymouth Minnesota (where my parents live), Moorhead Minnesota (where a bunch of my close friends go to school), back to Plymouth, a night in Beloit, and finally to Champaign Illinois (to visit with Emma's extended family that were in town). There were some crazy adventures over the 9 days, too many to recount, so I will give you the top 5 moments of my fall break (you know, other than being happy to be home- also,with pictures to follow):

5. Emma and my photo shoot on my friend Sam's extra long couch, inspired by a rerun of America's Next Top Model
4. My friend Georgia stuffing 5 gumballs in her mouth after a halloween costume shopping trip at a store called Fantasies.
3. Every hour in the car that Emma humored me by letting me listening to musicals while claiming to be "expanding her horizons"
2. My parent's first reactions to the news that I'm planning to study abroad in Ghana (after Emma prefaced the conversation with our fake marriage, to soften them up): My dad immediately got onto Wikipedia and read the page about Ghana, and the first words out my mother's mouth were, "You're going to get malaria." (ok, not quite, but close- she warmed up to the idea over the next few days... it helped that her sister, a travel coordinator, is behind me 100 percent. I know she's reading this- Hi, mom!)
1. When Emma and I finally purchased Uggs (don't judge!) after a two day journey that involved Dick's sporting goods, two holds at different stores, Bubbly Betsy and Downer Dennis, and a lot of self-doubt, coercion, and pie

Ok, I will post again soon!
Good night, everyone!