Well guys, it's halfway through the week. I finally made it and I'm settled in to my dorm room for my third year of college. It feels surreal that I'm back at UNCA for another wonderful year, and I believe that this one is going to be the best yet. Things are already so, so crazy, but I am finding joy in:

These colorful latte bowls.

Getting more active on campus with student orgs.

My ridiculously vulgar and delightfully glittery pimp cup from my bestie, placed appropriately next to my party shoes.

Sisterly love.

My guy friends taking on the ice bucket challenge.

And of course, mountain sunsets.

september so far.

A sun-soaked feel-good, smell-good reminder on my windowsill.

Leftovers which were just as yummy the second time around. Lonnie and I went to this tiny place called Bandidos and it was the best Latin American food I've ever had.

My little orange moose I bought at Ikea tucked in a happy corner. Both my favorite color and my favorite animal. 

Drinking coffee in between classes to get through the day. Whether it be a couple cups of dark roast I brew in the maker I have in my room, or an iced cup from Starbucks, this is an almost daily ritual.

Finding a little section in my planner where I can list goals for every month. Keeping resolutions up year-round sounds like a wonderful thing to me.

Eating too much dark chocolate and being reminded that it's alright.

Just a quick update to say I'm settling in. My classes are proving to be more work than I thought, but after surviving last year's crazy schedule, I know I can handle it. I love where I live on campus and with that said, the girls I share my suite with. Sophomore year is all about doing my own thing, and I'm finding comfort in that. I'm super excited to be diving into my major, which is New Media. I'm really starting to feel like I'm learning the ropes to becoming a real designer.

dorm sweet dorm.

This post is on the more personal side, but I wanted a chance to show my family and friends back home where I'm living right now. I moved into my single dorm room yesterday, and managed to get everything settled in fairly quickly. Things are far from perfect, but I'll be tweaking everything until it feels like home. I took these snapshots before decorating my bulletin board above my bed. I also have plans to turn the space above my bed into a gallery wall for photos and art. To say the space is small is an understatement, but it's all mine and it works for me.

sophomore year goals.

As the start of the new school year is swiftly approaching and the task of packing is becoming increasingly more daunting with every box filled, I am striving to keep calm and soak up the feeling of "home."

I took these few pictures before the chaos, and I'm glad I did. They represent a feeling of home which is peaceful, neat, and comforting, and I could use all of those kinds of feelings I can conjure up right now.

Along with the craziness of packing, I am also looking forward to a fresh start that comes along with a new year. I cannot begin to describe the feeling of gratitude I have to be doing this for the second go-round instead of the first time again. I already feel less intimidated and more confidently prepared for what's ahead. All that being said, I hope to do things better than I did last year in an attempt to constantly improve myself, so I'm making a list of goals for my second year of college:

• Continue to try to eat as cleanly as possible; real food. Stuff that goes bad. Stuff without labels.
• Not freak out so much. More importantly, not freak out and take it out on the people I'm surrounded by.
• Take advantage of free on-campus yoga by going regularly to reduce stress and gain back some flexibility.
• Make Mondays the best day of the week. I know this sounds crazy, but my class schedule on Mondays goes like this: Spanish from 1:45 to 2:35 pm. Annnnd....that's it. Therefore, I am dedicating Mondays to gym time, coffee time, planning time, goal-setting time, catching up time, yoga time. I like the sound of starting my week on that kind of note.
• Really step up my design game. I feel like I know who I am as an artist, but I'm not quite sure who I am as a designer. There is sooo much I want to learn this year obtaining to my major which is New Media, and I feel like I can't get my hands on all of it quick enough.
• Incorporate more art and creative living inspiration into this space. :)

craziness.

I spent the entire day packing and cleaning.
I leave the first thing tomorrow morning. (But before we head home, I'm spending the day at The Biltmore with my parents. Look forward to a post on that later this week.)

My emotions have been completely out of whack these last few days. I have been crying over minuscule events and getting over them just as quickly as they happen. I felt like I was going crazy until my RA came into my room after hearing me cry, showing me her puffy red eyes as well. I guess it's just this time of year. The stress of exams have taken their toll, and the swift moving changes happening around every corner don't help anything.

I didn't think the end of the year would be a big deal, but it just hit me that my routine, my friends, and my living situation will be completely shaken up for almost four entire months. I'm still not quite used to the back and forth of going to school away from home, I guess.
And after my minor slump last summer, I'm slightly apprehensive to see how this one pans out. All I can do is try my best to make it a good one, and I intend to do exactly that.

Looking back, I have truly developed a second home here in Asheville. My hall-mates have grown to be like a second family to me. Leaving, my heart feels twice as big, and I feel like I've grown twice as much. I already crave more experiences and more growth as I look forward to next year. It feels so good to call myself a college sophomore at UNC Asheville. A year after being so unsure about almost everything in my life, I now feel secure and happy where I am. I absolutely love my school, and I couldn't imagine my life any differently.

downtown excursion.

I join Photo Club at UNCA. I am so happy I did. The gals who started the club are super cool and definitely fit in to my category of people. I've already learned a lot and I hope to learn a ton more. That being said, I'm not happy with this batch of photos. I thought taking a ton of pictures with a group would be better, but I think I prefer to shoot alone. Maybe I just need learn how to get in the zone where there's nothing but me and the image. I always just get so shy when I take pictures. I'm afraid on-lookers are going to judge what I choose to shoot or the fantastic looking group of old ladies gathered around and sipping champagne during book club are going to be offended if I ask to take their picture. It's also difficult to get the right shot when you have to work around 14 other people. I constantly felt like I was in someone's way or someone was in my way. One of the group members made a comment about feeling like a tourist. I think that was part of it, too. Feeling like a tourist in the city you live in is not fun. But the thing is, I do still feel like a tourist in Asheville. One of the best things about the excursion was having the opportunity to see Asheville from the eyes of some people who have been here a while. I ate chips and guacamole at this fantastic restaurant that I haven't even heard of before and I definitely got a better feel for the layout of the city. All in all, it was a good little trip and I'm looking forward to more with this group.