The End of the Beginning...

I cannot believe that this is the last post of my freshman year! It's been good. Let me do the quickie update of this past week:

LAST FULL WEEK OF CLASSES!

That was exciting. I still had a paper left to finish, but for the most part, it was just learning about what the finals would cover.

EXPLORING SD

My dad came into town for a medical conference downtown, so I got to join him for a couple of days. We toured the USS Midway, the huge aircraft carrier. It was really neat to see what it was like on the inside! I also spent a lot of time in Seaport Village doing some people watching, shopping, and eating. I ended my mini-vacation wandering the beautiful parks around the marina and reflecting on everything that has happened this past year. Below, I pose by the beds in the Midway. Thankfully, dorms have a bit more space :)

BEACH DAY!

My friend Caiti and I spent all day Saturday down at Mission Beach. In the morning, we tried our hands at surfing. The waves were HUGE! I for sure need some more practice but it was a lot of fun :) I took my boogie board out later and had a blast catching the waves and riding them into shore. No beach day is complete without a nap in the sand and a good ol' sunburn. Check and check! Glad I invested in some aloe....

CONCERTS

Last night was so much fun! Lupe Fiasco and Shiny Toy Guns played a rockin' concert to benefit Invisible Children. Much of the school turned out and enjoyed the pounding bass and energy.

THE END

Two days of class, two study days, and finals begin, then it is time for SUMMER! I am really excited to go home and spend some quality time with my family and friends. I have enjoyed keeping you all updated on my life and showing you a little but of what life is like at USD! Hope you have a fabulous summer!

See you next year,

Avery

Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night

We are now down to the last full week of school! I know I say this every week, but I still am amazed at how quickly time flies! Here's the lowdown of this week's festivities:

Girl's Night Out!

Sometimes you just need a dinner out with the girls. We headed downtown to RA Sushi for an amazing meal on Friday night. With all our busy schedules, sometimes it is hard to find time to see my friends! It was nice to be able to relax, laugh, and share stories with each other. Above, Lauren, Kirsten, me, and Lindsay smile after a goooood dinner.

Strawberry Festival!

All week there were amazing strawberry-themed foods and drinks at each of the eating places around campus! I tried strawberry lemonade, strawberry chicken kabobs, strawberry shortcake... The final event was the festival held on Thursday. There were booths set up with FREE strawberry delights such as shortcake, ice cream, yogurt parfaits, and more! My friends and I snatched up the free food along with a basket of the berries themselves and delicious jam! Above, Colleen and I pose with our free berries!

Intervarsity!

This week, our speaker Mark talked about loneliness and how Jesus meets us in that empty space. This talk was very relevant to life because I feel that in college, especially as a freshman, you will experience a time of loneliness. It is important to create a support system of people you can talk to or call when you are feeling alone. Intervarsity has been such a rock in my life here at USD. When I didn't know anybody, they were welcoming. A lot of the people I met during community group are my closest friends! Some of us went out to breakfast together on Saturday morning at the delicious Cafe 222. I enjoyed their famous banana bread french toast!

Kappa Formal!

What a night! I had so much fun dancing the night away on Saturday with my Kappa sisters and our wonderful dates! Everyone looked so gorgeous all dressed up. It was a night I will never forget! Formal's end was a bittersweet reminder that the end of our first year is near.

Well, I hope all of you have made up your decisions on where you are going to college! Get ready for an exciting time. I wouldn't trade the times I have had (both good and bad) for the world!

Love & Sunshine,

Avery