The last couple of weeks have been filled with all sorts of decision making. Before spring break, I gained interest in the Paris fall seminar, which was a semester in Paris, taking four very general courses. My only concern before applying was that, by going for a semester without taking any credits towards my undeclared art major, I would run into trouble by the end of my four years. The professor who introduced me to the program reassured me that it would not be a problem and I proceeded to complete the application; writing essays, getting a letter of recommendation, language assessments, etc.

Then the master schedule for next fall was released and I thought I would see what kind of schedule I would have should I, for some reason, not end up going abroad. I flipped through my course catalogue and, for the first time, realized that, not only would I be scraping by with the minimum major requirements but that my plan in college was to take as many art courses as I could. I was jolted from my false sense of security, shot a panicked email to my advisor, and planned to attend the information meeting the next evening before making any final decisions.

The meeting lasted two and a half hours and covered all of the troubling processes (visas, travel trouble, host families) that would not be worth dealing with, considering my reason for studying abroad was essentially "Why not?" (I suppose finding an answer to that question also played a part.) After the meeting, I talked to the program director and withdrew my application. I am incredibly relieved and incredibly excited for next semester; I am fulfilling the last of my general requirements with a geology course and starting into my art-intensive college career by taking the last two prerequisites (Form & Space and Drawing) and Basic Photography. My friends and I are planning our living arrangements and will hopefully get singles on the same floor of the same building. As much of an improvement this double is over hell-triple, I cannot wait to have a room to myself again.

So this is where I stand. I have been having a good time since getting back. The sunshine is helping. The snow, not so much.