When I talked to people about college they all warned me about “the freshman 15” a scary term referring to how easy it is for freshman to gain weight now that they are making their own nutrition choices. I didn’t believe them, but just in case, I packed my fat-jeans in my college stuff and came prepared.

My first semester I had no idea how anyone could gain weight. I realized how much food costs, and was still trying to figure out the hours of the commons and how/when I could find time to eat. I was taking long walks around the arboretum, running around outside, and spending a lot of time exploring the campus.  I had lost far more than the freshman 15 I was supposedly going to gain.

THEN the holidays came. And Valentine’s Day chocolate. And GIRL SCOUT COOKIES. And all the food I had brought back after winter break.  I had figured out how to budget and eat well on campus- and now know more people who plan off-campus dinner trips.  It’s a little too chilly to walk, nobody plays outside late at night when it’s this cold, and I’ve pretty much found my way around.

It was time to walk into the big scary gym. I’m sure by now most of you have heard about, seen, or have been in the amazing Kress Center we have on campus. Only scary to me because it was filled with new shiny machines I had no idea how to use or what they were supposed to do- I had never been to a gym.

When I went to work out for the first time, I was scared and went with someone else who had never been to the gym. We had fun exploring and trying to figure things out. There was also a very helpful staff that were willing to answer questions and my friend finally found the excuse to talk to that cute athletic guy she had been staring at in lecture.

Once I felt more confident in the actual process of going to the gym and using machines I knew wouldn’t kill me, I decided it was time to take some classes. The Kress Center offers tons of free-to-students fitness classes all week long. A group of trained, energetic instructors can help you do everything from yoga, to Zumba (one of my now favorites),  to step aerobics, to cardio kickboxing , and sculpt the perfect “summer beach body abs” as one of my instructors puts it- as well as so many others!

Two weeks ago, I finally felt like the gym queen. Of course, I wasn’t amazing at anything- but I finally had the confidence to go by myself with my radio, follow my little simplistic routine, and then go to the fun free classes. When a friend of mine joined me for the “Ab Attack” class, it was my first experience using an exercise ball (one of those big inflatable balls you have to balance on).  I was stretching my abs and following directions while trying to balance. My friend and I could not stop laughing at the fact that the supposedly pretty simple exercise was so difficult for both of us. Here’s a tip: Don’t laugh, and stretch your abs a certain way…you pull a muscle…a very painful…probably pretty important muscle.

So, although sometimes in pain, I can confidently tell you that I’m eating Thin Mints right now and am not at all worried about the Freshman 15, due to the fabulous Kress Center- again- FREE to all students to fight their weight-gain worries…just try not to laugh during ab class.

One of the reasons I love attending UWGB was solidified yesterday in the first day of classes. Although I sat through classes that I can see the potential of being extremely challenging for me, I found that the professors impressed and inspired me.

One in particular, a professor for my new science class, spent ten minutes before a relatively large lecture class, shaking hands of students, asking where everyone was from, and asking a question about it that showed he was actually paying attention to your answer.

He told a few jokes to wake everyone up, and started class promptly with the typical first-day-syllabus review. In his syllabus, as in most, he explains his office hours (which are certain times set aside to visit each professor with questions or problems but all of the professors I’ve run into have also had by-appointment times if their office hours don’t work with yours). In the paragraph about coming to his office he mentions a plethora of snacks and soda if you want to come in and have a casual chat.

Later that day, to my surprise, after finding a seat in the Cloud Commons with some friends, this particular professor came up to our table, remembered both my name, and the name of my friend who had been sitting next to me in his class, and his student from last semester who was sitting at our table, asking about our break and if we had already had other classes.

This is not my first cool-and-caring professor encounter. In fact, I’ve had them with almost all of my professors thus far. Last semester a professor I had even called me to his desk after class. I had been tired and did not raise my hand for any questions in the 80 minute discussion. I was aware of this uncharacteristic behavior, and was concerned that he was going to yell at me for not participating. Instead, he wanted to make sure that everything was going ok and asked if there was anything he could help me with.

