Decisions

What if I had taken that internship in Grand Junction, Colorado?

For those of you who don't know, I was offered an internship in Grand Junction mere hours before I was offered an internship at Niles West here in Skokie. I had literally just gotten on the train from the interview at Niles when I got a phone message from Grand Junction. I listened to my heart and here I am...but what if I had gone there?

It is SO crazy to think how decisions like this ripple on and on and we can never truly know what would've happened if we had chosen differently.

Ohmygoodness October is over!

Ohmygoodness, I didn't post for all of October! I have been kinda stressed out with work. I'm stressed because there never seems to be enough time in the day, all I've been doing is things that I don't have a lot of experience in, and I'm really lacking confidence in myself.

On a different note, I have had tons of thoughts pass through my mind for things I wanted to write on here. So I'll just pick and choose a few of them. This may lack some coherence.

Summer was freaking magical. When I run down towards the lakefront path every now and then, I just think about being out there on the beach all summer having the time of my life. I can almost still taste summer. It's slipping away and I'm finding it hard to let go this year.

I've been pretty busy with leagues. I'm in two vball leagues (one intermediate, one rec). The intermediate one is a blast because it's more challenging and it's pushing me to become better. The rec league is filled with some of the greatest people I know, and I can tell we are going to have an absolute blast each week. I also played in a softball/kickball league. This was my first non-vball league. It's humbling playing something you're not necessarily skilled in. The people I met through that were awesome amazing too.

I have a secret to reveal to y'all now. I can swim. Like if you dropped me in a pool I could legit not die. I've been working on it since July and have come a really long way. As in when I first started learning I was kinda freaking to put my head in the water. This is big for me. It's been on my bucket list for a while. Now I just have to get better so when I go to Greece I can swim in the Caldera and when I go to Australia I can get my scuba license and swim the Great Barrier Reef.

Ok....Less than Three. How cool was that??? Meeting one of my favorite idols and just one of the people I admire most in Susane Colsanti was an amazing experience. She's just as awesome in person as I knew she would be. I feel like I've lost a bit of my positivity and confidence over the past month or so because work has been so new and challenging. Seeing her helped me remember that I need to believe in myself and believe in the knowing. We'll see you in New York for those cupcakes!

 The conference itself was great too--all about anti-bullying. It was a room full of people united for the same cause. Bullying isn't acceptable, should never be acceptable, and it's time for us to stand up for those who feel they can't stand up for themselves. I've seen firsthand what can happen to these kids when we don't help to stand up for them and it breaks my heart. <3 conference was a great start.

Well I would so write more but it is time to go to bed. Another week. Let's do this.

Internship year

I've been at my internship for about 4 weeks now so I figure it's time for an update on my life.
The first week we just did training, which was nice to get to know our supervisors better before the students came. Things are starting to become a little more solidified with our schedules too. This year I get to work with four amazing school psychologists with three being my direct supervisor at some point during the year. I get to do a variety of things too, and it's crazy different from working at CPS (Chicago Public Schools) last year. I am doing counseling of individual students (both gen ed and special ed), working on teams of deans, counselors, academic advocates (people who work with kids who need extra help with hw and organization) and my supervisor, run groups with supervisors (right now I will be doing a post-hospitalization check-in group, transfer group, a group for freshman students with emotional disabilities, a group for students dealing with sexual orientation issues, and I may get to do another group at some point. I also will be doing evaluations for special ed, but much fewer than last year and less testing.

I also have been doing check-ins with students who are considered at-risk.
In October, I will start a rotation (going every week once a week) to a local junior high to work and get more experience with younger kids.

Each day I learn more and more and if I'm being honest, it makes my brain hurt sometimes. But I think this is going to be an amazing year and I'll be ready to start my real job after this year. It's a good feeling.

