Final days in Bowling Green

>>>Hello Goodbyes<<<

This week was easily the highlight of my summer. I spent time with my friends in Bowling Green, and helped them break in their new house on E Merry Ave. I handled commitments with Owens Corning, Habitat for Humanity, and Student Ambassadors for the College of Business, and there is great excitement around my future involvement with each of those organizations when I return to Bowling Green in May!

A special thanks is due to Kelsey, Chelsie, and Erica for letting me crash for the week. Additionally, I owe thanks to our awesome guy friends two houses down for making extra time to hang out during my last week in Bowling Green, and friends like Will, Sarah, and Karley who went out of their way to spend time with me before I left, also. Here are a few pictures to sum up our week!

Thank you SO MUCH for everything, girls.

We enjoyed the perks of off-campus living by having a cookout with the guys!

Included: childhood best friends, roommates and suite mates,
and future European adventurers

Chels and me biking to campus for Opening Weekend activities!

Leaving Bowling Green is so hard because I feel so LOVED and SUPPORTED by this community. I can't count the number of people who have wished me well, and told me I will be missed in this coming year. I know this opportunity in Strasbourg will be invaluable, but I'm so thankful to have such an amazing home base in Bowling Green. 

One of my close friends, Ross, is studying at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia right now, and he sent me the kindest note this week. Just a couple months ago he was preparing to leave America. Since he knows I'll be anxious, he sent me a message to comfort me as I prepare for this journey and to encourage me to embrace the opportunities I am about to greet in Strasbourg. Firstly, I was just super appreciative that he took the time to write me such a sweet note since he was just in my shoes. Then, I screenshotted it and sent it to my best friend with the caption, 

'we need meaner friends' then Kelsey and I continued a conversation about how lucky we are to have such awesome friends at Bowling Green State University

A super exciting element of my 'goodbye' with many of my close friends was my ability to say "See you in Europe!" instead of goodbye. Kelsey, Chelsie, Karley, and other friends will be studying abroad, also, so I'll have the unbelievable opportunity to travel and visit my dearest friends across Europe while I'm abroad!

You'll come visit me, right? A question you get to ask when your friends will be a train ride away.

Get it done:

1. Photocopy important documents, print important confirmation documents, and finish up miscellaneous paperwork for BGSU and Carty Rentals 
2. Pack up my life, and somehow manage to fit the awesome new gear I was given from the College of Business this week! (pictured below, and at CBA_Rewards )
3. Call banks and credit card companies to let them know I will be traveling August - May
4. Grab last minute necessities (outlet converters, a few euros, etc.)

For now, I'll keep enjoying my time at the lake with my family, drinking coffee, and organizing loose ends! 

Per usual, thanks for reading along! I cannot wait to share about my experiences once I arrive in Strasbourg! 

 Love, Julie "Wander with wonder and the whole world becomes home"-Tyler Knott Gregson 

Which will Erica miss more? Bill' Donuts or me