(These are just two examples, and I hate leaving every other cool professor out, but that might get boring for you. )

In talking to my high school friends at their respective universities about this first day adventure-and all my experiences here at GB- most of them couldn’t believe such professors existed, let alone that I had one on my first day of classes and have encountered so many in just the first few months here.

I guess that’s just something to consider or look forward to at UWGB…it’s not just the classes; it’s what the professors make of them. And a lot of professors aren’t just stopping at hoping you (an actual person and not just your student ID number) pass their class; they are going to do everything in their power to help you- and most importantly- make it fun along the way.

(Since I’m a big musical theater nerd in my spare time…I decided that I could sum up my life and the title for this blog in that quote from the musical THE WIZ.)

At the end of finals week I was more than happy to leave GB. Not the fabulous school, not my friends, but a nice break from academia was welcomed. Even though I would miss some amenities of Green Bay like cable and high-speed internet (which explains the lack of posting, and I apologize)- nothing beats home-cooked meals and old friends.

The holidays were a wonderful opportunity to tell my entire family of all my college adventures in (pretty much) one shot. It was nice to make big meals, not be up writing papers, and to have the keys to my little almost-broken-down car in my hands again!

But after the first week of being in my home- I realized I had a completely new one. Once the novelty of seeing everyone began to wear away, I longed for my other home.

If you would have asked me in September, and admittedly well in to October, I would have never called Green Bay home. It is not where my family is…. Not where my cats sleep at night…. Not where I have my car, or my favorite art hanging in my very own room.

By November and the end of the semester (when I finally figured everything out) I made a home. I didn’t realize it until I wanted to run to my friend- who is now inconveniently hours from my home- instead of 2 minutes…. Or until I got so sincerely bored without talking to the fabulous people I work with or see on a daily basis on campus…. Or even- until the night I went “hmm…what to do?”

But here it is…slapping me in the face. I miss home.

I now define home a little differently. Home is not necessarily where my car, my cat, or my room is. Home is where love is. Where laughter is. Where you know somebody is there for you, whether it be a friend, an adult, or a helpful stranger.

Although nothing can replace being home, here, in Milwaukee…I cannot wait to get back to my other home at UWGB.

Last week was a major event. My birthdays back home were always a HUGE deal. For some reason, the baby child of a huge family, my birthday was made into surprise parties and cool relaxing days that make up some of the best memories.

This year, when I contemplated leaving campus to spend the weekend of my birthday at home, I realized that Thanksgiving was quickly approaching and reasoned that going home would be more of a hassle than a fun occasion.

When I announced to my friends that I wanted to make my birthday last an entire week I was expecting to be met with “Um…what?” Instead I think both of my best friends on campus said something along the lines of “Let’s DO IT!”

The entire week was met with excitement and enthusiasm from my family. I was sent 19 birthday cards throughout the week (FYI: College kids LOVE getting mail!) and my mother sent me a special birthday package with a homemade cake and balloon bouquet through an Ecumenical Center program on campus.

Of course, the entire birthday celebration was also met with enthusiasm by my two best friends, myself, and eventually spread to a large group of people, residents of my building, and pretty much everyone we came in contact with throughout the week.

With simple themed days- we made typical life on campus full of classes, work, and meals more creative. Of course, each day have a creative name.  “Mac and Cheese Monday”, “Tasty Tuesday”, “Tireless Thursday”, and “Super Sunday” were just some of our more fun terms for our crazy shenanigans. On Sunday, the actually day of my birthday, my friends drove me to the mall nearby and we celebrated by making a build-a-bear (fun whether you are 4…or 19) and walked around seeing how many people we could get to say Happy Birthday to me.

By the end of the night, I realized that as nice as it would have been to be at home, I could not have imagined celebrating my birthday without the very special people I did.

When I left for college everyone told me I would meet my best friends. I thought they were just reassuring me because when I came to UWGB I knew virtually nobody on campus. I now know what they meant, college is a great time to meet people and then one day you turn around- and wonder how you ever lived without them.