A Blonde, a Brunette and a Redhead...

In exactly one month, school begins again.
I love the irony that as a child, I couldn't wait for summer, and now, as an adult, I can't wait for fall. It will be my last year of college, and I can't shake off my mounting excitement, a premonition that this year to come will be the stuff of legends.


This is mostly due to specific expectations I have: this year, I'll be living in the University Ministry retreat house, aka Blessed Peter Faber House. The house is a small, adorable little thing, located smack in the middle of campus. It is the spot where all the retreats meet, a hospitality house, where my duties consist of making cookies and making sure groups feel comfortable at their meetings. One of the best parts is that for the first time in my life, I have a position that will allow me to actually make a change, affect lives, even in a small way.

The most exciting aspect of living in Faber is my roommates, the sweet and sensible Miss Kelley Hickey, and the mischievous and creative Miss Alyssa Harvey. The 3 of us together could be a Cover Girl commercial, or the Charlie's Angels...the classic Blonde, Brunette and a Redhead. Kelley and I applied together, and were delighted to find Alyssa with us...for the last few years, only two people have lived in Faber, so we'll be a little squished, but this almost makes me more excited. Growing up with 4 brothers has given me an enormous penchant for female dominated abodes. I've never had a sister, and I know that next year will be like one eternal sleepover.

The great part about my roommates is what we have in common. An adventurous spirit. A big perspective. A delight for the absurd, an enchantment with class and beauty, an ambitious heart and mind. We even share style, with our combined weakness for big pashminas and a slightly european look.

When I discovered Kelley a year ago, it was only weeks before she was one of my best friends, a life-long kindred spirit. We're alike in all the right ways, in faith, and values...lovers of travel, books, wine and even vernacular that matched. Too often I found myself neglecting favorite words of mine with friends because I knew they wouldn't know what they meant, but with Kelley, I can be delightfully myself. I've never known someone to be so incredibly supportive of me, in every way. Soon I had introduced to her my brother David, and now they've been together for 7 months...quite the accomplishment. Her red hair and memorable name have made her a big presence on campus, and being her friend has created a separate world in my life, where anything, any dream is possible.


I knew who Alyssa was vaguely for quite a time before I got to know her, (actually it was the same with Kelley) but it was through our Poetry creative writing class that I actually came to see who she was. After Michelle told the 3 of us we'd be living together and I began to dig past the surface with her, I couldn't believe how wonderful it was for us to be so lucky.With a demeanor that seems at first merely sweet, Alyssa constantly surprises me with her devilish attitude and mysterious ways. She has an aptitude for dorky things that used to be cool, and somehow makes them likable again. She's a talented writer and a theater rat, starring as Jane in the upcoming Gonzaga production of Pride and Prejudice. Her room's a mess, just like mine, which seems to be only another sign of her eccentric genius.

Somehow I have the feeling that the three of us together in that house will create a world I'll never want to leave. It is as if I have had ingredients for something my entire life, and now I know what dish they're for and what else they'll go with best, down to the very last spice.

I don't know what Michelle and Fr. Hightower are doing to the house, but I know that they've revamped it over the summer for us. We've talked a lot about making the most of our space, maybe making the basement into some sort of den, wine cellar or creative space. I'll be sharing a room with Alyssa, and in that tiny house, I know big adventures will begin.

I have all these ambitions: I want to throw a Great Gatsby party, I want to have wine nights and book readings. I want a space where I want to create, and so will others. I want a place to feel safe, a place my other friends will be always dropping in and never wanting to leave. I want to run a Woman's Retreat...So many aspects of women's lives that need attention are ignored by all the different outreaches at our school. The talks would address specific issues...sex, self-esteem, even abortion. So many girls I know feel that they go through these things alone in college, and I want to make Faber the place they'll stop by, feel welcome.

I already knew that I wouldn't want to leave Gonzaga once I graduated, because the community I've built there has been so incredibly wonderful, but now I know that when I leave Faber, for the second time in my life, I'll be leaving home.

Its hard to believe that I spent so much of last year dreading that half my friends would be graduating, when I've made so many new ones and can't wait to make more. I want to know my class better, as well as the classes beneath me. It's my last year and I want to make the most of it, fill it with everything I love and fulfill a purpose while I'm at it.

I just know that this year, I'm going to dream big.
And I never want to stop.