I'm Movin' On.

Haha, get it?

Welcome back.

Here we are friends, a day away from graduation. I thought that it was only fitting that I put one more post up on this thing to mark the end of my undergrad career, since this blog has seen at least a part of me for the last four years.

The general consensus around here right now is that what they say is true: your college years fly by, FAST. My roommates and I are all in this nostalgic whirlwind of trying to have maybe just one too many at Phyrst Happy Hour, fit in all the things we wanted to in this valley, take the 97th grad pic and say our good-byes to everything we've known for the last four years.

I feel like I run to the blog whenever something significant happens in my life, and to be honest, this time isn't much different. The last few weeks have been filled with a COMPLETE thesis, studying for finals, plenty of emotions and trying to figure out what's coming in the next few months.

This time last week, I was setting up for one of the largest student-run music festivals in the country. For those of you that don't know, over the course of this year, I have served as the Director of Sponsorship for Movin' On alongside 10 of the most incredible and driven human beings I have ever met.

Most of you know that before our headliner was scheduled to begin his set, we had to cancel the end of the show due to severe weather. As we were told the news, a million things ran through our minds. A year's worth of work, how were we going to continue to lead our teams, what about our emotions? But what was so beautiful about hearing some of the worst news was that in that moment, we became a family. We stood in our huddle, staring at each other with tears running down our faces, knowing it was time to put on our game faces and handle the situation in the way that our festival deserved. We continued to lead our organization in the best way we knew how: together.

While the rest of the night was incredibly tough in balancing emotions, exhaustion and disappointment, I couldn't help but look around and be thankful. A group of students built and executed a HUGE festival for their peers, all because they wanted to share their love of music with the Penn State community. Despite it not ending the way we had planned, the way in which we stepped up in a time when others wouldn't have is something I will be forever proud of.

So, as you can probably tell, I've spent a lot of time thinking about the last week... instead of studying for my finals. It's for sure going to take awhile to find some closure on the last year of my life flipped upside down within a span of 30 minutes last Friday night, but if I can put anything into words on a page, it's this:

Penn State gave me this experience for a reason. Movin' On was by far my favorite chapter of my college experience, but like every good thing, it comes at a time when you need it most and it ends in the same fashion, even if you don't understand it at the time.

Over the last four years, Penn State challenged me to grow up, to handle #adulting, to know when to step up and lead, and importantly, to lead by example. It hasn't always been easy. There's been quite a few downs to every up on this rollercoaster of a college experience, but in the end, all of this has made me who I am today.

Penn State put people in my life when I needed them most: people that never left my side during a setback and people that celebrated every comeback. People that volunteered to ugly cry with a bottle of Moscato over a boy and people that stayed up all night with me in the library to finish my 381749 ECON assignments. People that made me feel loved and supported, even when I wasn't feeling my best.

So, yes, I'm now tearing up as I give my final sign-off from undergrad (I'm sure you're shocked).

When I think of Penn State, I'll remember the lessons I learned when things didn't go as planned, how I chose to grow up when the easier option would have been to give up, and the love (and laughs) from relationships that mean the world to me.

And honestly, thank God I learned how to use my fighting words properly, because I'll definitely need those in law school.

To my pals from the last four years (and especially SLB), thank you for shaping my path at this University. For showing me the way, for making me laugh beyond belief, for never failing to put a smile on my face.

To ITA, thank you for making my last THON the best I've ever had. For showing me the true meaning of caring for others, for holding my hand through an amazing and meaningful adventure.

To the Movin' On 2018 Exec Board, thank you for being the family I needed. For picking me up last April after one of the hardest times in my life, for being the most resilient people I have ever met, for walking this journey with me.

To 1004, thank you for being the most supportive best friends I could ever ask for. For being my sisters through all the ups and all the downs, for never questioning feelings, for always being there for a snug on the big red couch or a night out on the town, for being my backbone, my rocks, through absolutely everything. I would not be standing here today without you. #RushPhiPughPugh

Thank you to the people that turned into family, to the four years that turned into the best of my life, to the zip code that became a home.

Thank you, Penn State. I'm Movin' On.

Holy guac, I'm graduating,
Kirst

Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Here we are, friends. Finals week -- the five days that we all love to hate.

Regardless of what's on the academic doc for the next few days, it's about that time where the good-byes start to be said, a few tears are probably falling and the overwhelmed feeling is starting to set in.

While I'm not graduating, this end of the school year has got me all up in the feels. A lot of my friends are soon leaving Penn State and as I'm preparing for a summer in Philly, I'm nostalgic about the end of this semester. I've been reading all those articles about "the things I learned in college," the "how I became me" lists and the "read this going into your senior year" articles and while incredibly cheesy, here's another note to join that crew.

We define ourselves by a lot of things: what we do, what we care about, who we spend our time with, et cetera et cetera. I've been thinking a lot about this lately because my heart strings are being pulled as yet another year is ending and I'm uneasy about what's to come. One thing that I've realized we don't really have control over that is probably the most definitive part of our lives is home.

Home is different for all of us and I don't really think that it is always a place. For me, home is with the people I love most, all of the laughs and all of the tears (mostly tears) and the feeling of having a reason. We become our home just as it becomes us, but when I think of home, I think of what Penn State has given me.

To all that go here, there are simply no words to describe the connection felt by each person in this community. It doesn't matter what street you walk down, what you decide to study or how you decide to present yourself, Staters are always there for each other at the end of the day. I think that this is what makes this place so powerful in molding who we are as people: there is this ability of Penn State to transform into anything you need it to be. I feel like myself when I'm in the 16801 because of the people I love, the places I frequent and my day to day life that I lead here.

But sometimes, you have to step away from home to appreciate it in the way that it deserves. The last few weeks leading up to finals have been an emotional rollercoaster: highs and lows academically, socially, mentally, you name it. Referencing my last post, it's all about embracing the ride, but just because you embrace something and are willing to take it on doesn't always make it easier to go through.

