Finally!!! College applications have been sent to the Admissions Offices of College of Charleston and soon thereafter arriving is University of Chicago, my ticket outta here. I devoted my entire morning to fine tuning my essay and working out its kinks, which surprisingly were numerous... but I"m following the advice of being my own best critic. So far, it seems to put out a productive result. Also. Exciting news. The semester is more than half over and my grades are the highest they have ever been. Now I can get back to my social life , which I made a benchwarmer from August to October. Hurrah. To initiate my overecstaticism of its return, I went to a European style club created by a Brazilian guy who lives in Chapin. He played techno, reggae, and of course R&B. Everybody was hesitant to dance- we stood in male-female groups with our hands crossed until an Ecuadorian guy grabbed me to salsa with him. I had no idea what I was doing but it seemed to work because everybody else starting dancing too, except for the group of American high school boys. Ehm, what can you expect? It began to get hot, so I stepped outside. The house was on the lake and reflected the moon in the water. I overhead some guys speaking so Floor, a Dutch girl, and I walked over to join in only to find out I recognized a guy from Tri-Dac. I looked at him and studied him (it was pitch dark except for a small bug light) as best as I could then it hit me.. he was in my metal sculpture class. Immediately I blurted out "Chris?" and he looked at me puzzled. Then he realized it too! And, so we reminensced about the field trip to the zoo for digital photography class and how awesome it was to use apple computers in the late 90s, when PCS were making their heyday! He had to leave early, so I told him to stay in touch with me and he said "definitely." Ah the small things in life, eh? So, I ended up staying there until one thirty in the morning dancing. I have never had so much fun.. compact fun! I made friends with a guy who wants to take me salsa dancing in Columbia and danced with a German guy named Sommart who would walk up behind me and pinch me instead of asking to dance. I had to remind myself this is just how Europeans ask you to dance, don't think of it as a personal gesture, Lauren. I felt great leaving everybody knowing that next weekend we'll be meeting up again, this time to go midnight bowling. To celebrate Halloween, I went to Kenwood subdivision so my little sister could get more candy than if she had trick or treated in our 5 person cul de sac. Susanne and I chaperoned them, pointing and commenting on the incredible size of the houses and saying how we would get lost if we lived in one over 3,000 sq. feet. Who wouldn't? Susanne brings me so much joy. I love having a friend who is always there- literally because we live together but also when I have arguments over petty things with my parents. We reciprocate a lot of our friendship, which, I think, makes us so close. I'm glad that on June 11, we won't be saying goodbye; we'll be saying did you check your luggage... because I'm going to her hometown as the first pinpoint on my trip to Europe. She told me when I get to Amsterdam, she's going to show me how to REALLY party. I know my limits, of course, and I will abide by them but it will be interesting to notice the cultural differences between the Dutch and American way to party. November 12, I'm going to a military ball with a friend who needed a date. We have known each other since we could talk. It's refreshing to reunite and do things together, especially since we rarely see each other because he goes to a different high school. I only need something to wear that is warm enough and matches a green uniform. Hmm, no easy task but a valid excuse to use Ebay, yeah babye. Leave me words of wisdom.