Some Catching Up To Do...

I suppose I owe everyone an apology for neglecting this blog for so long. I've got a few minutes of down time so I figured I'd post what I can now and will finish what will probably shape up to be roughly the length of a novel later tonight before I get on a bus to go to DC (more on that later in this post!).

Since the last time I wrote I finished my first semester of college. None of it was particularly difficult--at least not the academics--but there is something to be said for making the adjustment and making a seemingly foreign place your home. Since being back, Duke feels a lot less foreign and a lot more like home.

I managed a 3.75 GPA for the semester, of which I'm pretty proud. Juggling basketball, frisbee, class, getting to the gym (if you haven't seen me since I left in August be sure you buy your tickets to the "gun show" coming to Phoenix in May 2009!), Freeman Center and Hillel stuff and just life in general (college kids are supposed to be social creatures, after all!) sometimes proved to be a challenging task, kept me pretty busy and occasionally up past my bedtime (I'll post on this some other time).

Following my only final exam on December 11th, I was with the Duke Women's Basketball team through our game against then-third-ranked Stanford University. For those who don't know or didn't catch it on ESPN...we pulled quite the upset and kicked some Cardinal behinds! I was excited to see "the cameron effect" in action as All American center and 80% free throw shooter Jayne Appel went 4-12 from the line (you're tellin' me!) in just one uncharacteristic stat line from the game.

Upon my return home I spent as much time as I could just soaking it all in. I spent ample time with friends and family just enjoying being back in my conmfort zone. I "painted for peace", went to the ASU-Stanford WBB game with my dad and Barbara, went ice skating, celebrated my birthday, brought in the new year, played lots of "Mexican Train" (its a dominoes game), ran with my cross country teammates, grabbed lunch with some of the women I know from Girls For a Change, enjoyed a Holly family game night, met with my breakfast crew, just to name a few shenanigans...

I arrived back in Durham on January 4th just in time for sorority rush and Duke's home game against Temple. Yes, I know what you're thinking...I was rather surprised myself! Ultimately, I decided to rush because 1) everyone said that you met a lot of people, and with everyone being settled into their respective routines and not quite being comfortable with where I was socially and who I knew on campus, I figured it would be a great way to put myself out there some more. 2) I found myself being pretty torn about it and figured that if I didn't do it I'd likely regret not checking it out. 3) I made a promise to myself back in August before even arriving at Duke that I was going to be open minded about opportunities on campus and that I was going to take advantage of everything in front of me. In light of this vow to myself, not rushing simply based on stereotypical sorority stories or because I never thought I would seemed to be close minded and arbitrary. I wanted to be able to make an educated decision about greek life and my college experience. 4) Everyone says Duke sororities are different, in part because they don't live together. Ultimately, I completed rounds one and two before dropping out. Dropping out was a good decision, but so was rushing.

Since then, classes have started. I'm taking a required freshman writing course, second semester calculus, the second economics course (intermediate microeconomics) and history of modern philosophy. I'll dedicate a later post to detailing the courses, professors, materials, etc. I have the *pleasure* of having classes at 8:45am four days a week...and an actual pleasure of having Thursdays off.

Duke Women's Basketball has had another marquee victory over ACC rival Maryland and we currently find ourselves ranked fourth in the AP Poll with only one loss on the season.

While on the topic of Duke Basketball, our men's team has put on some nice spectacles. I had the fortune of watching Stephen Curry of Davidson in person and also a victory over Georgetown. We are currently second with only one loss on the season. K-ville is set up and if you're lucky you're staying warm while camping outside of Cameron for 5 weeks just to get in to the Duke-UNC game (look out for another post dedicated to k-ville).

Last but not least, I will be leaving for our nation's capital in less than two hours. OSAF (office of student affairs something or other) is chartering a bus to DC for just $20/student. It's a midnight to midnight turn around trip which will allow me to spend my day on the mall and at the parade to celebrate our newest president's inauguration! Definitely details on my trip complete with pictures following my safe return home.

All in all, I hope this post finds you doing well and that your New Year is off to a fabulous start. Things here are busy busy busy but you know I wouldn't want it any other way!

In light of MLK day, I'll conclude this post with two quotes by none other than the Dr. himself:

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter"

and pertinent to the current state of events in the middle east

"Peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all our might to protect its right to exist, its territorial integrity...Peace for Israel means security and that security must be a reality."