As someone that has been tearing up for weeks because of this year ending, leaving my friends for the summer, re-living all of the good and bad memories and trying to become the best version of myself, I've somehow had a feeling of lull in my connection to this home. Not in a negative way necessarily, but in the sense that I need to step away to appreciate it more.

This year has been incredibly definitive in my life. The Year Of Why Nots has proven to change me for the better, but it's time to continue that in a new place so that I can embrace next Fall for all that it will give me. So when I was given the opportunity to be in a new zip code for a few months, I jumped at the opportunity. I know that my friends that are graduating probably want to slap me for saying this, but I'm ready to leave this place for now. I'm ready to explore a new area, take on a new chapter and be the person that Penn State has built me up to be.

Whether you're leaving for the summer or leaving to become an adult, sometimes following the feeling of needing to get away can provide clarity. Right now is the time to be nostalgic for all we've been through, but tomorrow (or next week) is the time for new adventure, new ambitions and for defining a new piece of home. This place deserves to be loved for all that it is, and after all -- distance makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Catch me in the HUB all week,
Kirst

The Year of Why Nots, Not What Ifs

Hello, it's me. The girl that used to write about her life all of the time.

It's been a long week and after over a year of not blogging, I decided that maybe this will make it a little better -- and I'm hoping to get back to being a regular (something I said a year ago, I know, but I actually mean it this time).

To go through junior year would be a doozy and honestly, probably not the best way to spend your day. As a catch up on all that's been happening, it's been the year of why nots.

For those that I spend the majority of my time with, you've heard me spew this phrase over and over again: this is the year of why nots, not what ifs. And to be honest, taking each day with this thought process has changed everything.

This time last year, I sat behind this screen and I wasn't in the best place. I was going through the motions of school and work, living nap to nap and really just wondering where I was going next, and not being okay with it. A summer at State living on my own gave me the time to realize that I didn't want to be like that anymore. I wanted to take in every day, embrace each challenge and remember what it was like to truly value the time in Happy Valley.

Hence came this cliché of the year of why nots.

If you go for the why not instead of the what if, you have no regrets, something that I seemed to have a lot of at the end of my sophomore year. You take more risks, you stop thinking about every little thing that could happen and just DO something, you become yourself again.

But always choosing the why not instead of the what if doesn't necessarily lead to happiness. This perspective involves putting yourself out there to be vulnerable, telling people how you really feel, going out on a limb, being ambitious in trying to make some sort of impact in this world and sometimes, just accepting the fact that things are out of your control. Not letting others affect your happiness, but simply contribute to it and just being okay with the fact that some things happen beyond anything you can do.

With just about a month left of my third year at State (holy guac, when did I get old?), I can say that the why not is much better than the what if. I spontaneously flew to Colorado for three days, took on new positions on campus, spent New Year's Eve in Australia with my best galpal, danced on probably too many elevated surfaces and went with my gut in each moment. On the flip side, I may have dropped my laptop, just squeaked through 304, not landed the internship, not gotten a chance or two and feel lost because there is no set plan for the next 12 months of my life, but here I am, still standing. Life hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows and there's been plenty of ugly cries, but I didn't go through the motions this time around; as someone that doesn't believe in bad timing, each setback has led to a better comeback and I think that is what is important here. This whole adventure is better when I put myself out there, go after my goals and embrace not being afraid to fail. I haven't once bet against myself, and that's a lesson I'll take right to the bank.

So jumping back to this week, it sure hasn't been easy, but what has gotten me through mentally is being proud of myself for not letting it become a what if. It's been a lot of mental juggling of feelings, exams, relationships and so on, but I would not change a thing. The last few days have proven to me that being yourself is worth it and I am surrounded by people that help me remember that when I seem to have forgotten. Not only have I been allowed to cry, eat lots of ice cream and vegetate, I've been reminded again and again that this year of why nots isn't about everything working out the way I had hoped.

It's about letting myself feel, asking for help when I need it, and holding on to the hope that there may not always be a clear why, but things will happen the way they are supposed to. There's never a reason to not love, support and believe in yourself and the people around you each and every day.. even when you feel that you or they don't deserve it. Because, why not?

Here's to tomorrow,
Kirst

I'm Back -- For Now

Here's the thing -- I know it's been awhile. I know I said back in October that I was trying to keep up with blogging, but here I am, MARCH FIRST, writing for the first time since then.

While blogging is still my favorite hobby and definitely helped me keep my sanity for a long period of time, it fell on the back-burner last semester and never really made it back to the top of the priority list.

There's quite a bit to catch up on here. I don't even really know where to start...

Let's go with the six THON Athletic Marketing events that I worked on throughout the year. THAT WAS FUN. Then there was working 20 hours a week in the basketball office, which has given me wicked awesome opportunities (S/O front row at Madison Square Garden), taking 18 credits (note to self: say no to 3 ECON classes at once), and trying to just embrace every moment and take everything day by day. Sounds cheesy, I know, but when I was averaging three hours of sleep a night back in October and November, that's what I had to tell myself in order to keep going.

Last semester flew by with everything that happened with school, work, and my beloved THON involvement. After five finals, two projects, a term paper, and my first speeding ticket in December, I was ready for some Netflix and sleep in good ol' Erie before a lovely gals' trip to San Francisco to visit Molly with Larz. Going into all of the details from our California adventure would take quite a bit of time, but just know that I got to see the Full House house, have a date with an octopus at the aquarium, hug a redwood tree, and walk around Google's campus in Mountain View with my best friends. IT WAS REALLY FUN.

When I got back to State in January, the craziness started right where it left off. With six weeks until THON, there was a lot that needed to be done. I kept track of time through THON events, from our PR Retreat weekend where we all loved one another to the Road To THON Celebration, where all of the THON Volunteers gathered for a fancy dinner at the three-week countdown mark.