Epic, Amazing Summer

• Oh man! I cannot believe how long it has been since I've written on here. Things have been so crazy and busy and awesome and amazing that I haven't found the time to write. This summer was absolutely one of the best of my life. Every day there was soething new and exciting to do--dancing, beach volleyball (lots and lots of beach volleyball), festivals, concerts, parties, baseball games, I could go on and on. I'll try to just quickly hit a few highlights. There's just too much to go into detail. Here we go:
• Volleyball tournaments at North Avenue--I did three of these. They were absolutely some of the best days ever. You lose all track of time. You play matches and you lie around on the beach taking in the sun and talking. We went into the second round of the playoffs twice, and last time, we got second place overall in coed sixes rec. 
• Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon--I trained hard for this race. Followed an intermediate plan and it paid off. The race was in July and I met my goal time of coming in under 2 hours 30 minutes by coming in around 1 hr 59 minutes. It was absolutely one of the most difficult things I have ever done but completely worthwhile and amazing. Showed me my strength.
• Dancing at Crocodile--met up with some of my old teammates to go dancing at this bar I really love. We had the best time catching up, laughing, and dancing. Perfection. 
• Blackhawks Stanley Cup Champions--Watched some of the playoffs and the championship games at bars and had a great time seeing what winning can do to a city. The parade made me psyched for when the Royals finally win it all.
• 4th of July--My friend Shelby hosted a party at her house for the 4th. It was such a good time. I met all kinds of amazing people and hopefully started a new tradition.
• Wind down Wednesday--Went on a boat ride and listened to music at Navy Pier with some friends. Stayed out dancing and watched the fireworks. 
• Concert in park and picnic--Finally got to have a picnic at the Grant Park Music Festival with friends and it was every bit as fun as I knew it would be! 
• Brunch--I organized a brunch get-together with some of my friends who also invited some of their friends. Again, got to meet some amazing new people and had a wonderful time.
• Wine and Painting--I also organized a wine and painting night after buying a groupon. It was so fun getting a bunch of friends together who only knew each other though me. It also made me realize how much I've been missing crafting by being so busy!
• Great Urban Race--Sara, Justin, and Justin's friend Darnell, and I did the GUR, which was an absolute blast. You race around the city in a giant scavenger hunt. Can't wait to do it again this month with crazier challenges.
• I climbed another mountain!--Sara and I summited Gray's Peak in Colorado--our third 14er. So proud.

 Half Marathon

 Wind Down Wedneday (Meghan and me)

Abeer and me at Blackhawks Victory Parade

New friend, Beck, who  I met for the second time at 4th of July Party

 Shelby's epic 4th of July Party

Dora and the Explorers Team dancing at Crocodile

Abeer, Meghan, and me at a volleyball tournament

Brunch!

Beck, Shelby, Meghan, and me at Wind Down Wednesday

Life is only as good as the memories we make

This weekend was incredible.
Friday was the Blackhawks victory parade. It was insane. Seemed like most of the city skipped out on work to watch the players ride by holding the Stanley Cup. It was a really cool experience and made me long for the Royals to win even more. That night we won our bracket in the volleyball playoffs!

Saturday I went for my long run of the week and I had to tough it out this time. Then we tried to play beach volleyball and practice for our tournament in two weeks. The wind was insane though and blew the ball all over the place. It was like 65 degrees too so not exactly beach weather. Then that evening I did a trolley tour to various bars to try different craft beers with some volleyball teammates. It was a ton of fun.

Today I slept in and didn't feel like I could handle all the noise and chaos of the parade so I just hung out in my apartment until yoga. Then I went to Summerfest on Southport to hang with some friends and listen to this awesome 80s band called The Wedding Band.

Awesome weekend. Just gotta make it through a tough Monday and then I can have another amazing week!

Hawks win!

What an epic night.

I have never had a team win anything before or even come close, and tonight my adopted team now that I'm a Chicagoan, won the Stanley Cup!!!!
I went to watch the game with my friend, Abeer, at a bar in Lakeview. We had a complete blast. Hawks were down 2-1 with 3 minutes left and then scored and then scored again. Pretty much all hell broke lose, beer was thrown in the air, and I have never been so excited in my life. Good thing I didn't wait until the Royals won to celebrate like this. By the time they win it all I'll break a hip celebrating because I'll be 100 years old.

What an epic experience and an epic night. Hope I can go to the victory parade.

Chicago, I freaking love you.
Go Hawks!

Summer in the city

Such a fun weekend. Played in my first ever beach volleyball tournament this Saturday. It started early in the morning (ick) on North Avenue Beach. It was such a beautiful day, though. We got a deal where we got entry to the tournament plus all you can drink beer from 10-4. We didn't enjoy the free alcohol as much as we may have if we hadn't been trying to win. Our team was actually pretty darn good, and we made it to the second playoff round. We killed it in the first round too.

It was just an all-around wonderful day in this city that has become my home. I'm definitely not jaded yet. I was standing there on the beach taking in the view of the lake and the city and thinking how lucky I am to have this opportunity.

Chicago has gotten its hooks in me, and I don't know if it's gonna let go. It's home.

Here are some pics of the tournament.