It’s official: I am done with my first semester of college! I finished my last exam this morning (before most people on campus were even awake) and I feel liberated. With lots of determination and the help of highlighters, Post-Its, latkes, and Project Runway study breaks with my friend Kim, I made it through the finals grind in one piece. Plus, I managed to avoid having a “Locked in the Library” incident. (Ok, in all honesty, I wasn’t really worried about this situation…but I thought about the Arthur episode every time I walked into the library.)

It’s hard to believe that 2015 – a highly anticipated year that brought many changes and new experiences – is coming to a close. My first semester of college was everything and more that I looked forward to – still different than I imagined, but in the best way possible. I know the new year will bring many more memories with new classes, a new routine, and studying abroad this summer!

Thank you to everyone who helped make my first semester as a Gator special. While not every moment was as sunny, picture-perfect, spontaneous, or lively as some of the snapshots above – I could not imagine a better place to live, learn, and laugh than UF.

Here’s to a much-needed mini-hiatus from schoolwork,

Darcy

PS – I wanted to try something new by including a song in my post! Here is a song (surprisingly, not by Tom Petty) that sums up my feelings about my first semester in a positive light (and it’s just really catchy).