Oh yeah, I also turned 20 -- how weird. I'm officially not a teenager anymore. Wowza.

Then I blinked and THON Weekend was upon us. I moved into the BJC with my Co-Captains on the lovely Friday morning a few weeks ago for the best 46 hours of my life. You've heard me go on and on about how incredible THON is, and here I am again. There is no true way to describe the magic that occurs during the weekend. Mama and Coach Rei were able to visit the event floor for a little while, so I was really happy that they could experience what I am so passionate about instead of them just listening to me ramble on.

I'm still out of tears from all of the THON Weekend happenings and I still hug my Co-Captains every chance I get because they stood by my side throughout the most challenging and rewarding year of my life. I'm thankful for them and all of their hard work. More importantly, I'm thankful that we're $9.7 million closer to a cure, FTK.

I could definitely say more about THON, but that will have to come later because as per usual, I'm still processing everything that happened during the weekend of running up and down committee member stairs and though the HOS hallway and into the locker room.

Alongside the craziness of Penn State came another basketball season in the Reilly household. I have to admit that this past season was pretty hard, being that things never seemed to swoosh our way and it's pretty difficult to watch the people that you care about struggle. The Gannon Basketball family never gave up on one another, however, and I've truly never been prouder to be a part of this loving group.

Sophomore year has been a whirlwind to say the least. I went from drinking 6 cups of coffee a day to only 2 cups a week (for the sake of my health and my meal points). I've accomplished a lot of what I set out to do, but I'm really looking forward to everything to come. I'm getting ready for future THON endeavors, preparing for internships in *California* next summer (FINGERS CROSSED), and laying the groundwork for a research project in India in the near future. Oh, and I'm having a lot of fun, too, just in case you were wondering. I might stretch myself a little thin every now and again, but I'm definitely taking advantage of everything Penn State has to offer. I'm living the dream in Happy Valley, folks.

I'm not sure when the next post will come, but I'm hoping I can get back to a solid schedule. As of today, my mind is solely focusing on Spring Break. I won't be going anywhere tropical, but I'll be heading to Toronto with MCash, so I'm sure we'll have our fair share of fun...

This post was pretty random, but at this point, that's what I've got.

For now, I'm back to writing and getting enough sleep. We'll see how long this lasts...

Toronto for Spring Break, Eh?,
Kirst

THON HOCKEY IS ON SUNDAY AND YOU SHOULD COME

Here's another post after two weeks on the run; I'll get around to getting back into the blogging routine at some point before the end of the semester... maybe.

Two weeks have flown by, but boy, there was a lot going on. Last time you heard about me surviving a week of three exams and meetings and homework and football. This time around, I've gone home for a wonderful weekend of relaxation with the fam, Homecoming week, Parade committee shenanigans, a long ECON exam, more time on the football field, front row at Beaver Stadium, and a visit from LARZ.

You all know how much I love Penn State and how I would never in a million years miss a home football game. Well, I really needed a weekend in good ol' Erie, PA (yes, I admitted it). While it rained a lot and it was pretty cold, it was really nice to kick back and relax at home and see the bros. Mark the count up to 7 days at home since July 5th...

I got back to Penn State and was greeted with a week of absolute craziness: Homecoming. It was incredibly fun, but I had a lot on my plate from working various shifts at the different carnivals and events and helping to set-up and run the largest Homecoming parade in the country! It was really rewarding to see all of our hard work pay off as all of the floats went by. It was a cool experience that I am thankful for.

The craziness continued from Parade day to Game day. I made an appearance on ESPN in the front row of Nittanyville (S/O to GA for the spot!) and took in the gorgeous weather as I hung out with the basketball team on the field beforehand. I could not think of a better day for football, and the win against the Hoosiers made it even better. After the game came a night of interesting adventures with my favorite group of penguins AKA Co-Captains. The PR team is definitely getting closer and closer.

On top of Homecoming festivities, LARZ was here for the weekend. Having the squad back together was both super fun and super shambly, and it's safe to say that we have some great stories. (S/O to Jack for trying to catch me as I face-planted and S/O to LARZ for superman diving onto the couch). Just your typical weekend.

This week has included waaaaay too much time at HUB Penguin (PR's official meeting space), quite a few hours at the basketball office, and a dreaded COMM 320H exam. Some fantastic parts of this week included GETTING OUR CAPTAIN QUARTERZIPS (this may not seem like a big deal, but it was one of the highlights of my week), spreading the word about #THockey on the radio, and a successful promo day for THON Hockey. My PR Co-Captains joined me dancing, giving away free stuff, and attacking people with giant polaroid frames to let the student body know that they need to come support THON and the Women's Hockey team this Sunday. I'm so excited to see all of the planning turn into an amazing event!

All I have to say at this point is TGIF, I can't wait for 75-minute Zumba with LIVE DRUMS tomorrow afternoon, and THON HOCKEY on Sunday. It's going to be a great weekend.

I promise I'm timely with everything else in my life,
Kirst

Pulling 19-Hour Days Like A Pro

While blogging is my favorite hobby, it's been pretty hard to find a bit of time around here to sit a relay all that is going on. In the midst of all of this craziness, I really need to pick a time each week that no matter what, is set aside for blogging.

ANYWHO...

So back to two weeks ago, starting with September 13th (ugh, wow, time is going by too fast). The week was jam-packed with lots of homework, dinner with friends, work, THON meetings and committee application drop-off, and my friends and I decided to live at Nittanyville for the week! For those of you that have no clue of what I am talking about, Nittanyville is the tent-camp set up outside of Gate A at Beaver Stadium. By participating you are guaranteed the best seats in the student section. Being that this was the annual week-long camp-out (they're usually only 3 nights) for the showdown against Rutgers, the long-nights sleeping on cement was more than necessary. 20 of my friends hung out for a week, jammed out to some tunes, ate some free pizza, and painted some big signs to be featured on the sidelines. What a week.

