Ready for Fall

Every year, as Summer slowly slips away into the crisp, cool weather that is Fall, I feel like dread comes over me. The beginning of the school year, cold weather, and eventually winter. But this year, I am beginning to realize that the idealistic Summer weather is not what I love anymore. Fall is truly the greatest season of the year, for me. The changing colors of the leaves, the bonfires, sleeping with blankets and keeping the window open. Drinking hot chocolate for the first time since February, going to NIU football games ( now as a proud Alum!!), preparing my wardrobe for the winter.

When I was younger, I loved the summers for the warm weather, days spent entirely outside by the poolside, and time out of school. I carried in my mind that I needed to live somewhere warm all year long, like Florida or California, to be truly happy. But now that I have graduated and been able to spend a year in the working world, I have realized that I've been happy all along. NIU is my favorite place in the world to be, even though I was lucky enough to travel to Los Angeles, Orlando, and Vegas with the team for spring break.

As Fall of 2011 shortly approaches, I realize that I cannot WAIT for Huskie football season, tailgating in my jeans and sweatshirts and enjoying the morning dew and cold weather. I am excited for the bonfires and cookouts, the return of the college students to our town, and my continued growth in this crazy, unpredictable life. I have always considered the arrival of August as a stamp on the end of the summer, and I can't believe it's here. But I'm excited for whats next:)