4 Weeks

If you would've told me 4 weeks ago that the next three months would fly by, I would've said you were lying.

I finished my last day of class today and I leave for New Zealand in just 2 days. As I sit here reflecting on this past week, I can't help but think about time and how much has already gone.

Time has passed so quickly... Seriously. How has it ALREADY been an entire month? An entire month of guided tours, classes, family dinners, nights out, and so much more. It's hard to swallow at times, along with the fact that I'm actually living in Sydney, Australia.

I've also been thinking about how much I've changed in this short amount of time.

I now can say that I can navigate my way through the Sydney Transportation System (which is pretty impressive); I've made new friendships with all of my wonderful roommates; I'm now the girl who has gone to surf camp, but (still) hates camping; I've successfully completed a mini-term at one of the most distinguished universities in the world; I'm about to start an 8-week internship all on my own.

Before going into this semester, I had already convinced myself that I was ready to come home before I even got on the plane at the Nashville airport. I was already homesick and already wanting April to be right around the corner.

The funny thing is that now, April 23rd is/will be my least favorite day of the year. I'm not ready to even think about this whole thing coming to an end, Dr. Miller leaving this weekend is already too much for me to handle.

This past week alone, we have done so many things that add on to the never-ending list of what I'll remember most while I'm in Sydney. We saw an opera together at the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday. On Thursday, to celebrate classes ending, we all had dinner in the rotating restaurant in the Westfield Tower in the heart of downtown Sydney. The views were incredible and there wasn't a part of the city you couldn't see. It's moments like these I'll never forget.

4 weeks ago, I was homesick; I was sad, I missed my family, I missed my friends, and I thought I would rather be back on Rocky Top where life was comfortable and ordinary. I didn't want to step out of my comfort zone because I was scared of what I would miss at home; instead, I should have been thinking about everything I would miss if I didn't.

4 weeks later, I am excited for every new day. I still call home and still talk with my friends everyday, but I've also made new ones. I think about UT and all the fun I've had in the past year and a half, but I've had so much more here in Sydney. I'm 110% out of my comfort zone all the time, and I am perfectly content with that.

4 weeks. All of THIS in just 4 weeks.

So time, do us all a favor, and please slow down.