Gameday was incredible. I got to see my parents before going through the student gate, which I was super excited about. As campers at Nittanyville, we entered the stadium over 3 hours before game time. While this may seem boring, we started a section-wide game of charades, so it wasn't all that bad. In addition to our awesome seats, the stadium Stripe-Out that was perfectly executed made for an insane atmosphere. Blue and White filled Beaver Stadium to watch the Nittany Lions trample the Scarlet Knights. While I was sleep-deprived, I loved every single second of it.

After the game, I was able to catch up with my parents over foooood and I stayed the night with them in the hotel. It was so nice to have the fam in Happy Valley, even though it was only for a short while. Sunday was quite busy with saying good-byes to Coach and Mama Rei, THON Captain Mat Cleaning (we got down and dirty to help OPP out with scrubbing the mats for the floor of the BJC), a run-through of the Homecoming Parade, and a few hours worth of coding homework. While it was crazy, it was an awesome weekend.

Last week was also pretty busy (I'm sure you're surprised) between three exams, interviewing future PRCMs and preparing for another football weekend. Having five home games in a row is definitely a wild ride for all Penn State students, and the lack of recovery during the weeks is causing everyone to look pretty zombie-esque. But hey, we Staters are all about our football, so we're dealing with it.

I got to go on the field with the Men's Basketball squad before the game; being able to be up close to all of the players during warm-ups is such a cool experience. MY JOB ROCKS. I magically found my friends after leaving the field, so I was able to hang out with them during the game and watch the Nittany Lions win yet another game before some post-game tailgating.

The night consisted of some PR Captain bonding over Pitch Perfect 2 and lots of laughs. If you haven't seen the sequel to one of the greatest movies of all time, I highly recommend it.

TTYL I'M SURVIVING.

All my meal points going to coffee,
Kirst

I Slept for 14 Hours on Saturday/Sunday

AH! Another week, another whirlwind of things going every which way. At this point, I can barely remember where my last post left off, so bear with me here, people.

SO! What I can recall without looking back is that I had just returned from a fabulous weekend with the Kennedy clan and I was getting ready to go meet the rest of the Public Relations family for THON 2016! Monday night was super exciting as the 25 PR Captains gathered on Old Main lawn with our Director to meet one another, learn about our positions, and discover our theme for the year... PRomise to Dream. I'm in love.

Tuesday was a day full of classes and work that led up to our first meeting as an official Captain committee. The potluck theme sent me home with a tummy full of cookies and pokey stix, so no complaints there.

Wednesday was probably the craziest day I have ever had at State. Class from 8AM-Noon, work from 1PM-5PM, cycling class from 5:45PM-6:30PM (my behind was mad at me the next day...), India seminar from 7PM-9PM, practice for All-Captain Orientation from 9PM-11:00PM, then I finally was able to eat lunch around 11:30PM. When I say lunch, I actually mean it... I didn't have time to think that day, let alone eat. All was well once I hit up late-night at good ol' Redifer, though.

Thursday included the usual class and work schedule, with an added visit to a potential place of living for next year. Becoming a real person and moving off campus is both exciting and stressful, but that's a whole different topic within itself. The night ended amazingly with All-Captain orientation, where I wore an incredible bucket hat to meet and greet all of the THON 2016 Captains, danced around ridiculously, performed various skits and musical numbers, and did the line dance! The energy in the room was absolutely contagious and I loved every minute I spent in Heritage Hall that night.

Friday came with major peace and blessings as I journeyed downtown for a shopping date with some friends (don't kill me, Mom) and some dinner before heading out for a night of fun. It was so great to have some time to relax and not be on a set schedule.

Saturday came super early but all was well because I WAS READY FOR SOME PENN STATE FOOTBALL! I headed to Beaver Stadium in the dreary rain to work in the recruiting lounge before kick-off. I helped check in the football recruits before assisting all of the basketball recruits with check-in. I also got to accompany them onto the field before the game, which was probably one of my coolest moments as a Penn Stater. I am in love with my job.

While it literally down poured during the entire game and I felt like I was caught up in an Indian monsoon, there was no way I was leaving the game early and missing the Alma Mater. A select group of us made it to watch the Nittany Lions secure their victory over the Buffalo Bulls, sing the Alma Mater, and take some soaked pictures before heading back to our homes for a warm shower and dry clothes.

We got back around 4 in the afternoon, agreeing on a dinner time two hours later. When I was all cozy in my room, I decided to take a nap before dinner. I definitely was not aware of how tired I was. I fell asleep at 5PM and woke up extremely confused in a really dark room. It turned out to be 3:40AM, not dinner time. I didn't really know what year it was or what I was doing, but I watched some TV before falling back asleep. I'm still a little bitter about missing Saturday night festivities, but I guess my body needed the rest. My parents were super confused when I talked to them in the morning, being that I had no idea that I talked to them on the phone the night before. College, kids, it'll make you exhausted, that's for sure.

I felt like a new person on Sunday after my Atherton hibernation and I was ready for the week. I was pretty productive with a brunch date, getting all of my laundry done, writing my weekly report, and getting all of my homework done. I was pretty happy with my efforts.

Yesterday and today have been the start to yet another eventful week. Tack on the usual classes, work, and meetings, in addition to participating in Nittanyville, a week-long camp-out at Beaver Stadium to get the best seats in the house for this weekend's battle against Rutgers. While I had to sleep on concrete last night, being in the front rows of Saturday night's Stripe-Out will be AWESOME.

Okay, time for bed...LOLZ jk. Time for some more work and I should probably start studying for the three exams that I have next week.

