Oh, how sweet it is to be back in school.

This summer was absolutely amazing. I learned so much, and I have grown both professionally and personally.

However there really isn’t anything like being in college.

There’s something special about going to a place where you get to learn from others and discuss things you’re passionate about. I never realized how fortunate I am to be receiving an education, one that is really equipping me to change the world.

I’ve missed reading. I know that sounds so strange, but I have. I’ve missed being able to open a book on communication theory and read about how my life and the lives of those around me is altered by how we communicate. I’ve missed reading the words of people smarter than me and feeling that sense of wisdom that comes from that.

I’ve missed sitting around with my peers and discussing course content. All of my classes are discussion based classes where we work together to understand the material. I love that. I love hearing another person’s take on the same thing I read. I love the heated back-and-forth that occurs when two people disagree; it’s in those moments that I really appreciate how the human experience is so vastly diverse and complex.

I’ve missed interacting with professors. These people have spent their lives pursuing their passions. They’ve obtained a wealth of knowledge on the things that I could only dream about knowing the surface level of. I’ve missed having the opportunity to talk and learn from people who have been in my place and have come out the other side still passionate.

I’ve missed seeing people around campus. St. Edward’s is a small campus but it’s a lively one during the school day. It’s so nice to bump into someone and spend a few minutes catching up and genuinely feeling like people care. During the summer I would walk across campus and never see another person. Now I can’t go two feet without seeing someone I know.

I’ve missed being busy. This summer I was pretty occupied, but I wasn’t busy. I love juggling and figuring out how I’m going to do it all in one day. True, it’s not good for me, but being busy gives me purpose and allows me to feel that I’m valued. I love balancing my schedule and the chaos. It’s weird.

But mostly I’ve missed my friends. I love my team, and I still do, but I’ve missed seeing my crazy group of friends around and spending hours just hanging out with them. I love that everyone is back now, and that we can see each other really whenever we want within reason (I ain’t getting out of bed for you at 2am)

Long story short: I loved this summer, but I can’t wait to be a student again. So happy to be back!