Ode to summer!

"One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the 

shore for a very long time."  

~André Gide

The summer of 2011 has been a tid bit different than any other summer that I have gotten to experience. This summer, instead of being home in Taylorsville, I am living up in Logan, in beautiful Cache Valley. This wasn't particularly by choice, but now that it is happening, I honestly wouldn't have had it any other way. This decision all started with a little thing called the:

     A-Team.

Applications for this position/job came out last November, and the opportunity honestly terrified me. None of my friends wanted to apply with me, so, therefore, if I was going to apply and if I got in, I would be living in Logan during the summer by myself, or, so I thought. But, this was a shot I was willing to take. I applied, and mid-December found out that I was one of the people chosen for it.

 A-Team: The group of current Utah State students who help with New Student Orientation, running a program called SOAR during the summer months.

But, when I found out about it, I was nothing but happy. A job being employed by the university, pretty awesome, in my opinion. Things got off to a good start, but, weirdly, I was a tad shy at first. Our welcome banquet was a blast, although, I was particularly quiet. Unlike me, very much. Our training classes started to really kick things into play, along with our retreat to Bear Lake. Fast forward a few months, right before spring semester ends, one of the girls on A-Team, Stephanie, and I decided we were going to do something together for the living situation during the summer. We decided to go with a few of the guys from A-Team to go house hunting, and to our surprise, we found a cute little (terrible adjective use, it is actually a pretty decent sized house) house not far from the university. We settled it. We were all going to create an A-Team house, guys and girls, girls downstairs and boys up. Each with their own bathroom, kitchen, and rooms. We all get along amazingly, and this is truly such a blessing to me. The men in our house are truly some of the most remarkable people that I have ever had the pleasure to meet, let alone call some of my best friends. They're honestly all like brothers to me, they watch out for me, joke, and are always there to talk. I'm a lucky, lucky girl to have met such amazing people. Steph and I are usually the only girls here, since Brooke works in another state when we aren't doing stuff for A-Team. Steph, simply phenomenal. She is an amazing girl and so much fun to live with :)  

Overall: I went from being terrified to not be with my longer-known friends, to living the absolute ideal life that I am right now. I wouldn't have had this any other way. A-Team, overall, the most amazing group of people that I have ever met. I get paid to be with people I love, what could be better?

So, on the summer note, this summer has already shaped to be the best summer that I have had in a looooong time. 

Trips: Moab, Park City, Manti..Vegas and Hawaii to come.

Working with the A-Team running SOAR

LOGAN SUMMER LIFE: 

Who knew this could be so much fun? Just have to go for it.

Small town festivals :) 

[Summerfest 2011]

Late night walks around Logan and on campus. 

Sunday Night Waffles @ A-Team house

Sunday night dinners :) 

VOLLEYBALL

I've made so many great friendships this summer. I've gained more ambition and will, and I am definitely more spontaneous. I reached out of the box that I had myself trapped in and I have never been happier. I also took a shot to pick up another job and I now work at Texas Roadhouse, too. Dancing, dress up Mondays, great people..yeah, I think I have really found my place :) 

Say oh, got this feeling that you can't fight
Like this city is on fire tonight
This could really be a good life
A good, good life

-One Republic "Good Life"