Am I alive? Yes. Am I getting enough sleep? No. Is iced coffee running through my veins? Probably. Am I getting everything done? Yes. Am I having a great time in Happy Valley? Most definitely.

Talked to some of my Indian friends today and it made my heart smile,
Kirst

Long Weekends Are For Friends, Pokey Stix, and Road Trips

Wow, what a crazy week and a half!

Since I talked to you lovely people on Thursday, quite a bit has happened in the life of Kirst.

Friday took a turn for the interesting when my ankle swelled up like a balloon and I was barely able to walk. I was suffering from awful blisters from some really cute new work shoes, which caused me to walk like a gimp the entire week. Turns out I was walking so bad that my foot swelled up from all the extra pressure, so I ran home Saturday morning to get it checked out. While everything turned out to be fine (I'm still in a bit of pain and the antibiotics for my blisters made me throw up in class... YOLO) and I definitely could have waited to go to UHS on Monday, it was nice to see Mama and Coach Rei for a night. I also found this really cute throwback picture, please enjoy.

The week was full of all sorts of busy schedules and craziness. I'm back to seeing my friends all the time, which is super amazing. The combination of work, school, and planning THON Spikes led to a less than adequate sleep schedule, but it was more than worth it. The first event of the PR season was a total success; it was a beautiful night for baseball, we sold more tickets than ever before, and raised a good amount of money For The Kids. I love what I do.


Friday flew by with a few classes and a shortened work day, which allowed me to have a great fam dinner with some friends at the dining hall. Believe it or not, I've actually missed dining hall food, so it was nice to get back to the buffet life.

Friday night was a blast with my Co-Captains, as we all bonded over dancing and pokey sticks (pokeys are these super cheesy pizza bread things that are to die for). We had so much fun being around one another and it made me even more excited to spend the entire year working with them. Also, just an FYI, Luke and I will be dropping our mixtape soon, so stay tuned.

Saturday was lovely after I slept in almost all afternoon. Considering I hadn't slept much during the week, I didn't feel bad snoozing for awhile. The afternoon consisted of more lounging and watching the first Penn State football game. While I almost cried while watching my beloved Nittany Lions fall to the Owls, the thought of being in Beaver Stadium this upcoming Saturday created more excitement than sadness.

Following the game, I hopped in the car and headed off to LARZ's house for an impromptu visit. I was greeted with open arms from many Irish accents and my best friend, which is always just plain fantastic. It was so awesome to be reunited with Laura after two whole months apart. We spent the night catching up and celebrating her graduation from the greatest university on the planet.

Yesterday consisted of a trip to Hershey Park, which turned into a day full of laughs, rollarcoasters, Dippin Dots, and Laura almost crying as we boarded every ride. To top off the fun, we arrived home to a kitchen full of John Kennedy specialties and an adorable bulldog, so I don't think the day could have gone any better.

After saying my good-byes to the Kennedy fam, I headed back to State with a slightly swollen foot (the dang amusement park didn't exactly help the cause) and a new Spotify playlist. I already miss LARZ, but she's visiting in a few weeks so NO WORRIES.

Tonight is about to be super exciting because the rest of the PR Captain Committee is being announced. I can't wait to meet the rest of our purple family!!!!!!

Maybe I'll get around to unpacking everything I brought here two weeks ago,
Kirst

Full Speed Ahead

Ayyo!

Please excuse the lack of blogging recently, the past few weeks have been quite the whirlwind. Now that I'm back at PSU, I'm hoping that I can figure out this whole routine thing soon and get back to a normal schedule of being a real person.

Sooooo my time in Cape Breton was absolutely wonderful. I spent a week with the MacAskill crew and we had a great time catching up (while I've visited with my family, I hadn't been to Nova Scotia in a few years) and exploring different parts of the island. The seven days were full of scenic hikes, road trips to the beach, lots of visits to chip trucks, and some interesting nights on the town in Sydney. It was a great way to end the summer.

By the time I got back in Erie, I had one-and-a-half days to get my life together to move back into school. I basically just threw a little bit of everything in a bunch of laundry baskets and boxes, packed up the Jeeps, and headed out to Happy Valley at 4:30AM last Thursday. We made it to Atherton Hall around 8AM and were happily surprised to see that we were the only people moving in during that time, so the craziness of dodging 7,000 people on move-in day was avoided. After putting a couple of loads of all the things I bought in India into the new room, I was off to a THON meeting before putting the finishing touches in my lovely dorm.

There was no time to relax after unloading and setting up everything because the Reilly's were then off to the Big Apple for the weekend. We had lunch at the Corner Room in State College (ahhh, delicious!) and did some shopping downtown before the drive to our hotel in New Jersey. We basically went to bed as soon as we got there (it had been quite the long day) and woke up the next morning to head to our hotel in the city. Our hotel for the weekend sat smack-dab in the middle of Herald Square; its location right in front of Macy's was absolutely fantastic.

We spent Friday exploring monuments and museums. We took the boat out to Liberty Island to visit Lady Liberty, then visited Ellis Island to explore. It was fascinating to go through the halls and rooms  where so many people entered America and the history nerd inside of me loved reading all of the stories and side-notes written throughout the entire place. I took my time wandering around (my parents at times were trying to pull me along) and it was a really great visit.

The next stop on our tour was the 9/11 memorial and museum. I had visited the memorial before, but the museum was not completed the last time I was in NYC. We spent hours going through the extremely well-done exhibits and taking everything in.

After a little shopping, people-watching, and grabbing some food in Times Square, we headed back to the hotel as some super tired tourists. We got some sleep before an early start Saturday morning. We decided to browse through Macy's before hopping on the Subway to Yankee Stadium, which resulted in us getting separated and slightly lost in the mass chaos that is the world's largest store.

