Walking in a Winter Wonderland....aka Room 208

It is officially December today, which is absolutely crazy. I am approaching the last two weeks of my first semester of college. My life has radically changed in a mere four months. That's it. Four months. Yet everything in my world has been turned upside down and dramatically altered so that my thoughts, conversations, events, classes, friends have all shifted from Hampton to Westminster.
It's kind of a weird paradox though because there are things that stay exactly the same. When I go home, Hampton always looks exactly the same when you come off the turnpike. There might be a new store here and there, but it has the same feeling. Maybe that's what home is like though. It remains the constant in the changing world around it. What is also the same is church. I anticipated going back to HPC since I hadn't been able to make it there for about three months, but yet when I got there, it was pretty much like nothing had really changed. Yes a few people recognized me and asked me about school, but it was almost like I never left (I even had to tell Bob-O where Katherine was at bells...like he should know more than me, it's not like I haven't been there since August or anything....) And of course, though it is highly evident that I don't belong back at Hampton High School, one thing that I am forever grateful that has remained a constant in my life is my best friends back at home. Keeping in touch with them and picking up exactly where we left off when I'm back is so incredibly nice.
So anyway. Life has been really good lately. I have a lot of reasons to smile right now. For one, Thanksgiving break was wonderful because I saw family I haven't seen in years and for the first time in a longgg time we were all together. Second, when snow first fell at WC, a wave of happiness and excitement spread over the campus, especially in my hall. We were instantly revived from the monotony of a blah fall and thrown into the excitement of what winter brings. I really hate the cold sometimes, but snow makes me happy when it's sparkly and sunny out and perfect for playing in. Ali and I have been listening to Christmas music constantly and we decorated our room with lights and covered our door with the "25 men of Christmas" (compliments of Rachel Perry) With an i eta pi gift exchange coming up and Christmas break coming faster than ever, there's so much holiday spirit going around.
Another reason why I can smile: my friends. I cannot explain how blessed I am. My best friends at home, and my loves at Westminny...if I could have everyone together at the same time, I would explode with happiness.
Oh, and there's one more reason why I keep smiling so much...but I don't need to give that one away :) I am anxious to see what the coming weeks bring.

I'm not quite sure what I intended to do or say with this post. I feel like I haven't said much of anything at all in quite a few words. Can't believe the first semester out of a total of eight is over. Can't believe Christmas is coming and that I am going to be home for FIVE WEEKS. Ohhh, do I need a job.

Okay, sleep time, my favorite :)