sarah_andreano

a goal i am finally able to start working towards – i start my masters in school counseling program in january!

and it’s about time, let me tell you. i should have started the program THIS year, but due to circumstances beyond my control (aka 2 of my 3 letters of recommendation NOT being sent in by the writers of said letters before the deadline, making my application incomplete and therefore unacceptable), i’ve had this unexpected (ahem…forced) time off… i cannot even begin to explain how frustrating it has been just waiting for this to happen…and now it’s almost here! and a couple years down the road, i will be happily adding this one to my DONE! pile…

i have struggled with this for my whole life. i’ve always been kind of the shy, quiet girl…and when i get put in front of people, i just freeze – well, actually, i shake uncontrollably. it’s an awful feeling. i don’t know that it’s something that i’ll ever really get over, but i’m getting to the point where i’m starting to feel limited by this fear – it’s holding me back from grabbing hold of good opportunities. i don’t know how to loosen it’s grip on me…but i’m hoping it’s possible.

i met a woman recently who had absolutely the most crazy-wonderful life stories that i think i have ever heard. i mean, outrageous, hilarious, borderline unbelievable – but all true. after listening to her for a while, i thought how awesome it would be to go and do and experience things that just lead to having great stories to tell…i want to tell stories like that to my children someday, and my grandchildren after that, and have them think, “wow, that’s amazing.” great stories, ultimately, are the result of an interesting, full life – and that’s what i want.

i remember as a little girl listening to my mom play the piano, and knowing that, when i was old enough, i wanted to play just like her. and for a while, i did. but then, things got in the way, and i haven’t played for a few years now. but i miss it.

i know, i know…it’s dangerous. but isn’t that half the fun? it just seems like such a romantic adventure…but maybe that just in my head. maybe someday i’ll find out for sure.

i have to admit it: i’m a huge book nerd. i love reading. and i love collecting books. it’s been my dream to house my collection in my own private library someday…a whole room in my house dedicated to reading. the idea of having a library in my home somehow seems so…magical to me in some way.

i studied in london a few years ago, and i’ve since felt that england changed my life. i love everything about it, i can’t really explain why. while i was there, i went to oxford, but just for a visit…and all i could think of was how incredible it would be to stay there and be a student. and oxford student. did you know that oxford’s libraries have over 300,000 books housed on campus? i’m amazed by that. i absolutely love it. and the master’s program i’m applying to has an exchange program with oxford…i want to go more than i can even say.

a friend of mine once mentioned to me that she had had the opportunity to go to the kentucky derby, and that her favorite part of the experience was wearing the fancy hat that she had bought just for the occasion. i thought that just sounded so quirky and wonderful – it inspired me, i guess. and ever since then, i’ve wanted to go.