We finally gathered ourselves made it to the stadium and into our seats with the Gannon group and enjoyed a beautiful day of baseball. We watched Jorge Pasada number be retired and the Yankees earn a victory over the Indian. What a great afternoon for a sports fan.

Next came some more subway surfing, wandering through stores, a trip through Central Park to see the bridge from a scene in my favorite movie, Made of Honor, and trying to dodge the masses of people. I have to say that crossing streets was actually a breeze compared to crossing streets in Delhi, so the traffic was not a problem whatsoever.

After scouring the shoe department at Macy's (you couldn't pay me a million bucks to work in the clearance rooms in that store), it was time to hit the hay. While I was so pumped from the awesome weekend spent in the city, I was pretty exhausted and fell right asleep as soon as I hit the pillow.


Sunday brought a visit to the giant Toys-R-Us with Coach Rei and a  last-minute trip to Macy's (I was trying to find a shoe that had gone missing from the clearance room) and a longgggg ride back to Penn State. I finally made it back around dinner time and had time to reunite with some friends before trying to organize myself and get back into school-mode.

This week has been nuts. Between classes, working in the basketball office, trying to start the planning for next summer's adventure, and just staring at my schedule for the next few months, I'm in major need of a huge nap... and it's only the fourth day. I guess that's what I get for only having five days at home since July 5th...

While I'm sad that I had to say good-bye to my amazing summer of adventures, it does feel pretty great to be back at the best school on the planet and getting back into the swing of things with my pals.

If things weren't super crazy, life wouldn't be any fun,
Kirst

Next Stop: Cape Breton Island

Bonjour!

Currently lounging at yet another airport Starbucks, this time in Toronto and not some crazy city in Asia. I think I can venture to say that these places where planes take off have become my new natural habitat. After the past month, I really think I should be a member of one of those international travel clubs or something.

After just four full days at home, I'm back on the international travel scene. I'm still not fully adjusted from my extensive time travel, but my body isn't fighting me too much. I've only had one incident where good ol' American food didn't sit so well, so I guess I can be okay with that. I did, however, just eat red meat for the first time in a month... this could get interesting.

While I did a lot of chillaxing the last few days, Coach Rei and I went on a few trips to Chautauqua Lake, one of my favorite places to visit in the summer. I've definitely missed walking around by the water and enjoying the scenery. Although it was short-lived, it was nice to get back to some slight normalcy for a few days. I was also able to catch up with a few friends before we all head off to college. It's crazy to think that when I get back home this time next week, I'll be less than 48 hours away from my sophomore year move-in.

I literally feel like I haven't been home in years and now it's about time to settle back into life in Happy Valley. I'm more than excited to be reunited with my peeps at school, but I have a lot to get done between now and next Thursday. In addition to moving in to Atherton next week, the Reilly crew is heading for a weekend trip to the Big Apple. Life is definitely not slowing down anytime soon.

This post is pretty random, but at this point, I have nothing else to do after taking a few laps around the airport. I can probably read one of the 37 books I have in my backpack, but that would be too easy, wouldn't it? Just two and a half more hours before my departure to Nova Scotia... at least I get to see the MacAskill fam squad tonight!

Compulsively trying to figure out how I'm going to decorate my dorm room,
Kirst

An Open Love Letter To India

My dearest India,

I now sit here in the Philadelphia airport after a 4 hour flight, a 19 hour eye-opening experience in the Middle East, and a 14 hour flight to the US of A in a state of disbelief that I've actually left you. After being with you for a month, I actually feel strange being home and in the country sealed on the front of my freshly stamped passport.

While I am happy to be back and I'm looking forward to Coach Rei picking me up at the Erie airport in 6 short hours, I'm already having slight separation anxiety from you. I figured now would be the best time to write to you, being that I'm fresh off of a 14 hour reflection and this is the best way for me to process everything.

For starters, I must tell you that you threw me for quite the loop. I have to admit that you made me question my hopeless romantic belief in love at first sight. I emerged into the thick air of Delhi in the mindset of what the hell have I done and how am I going to live here for a month. Not because of your abundance of people, noise, and craziness, but because of my sense of being extremely uncomfortable. I was scared about what was to come, how I was going to communicate with others, and how I was going to build relationships with the people around me.

While I may not have fallen in love at first sight, I definitely fell in love within the first three days. After conquering jet lag, I was a new person, one that was ready to embrace everything that is India. Your colorful streets, raging spurts of Hindi, and caring nature of your people drew me in and I never looked back.

I remember blogging on my second day of the trip that I was completely amazed by you. Since that day, I fell deeper and deeper in love with you.  I became incredibly invested in your culture, even when I experienced some not-so-pretty things. For a month, you showed me something entirely new each and every day. You changed my view of the world.

I can't thank you enough, my love. India, you have taught me so much. As I begin to ramble, please know that it is out of adoration and that my emotions and mindset are quite jumbled as I spew out everything I've taken in over the course of my adventure.

