PBJs.

Monday I was able to tag along with a great group of people while they served the Athens community. As part of the local nonprofit, Athens PBJs, volunteers delivered sack lunches across town as a fundraiser to feed Athens' homeless. It's been a while since I have taken a few hours out of my life to serve. Between juggling a hectic semester of classes and trying to squeeze every second of fun I can out of senior year, I "haven't had time" to put it on my checklist. The truth is, however, that my quest for rejuvenation and fulfillment in this crazy time of life is more than satisfied with few hours of giving back to a greater cause. Among the long lists of daily to-dos, my long-term priorities too easily get forgotten—suddenly the immediate action list trumps all. I think I need to re-prioritize my list of priorities...

Appropriate.

I firmly believe in seasons of life; there is a time and place for everything. For example, SweetWater beer's 420 Fest is probably not the place for 4 month old children (which I saw plenty of on Saturday,unfortunately). However, I am in a season of life where spending a day with 10,000 of my closest friends packed onto a field drinking beer is appropriate. What a unique time of life it is! Always embracing the season of life I am in will help me enjoy what's currently around me, and not leve me wishing for another time or place. As I get one day closer to graduation, I am eager to enter a new season of life and see where it takes me.

Fear.

I could have also titled this post 'Graduation.' They are pretty synonymous right now. Moving away from my comfortable home and friends in Athens to start over in a job at the lowest level is terrifying. I just started this inspirational book last night and couldn't help but think chapter 3 was written for me. Look at those three quotes; are there any other seniors out there who now feel encouraged and motivated to do the seemingly impossible? I am not under qualified and I will only fail if I pass up the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone. Falling off that lowest rung should only assure you that there is a ladder in front of you to climb in the first place! An opportunity! Besides, you only graduate once.

Faith.

Sunday afternoon epitomized the point in life I am right now. A group of friends went out to some old granite rock quarries to picnic, swim and  jump from some of the high ledges into the water 40 feet below... The afternoon reminded me of how little time I have left with these amazing friends. In just a few short weeks, the ten people I was leaping through the air with will be scattered across the country in at least six different states. We are all at a time in our life where the next few years will be as unpredictable and scary as jumping off that ledge. We are all taking a leap of faith, if you will :) I am just so blessed to have amazing people jump with me!

Delivered.

This is the story of the traveling pants. In November I ordered a pair of pants from Ann Taylor to be shipped to me. Having still not received the pants in January, I contacted the store and spent over an hour on the phone. They explained that the pants went from Kansas to my apartment in Athens, GA, but the store had forgotten to add my unit number, so UPS made an executive decision to send them to a second address they had on file for me in Knoxville, TN. Next, I contacted UPS where I was told from Knoxville they were shipped back to the store—the store never received them. Where the hiccup happened was when UPS sent them to the wrong Nash home in Knoxville. The house they arrived at was being rented...so what happens next? The renters sent the pants to the Nash's new home...IN ATHENS, GA! That's right: after 5 months of traveling around the southeast, my pants were hand delivered to me by Mrs. Nash! Now let's see if they fit...

Deserving.

     With graduation exactly one month away, I was thrilled to have an opportunity to honor the women who has my fabulous mentor, advisor and friend: Dr. Betty Jones. She won faculty advisor of the year at UGA's student organization awards, and I cannot think of anyone more deserving! I can directly attribute much of the success I've had in college—and will have in my future—to her. Time and time again she has gone out of her way to make me better, both as a PR professional and as person. Her door is always open and I've spent many afternoons in her office or in her home seeking advice, celebrating success, ranting in frustration and just talking about life. I have had few people impact me the way Dr. Jones has these past years and I am beyond blessed to have her in my life. I know she will forever be a part of it.