My 27th year

Yesterday was my 27th birthday. I turned 27 on the 27th, so I expect that there are going to be some great things in store for me this year!

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26 was a pretty good year, and it brought along some new experiences, such as:

• I tried real sushi... and I LOVE it! In fact, I would eat it once a week if I could!
• We didn't move! It was the first year since I was 18 that I didn't have to pack up my stuff and change living locations.
• I presented at my first national professional conference. I should find out in the next few weeks if I will have the opportunity to do that again this year.
• I joined a gym. We have had a couple of spurts of consistent attendance, but I hope to get back in the pattern (and maintain that pattern) this year.
• I attended a ceremony to spread the ashes of my grandfather. I am still blessed to have both of my grandmothers still living.
• I won an award from my office for being an excellent advisor. I was nominated by students and chosen by some of my coworkers and other campus faculty and staff. Because of that nomination, I was nominated for a national advising award this year, and I should find out in the next month whether I won that or not.
• I helped host my first bridal shower and bachelorette party. Both were really fun and really fit the personality of each of the brides.

A couple of the new experiences that I know age 27 will bring are:

• Getting my first professional massage! It's scheduled for Saturday and I can't wait!
• Standing as part of the bridal party for 3 of my best friends. Before this year, I've only ever been in my own wedding!
• Moving into a new place...although we're not sure yet where that is going to be...

Some of the new experiences I hope age 27 will bring are:

• Presenting at least one session at the national conference in October
• Traveling to Colorado for the first time (it's where the national conference is hosted this year)
• Running a 5k (if I can get over the terrible shin splints I get when running)

We'll see where life leads me this year!

"And many more!"

So many questions

Death is just something that I don't deal with well. After losing my grandpa, a cousin, and a friend within 6 months a few years ago, I had had enough. Obviously, though, the life cycle doesn't necessarily skip over you because you've experienced a lot of pain in the past. One of my classmates from AU died over this past summer; while we weren't necessarily close, I knew his sister and fiance a little better. And it is just plain awful that someone has to die so young, regardless of the reason.

I found out the latest tragedy to hit AU on Monday morning and have been somewhat haunted by the thought ever since. I didn't know her, but there are just so many questions that this raises for me and I know that we don't have the answers.

There are the initial reactions: did anyone know she had been thinking this? Were drugs/alcohol involved? Was she alone? What would make someone think this is the best option?

And then there are my next thoughts, now that I am working at a university with students her age: Had she shared this information with anyone on campus? What would I have done/what would I do if a student had done this in my building? How can we tell students that there are better ways of coping? What is the best way of helping our students who suffer from mental illnesses? How many of the students I see are having these same feelings?

Why?!?

My dear friend (and former roommate) wrote this wonderful poem about the situation. It definitely helped me put everything into a different light.

I hope you are at peace, Giselle.