India, thank you for teaching me that language is not always a barrier. Dance moves are a common form of communication. Smiles are universally understood. Everyone loves Taylor Swift. Americans start the best dance parties. Love can be discovered in places that you least it expect it. I need to attend (or have) an Indian wedding. Rickshaws, while terrifying, are a very enjoyable way of travel. Adventure is everywhere. It's possible to fall in love in ten days. Everyone needs a little (emphasis on little) spice in their life. I love dosas. Experiencing and observing other religions is mesmerizing. Fun pants are so comfy, but they make you look like a total tourist. The way to someone's heart is through their stomach. Crossing streets in Delhi can increase your blood pressure. I need to always appreciate what I have. Everyone loves the THON line dance. Kurtas are fabulous. Honesty (while sometimes the best policy) can be hurtful. I need to always trust my gut. FaceTime is the most efficient cure for homesickness.
Mangos actually have magical powers. Corn and pomegranate seeds are a strange, but delicious, combo. Cold showers aren't all that bad. Kids will always brighten your day. People can be really ignorant. Hair wraps will survive monsoon season. I don't like spiders that are the size of my palm. Bug spray sometimes has to double as perfume. I should always be thankful for clean water, fruits, and veggies. Re-packing your suitcase (37 times) can be therapeutic. Spotify's Acoustic Morning playlist is a necessity for traveling. Pop tastes better when in a bottle. The WHOOP on a Saturday in Happy Valley is nothing compared to Indian public transportation. Dogs seem cuter when you're not allowed to pet them. Mehndi, while gorgeous, does not smell good. People may think you're a celebrity just because you come from America. Food poisoning... don't mess with that. State College needs a system of rickshaws. Coconut naan is not actually an India thing.
Marigolds don't have any actual significance. Monsoons don't stop the party, they start it. Delhi Belly can occur in places other than Delhi AKA the flight from Mumbai to Jaipur. Time travel is a real thing. Jumping off of buildings is actually quite thrilling. Sleep is pretty necessary. Best friends that travel together will yell at one another and then immediately figure it out. Seeing the world is a calling... I need to continue my travels.

Thank you, India. Thank you for molding me into a better person. Thank you for allowing me to look into myself and my future so that I'll never look back. Thank you for showing me that life's greatest adventures lie within the things that terrify you the most.

While we may be thousands of miles away from one another, I'm confident that we can make this long-distance relationship work. Don't go forgetting about me. I'll be back sooner than you think and I can't wait to see what adventure we'll have next.

Officially signing off from the most amazing adventure of my life,
Kirst

Casually Jumping Off Buildings And Riding Elephants

Ahhhh, hello!

So much to share about the adventures of Jaipur...

I'm very happy to announce that after a roundabout night with what seems to have been food poisoning, I'm back to actually eating and being my normal self again. Let's just say I won't be having chicken fingers in the near future.

Like every other thing I've experienced the past month, Jaipur has been incredible. We have done so many things that all of the days are running together and my mind, that hasn't slept in what seems like days, is going a mile a minute (or 1.60934 kilometers per minute, if we're talking Indian).

Thursday started with a traditional Indian greeting from the students and faculty from IIS. We introduced ourselves, had some small discussions, took a tour of the college, and hung out with students before heading back to our hotel to catch up on some much needed z's. After a long, afternoon catnap (I had only slept an hour the night before because of the unfortunate sickness...), we finally emerged from the hotel for dinner. I fell asleep as soon as we got back from dinner, so not exactly the craziest day.

Friday was probably the most absolutely absurd day of my entire life. The day began with me jumping off of a building... with nothing but a rope, a harness, and some gloves. Definitely not the safest thing I've ever done, but hey, when in India. The next activity was a yoga session, then we tie-dyed scarves, then we sculpted random things, then we got mehndi done on our hands. The craziness continued with a trip to a touristy Rajasthani village, which was basically the Indian version of Epcot.  We saw a magic show, watched various dancing, did some shopping, rode an elephant and a camel, and had dinner. The day was such a blur, but filled with all things lovely.

Saturday included a visit to Jaipur's City Palace, a crazy market where I spent waaaay too much money, and then dinner at the IIS students' homes. It was so great to meet up with them for a meal and be able to talk about all kinds of different things. We then headed out for a bit of dancing, which is always a major plus.

Today was ABSOLUTELY, FABULOUSLY AMAZING. We had an early start with a 9AM departure to Elephant Village, where we spent the whole morning and most of the afternoon with elephants. We greeted, fed, painted, rode, and washed them. By the end of the experience, we were sopping wet from the elephants shooting water at us while we were cleaning them, but it was completely worth it. Elefantastic (the actual name of the activities, not just my attempt at a pun) was one of the coolest thing I've done the past month.

After a nap and a cooking lesson, I'm back at the hotel, completely delirious. I need to pack, write some postcards, journal for the first time in what seems like years, and get a good night's sleep. One of those things isn't going to happen and I'm assuming it'll be the proper amount of rest. Plus, one of our Delhi friends made the trip to visit us in Jaipur, so we obviously have to catch up with him.

India is definitely getting the best of me at this point. I'm totally exhausted, mentally drained, and in dire need of waffles or pancakes. I'm not ready to leave India, but I think I'm ready to go home. I don't think that makes any sense, but it does in my head. Anyway, tomorrow is my last day here, and if there's anything tough to handle, it's that statement right there.

Here's to one more day of rickshaws, naan, and markets,
Kirst

All Things Led To An Unfortunate Upchuck

Namaste, team!

I have finally emerged from the jungle. While I have actually slightly enjoyed not having total access to wifi, I must admit that not being able to blog definitely affected me at times. I love sharing my adventures and venting about all the awesome and weird new things that I'm experiencing, so not having access to my daily self-therapy had me in a slight tizzy.

ANYWAY.

I'm back and back for good. We have safely arrived in Jaipur and are at a super cool new hotel. Before I get into that, however, I should probably share some detes about the last six days!

We arrived to Dahanu Thursday afternoon and were greeted by our hosts at the hotel with lunch. After the six hour drive from Pune, the American squad was really excited to see a home cooked meal in front of us. We chatted a bit and then had time for a brief nap before heading to Tamarind Tree, the school and farm area that we would be spending all of our time, for dinner. I have to admit, I was a little worried about the upcoming days after seeing my new jungle habitat; lots of bugs and lots of monsoon action, but it was definitely a welcomed change of pace.

Because Thursday was more of an orientation day, Friday is when the program actually began. I struggled a bit through morning lectures because I was pretty tired and still getting used to yet another new place, but the day immediately got better when we were able to interact with some of the children at the school. They were so excited to see us, and we, of course, could not wait to work with them, and we helped them through an activity. Like everything else we do around here, a small dance party erupted in one of the outdoor classrooms as we ended the day on a high note.

