Hello internet people. I know what you’re thinking: It’s been AGES, we thought you’d DIED. And I know. It’s been a lengthy absence, especially after my being so consistent for so very long. But I have excuses! Honest!

I have a very long list of them, if you care to hear. I’m very good at making excuses. I’m a college student, after all. Excuse making is practically an olympic sport in our situation and frankly, I’d have to say I’m a gold medalist. But! I haven’t been just sitting around whining that it’s too cold in the apartment or I’m too tired or things are stupid or I have work in 3 hours so better not move. This has actually been a pretty eventful semester.

Exhibit A: My flirtation with Buddhism. Yes, I’m aware one probably isn’t supposed to describe their relationship with a religion as flirtatious, but frankly when it comes to religion I’ve always been a little bit aloof. I prefer a little light, joking interest to serious commitment. But in the course of my studies this semester and came across Buddhism, which is in fact not at all what I’d always conceived it to be. It turns out Evansville has a sangha, and my friend Gina and I went and had a couple of meetings with a lovely man there by the name of John. I’ve got a few books on my shelf and I’ve spent a decent amount of time squatting on a mat attempting to mediate. If we’re sticking with the dating metaphor, Buddhism hasn’t moved in permanently just yet, but it’s definitely got a drawer and an extra toothbrush at my place.

Exhibit B: Internships, internships, internships. My school is about the greatest place for me to be, honestly. I started the semester panicking that I’d never find a darn thing that looked even remotely like an internship. And then, in the course of a single semester, I landed TWO. Between the Student Writers of Indiana program here at UE, (abbreviated SWIP) and the internship course I’ll be taking with one of my favorite professors next semester (which is, sadly, largely about Hemingway) I went from no hope to ALL THE INTERNSHIPS! Well. Maybe not all. But a decent number. Anyway, I’m sure you’ll hear all about my experiences next semester when they finally unleash me on an unsuspecting classroom of middle or high school students and let me prattle on for approximately an hour about writing. And I’m positive you’ll hear me moan about Hemingway. Because, well, he’s Hemingway. Not exactly my cup of tea. Or in his case, scotch followed by whiskey followed by about ten beers.

Exhibit C: I do not, in fact, get paid to sit around writing or to be a college student (though I do now get a modest $200 a semester stipend for my work on our school’s admission blog–yay). So I’ve been working away at the same old same old job, which as we all know makes me a relatively cranky person.

Exhibit D: College is hard. Okay, it’s not THAT hard. But there’s still plenty of stuff I have to do. Like study. Write papers. Pin a thousand things on Pinterest while telling myself I’m going to start doing school work any minute now, honestly.

Anyhow, that’s my modest little list of excuses and update on all things College Student at the moment. Hope you’re all having a lovely holiday (frantic shopping) season!