Journal Entry 5: Ocean View Terrace/UCSD - La Jolla, CA

So now, I'm officially back home. School is starting, as I'm writing this. It's the first day of school, and now, I have the time to look back on the trip. The trip as a whole, was awesome and fantastic. It could not have turned out any better. I was not excited to go on the trip, but after the first or second day, I had so much fun.

New York City was definitely an experience that I needed, with all the stress going on back home. It was my "Great Escape" from the realities of life. It was that chance to just explore and have a care free time. I got to see sights that I have only seen on television or movies. I got to do all the touristy things, and like I say, it was my first real legitimate vacation in awhile. My last real vacation was about 3 summers ago, the summer of 2006, when I took my Europe trip.

This trip was just as fun, or in some ways, more fun, because nothing was planned out. Everything I did was on a day to day basis, including embarking on the 12 hour tour, running to all the museums, strolling through Central Park, eating in the middle of Rockefeller Center, and finding my way to Port Authority. Everything was minute by minute! I loved it

The best part that put the cherry on the ice cream sundae was the fact that on Thursday, I got to see Dustin in Ithaca. I got to explore the town in the bus and car, passing the hills of Ithaca and the gorgeous campus of Cornell. I got to see a few waterfalls as we passed through the hillsides. Then, I got to play a game of poker, games of Smash Brothers, and watched Food Network! Then, we left for Niagara, met up with Taler and Devin, and shared a moment together, which was seeing the Falls for the first time.

I could not have asked for a better time. I feel like our friendships are only growing more and more day to day, and I hope that there will be more opportunities int he near future to visit each other and travel together. The weekend was just almost magical, because upon my leaving from Mississippi, I wondered if I would every see these people again, the people we worked hard next to. And, we did, so it has all been really great.

My next plan of action if going to Michigan. Hopefully sometime soon, and maybe in the winter! We'll have to see what works and does not work, but I hope that within the next year, we at least see each other once or twice. I miss you (Taler, Dustin, and Devin)! You made my vacation away from California so fun and so great! Biloxi <3 Forever among the Biloxi Buddies!