I fail at being a blogger.

I'm back, yet again after some time. I do apologize but as many of you know, it's very time-consuming to be a college student! After a hectic fall semester, I am home for winter break. There's something special about coming home for the holidays that just makes me so warm and fuzzy on the inside. That combined with a month long break from school is just heaven. That being said, this past semester has quite possibly been the best one I've had yet at USC, and I don't mean this on purely a scholastic level. I've learned so much about myself and God's plan for me this semester. A great part of that is thanks to the amazing Lutheran Campus Ministry and Pastor Dan Gibson. I have become much more involved in LCM than I have ever been and I think belonging to such a spectacular group of people is what I've been missing. Not just a group to be part of, but a Lutheran group to keep me grounded and help me grow in my faith while I am at school away from my home church. The people of LCM have really become my family away from home. This picture is from a beach bonfire service we had mid-semester to get a break from everything going on at school.

Another amazing part of this semester has been really growing in the friendships I already have at school. I've become so much closer with people there, making more life long friends rather than just people to talk to. This also comes with growing apart from others, but I have learned that that is a part of life. These girls are hands down the best friends I could ever hope to have. Finding people you can truly be yourself around without judgement being passed is much easier said than done, especially in college. I am so glad to see these friendships growing deeper everyday, and learn that I mean as much to them as they mean to me.
Apart from a horrible living situation, this semester (on a school level) has been very satisfying. I had three new professors that I have never had before along with two TA's who I had last semester and loved. I excelled in a class I was worried about (statistics), actually getting 100% on the final and the highest overall grade in the class which I am very excited about. I figured out the plan for after I graduate and that is to go to grad school to get my Masters in Social Work. I have realized with help from others that my true calling is to help other people better their lives, and I feel that social work is a great way to do that. On that note, I am adding a minor called "Non-profits, Philanthropy, and Volunteerism" in order to spice up my grad school application and to fill the empty spots in my schedule that I need filled to remain a full-time student. With that said, next semester should be pretty intense. The schedule consists of Families in a Changing Society, Sociological Theory, Global Civil Society: Non-governmental Organizations in World Politics, and Public Service in an Urban Setting. Doesn't that just sound like a very educational set of classes? Should be rough and not that exciting, but it's one step closer to the rest of my life and I know I can get through it. On top of classes, I plan to remain very involved with LCM, possibly/hopefully taking on a leadership role as a Peer Minister. Then, as always, I have my job in Gerontology to keep the cash flow strong.
I believe all of this catches you up to present time in my life, which is being home excruciatingly bored but enjoying the company of my family and being able to see some friends from here again. Going from fast-paced LA to Lancaster and Simi Valley is quite the change, but it's nice; it reminds me to slow down and enjoy the little things in life that I am so grateful for. We are just getting ready for Christmas which is always exciting. I'll post again soon. Ta Ta for now!