Saturday was a very humbling day, being that we visited a local village in Dahanu. We walked around the area and visited various people's homes. Like other things, I had prepared myself for what I was going to see, but it wasn't until I was actually surrounded by mud walls did I gain a better understanding of village life in rural India. There is absolutely no way that I can fully comprehend it, simply because I was only there for a few hours and have obviously never lived in that type of environment, but I felt that it was something very important to see and recognize.

Sunday was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We journeyed to another village to visit a Warli artist's home and see his amazing work. Warli painting is a form of tribal art and is simply beautiful. The fact that I was able to sit in the artist's house and watch him create masterpieces was truly amazing and something that hasn't really sunk in yet. It was such a unique experience and I have some cool paintings to bring home. After leaving the village, we were able to go back to the hotel and chill out. Our hotel had a great view of the Arabian Sea and we took some time to venture to the beach for a nice walk.

Monday was back to the busy swing of things with a lot of discussions. We spent a lot of time talking about and seeing the technological projects that Tamarind Tree is working on, so it was a day full of interesting topics.

Tuesday was by far my favorite day in Dahanu. A few of us woke up early for a walk on the beach to collect some shells. We then were off to Tamarind Tree for a lovely day of spending time with the kids. We got to teach a class, dance, and answer all of their questions. Their bright smiles made the long days in the jungle well worth it. The night ended with us helping with dinner and celebrating our new American friends', who are volunteers at the school, anniversary.

Today was a bit of a doozy. We had a farewell breakfast in the jungle before hopping in the SUV's to head to the Mumbai airport. Seeing the city was really great after days in the wilderness and a three hour drive. We had plenty of time to check-in, drop off our bags (still haven't had to pay any overage fees... yahoo!), grab a bite to eat, and hit up the book store.

As we sat down for lunch, I couldn't help but order the chicken fingers and fries. Yep... definitely not my best idea. Being that I haven't eaten any meat in about two weeks (most Indian cuisine is veggie), my body was not a fan of the chicken and definitely let me know it.

The plane ride was quite the adventure, as I was super nauseous, had to dump the magazines out of the plastic baggie in the seat in front of me, run to the back of the plane, dodge the people waiting to use the washroom, and then proceed to get sick (I'm sure you know what I mean). My embarrassed self had to peek my head around the curtain to ask the flight attendant for a napkin. Even worse, I had to explain to the guy that walked out of the washroom that he needed to watch his step because there was some stuff on the floor. After gathering myself, I headed back to my seat and then had every attendant come check on me for the duration of the flight. Definitely not my favorite moment of the trip, but I guess I have a pretty good story now. I can't really define this lovely event as anything but "Yep, that happened to Kirst."

Sooooo, here I am in Jaipur, still not feeling my best and hoping that this bug will go away by morning. This is the last leg of the trip (WHAAAA?!) and I definitely want to enjoy every minute. I'll get around to posting pictures from Dahanu at some point, now is simply not the time.

I get to ride an elephant in like three days,
Kirst

On The Move

Pfew, while I've had quite a few difficulties with the wifi at this hotel and the power has gone out twice tonight, I figured I should blog about the past two days in Pune and before heading off to our next destination, Dahanu.

Still a little uneasy about my experience a few days ago, but my time here in Pune has definitely been enjoyable. While I'm really missing Delhi, Pune has been a nice change of pace.

Yesterday started very early with a 7:30AM departure from our hotel. We were supposed to get picked up at Fergusson College around 7:45AM, but we had the joy having to wait for the taxis until 11:00AM. Needless to say that we were all pretty grumpy because we knew that we could have slept a few hours. One of Pune's most important lessons: Indian time is elastic.

Once we finally got into the cars, the mood turned around as we made the hour-and-a-half long journey to the Bhuleshwar Temple. A Hindu Temple of Shiva, the old structure was situated gracefully atop a hill and provided us with beautiful views of yet another new side of India. We loved seeing the intricate carvings of basalt within the Temple, as well as taking in the countryside atmosphere.

The way back to Pune took a bit longer because we stopped at a roadside restaurant. Although there was quite a bit of confusion about what we thought we ordered and what we actually got, we all thoroughly enjoyed our dishes. The waiter asked us if we were from France... that was a new one.

We arrived back to Hotel Ketan and chilled for a little bit before meeting up with some Indian students from Fergusson for dinner. We ate at a place known for "sizzling" dishes and I, for one, was a huge fan of the sizzling brownie. Noms.

We had the chance to sleep in a bit today, being that our lectures did not start until 9:00AM. I got up a bit early to FaceTime with Larz, which was much needed. I've realized that all it takes is a nice, long conversation with your bestie to get over any feeling of homesickness. Thanks, chicka.

While I hate to admit it, the longggg morning lecture did not resonate with me. I didn't really become alert until a field trip to Agakhan Palace, which is known as the Gandhi National Memorial. It is the place where Ghandi was held on house arrest for a period of time and is now the location in which a small portion of his ashes are kept. It was really interesting to tour the palace and learn more about one of the most, if not the number one, influential figure in Indian history.

After lunch at Starbucks (I'm really going to miss easy access to coffee during the next two weeks), we headed back to campus for another lecture. Once the discussion ended, the American crew spent a few hours shopping and returned to the hotel to re-pack our suitcases, talk to friends and family, answer THON emails (perhaps one of my fave parts of the day) and cozy up before our early departure tomorrow morning. Dahanu is about 5-6 hours away, so it's going to be a long trek.

I'm really looking forward to our visit Dahanu and Tamarind Tree, it's going to be unlike anything we've seen and experienced so far.

Well, off to catch some zzzzz's. Can't wait to see what funky dreams the malaria pills cause tonight!

Could really go for some Kiwi fro-yo,
Kirst