Howdy travelers! Happy New Year!
I’m more than a little late to the blog game this time around, but hey, new year, new me, am I right? Wow, that’s so many commas. December was a good one, but I’ll write a little about my New Year’s experience and then give some highlights in bullet form.
For New Year’s I drove down to Greenville, SC to spend time with my former roommate Drew and his wife Bailey at a party they were hosting. Fun fact: Drew is high school friends with Josh (we met this summer at his bachelor party) and Bunner (fellows class of 2024). I have pretty much been in fellows mode nonstop since getting here in September, so this was a good opportunity to slow down with older friends and remember that there is life outside of Raleigh. This opportunity was definitely taken advantage of, because right away time slowed down and fellows kind of melted away from the front of my brain. We played pickleball and made pizza as we waited for everyone to arrive, and I realized that my happy place might just be playing pickleball with Drew (we have probably spent days of our lives pickling together). Then, on New Year’s Eve, we spent the whole day cooking (charcuterie and dips, coffee/chocolate trifle, a counter full of nachos, a goose that Josh got off of Farmer Gene’s land, etc.), going to the store multiple times for things we forgot, watching football, playing cornhole, and laughing. This was absolutely a highlight of the whole year. Then, once everyone else left on New Year’s Day, Drew and I went to Walmart and bought $10 fishing rods so that we could go to a totally public fishing spot and not catch a single fish. Those few days were packed, but they felt slow and enjoyable. I really think this helped me to refocus on a wider perspective than just being in fellows, which I believe will help to make fellows an even more valuable experience.
Other highlights:
Roller derby with Skip, Tessa, and Chris Byron
I am now 1-1 in Canes games
Zumba with Chris, Ryan, and Emma
Secret Santa shenanigans (see Josh and Evy’s blogs)
seeing my niece Winnie (1 year old in 11 days!!!)
getting a $130 fishing reel for $50 (I accidentally left it in Greenville… oops)
Anywho, I’m looking forwards to the rest of fellows!
Tootles!
Bryan