I just hugged my sister and parents goodbye who came up from CA for Thanksgiving. I am feeling confused, loved, and reflective; a good emotional recipe for a blog post. So before I dive into the December pre-finals college world I will share a few fond memories from my November.

• Performing the first movement of Lalo’s cello concerto with the North State Symphony. Such a thrilling, rewarding weekend after 3 months of hard work! I am grateful for my UPS friends and the UPS cello studio being such constructive and encouraging listeners, for the support of my family and friends, and for the inspiration and guidance of my superhuman cello professor. My dream is to someday play the entire concerto with orchestra.

• Taking a lab exam in the pouring rain at Point Defiance Park with Rite in the Rain paper which was invented by two brothers & UPS grads (Go Loggers!) It may seem strange to call taking an exam in pouring rain a “fond memory” but somehow it is. I felt like a true student of science shivering in the rain with my waterproof paper, identifying and classifying organisms. I don’t have any photos from that day– the rain would have been lethal to my iPhone– but I’ll share this picture from our lab trip at the beginning of the year of my professor & classmates looking for sea squirts:

• Exploring the streets surrounding UPS, alone and with friends. I love looking at people’s houses and decorations, smelling their flowers, and petting their animals! Here are two beautiful cats that I met on afternoon runs:

• Watching the sun rise from behind Mt. Rainer on the steps outside my dorm. Georgia O’Keefe said of the Pedernal,

“It’s my private mountain. It belongs to me. God told me if I painted it enough, I could have it.”

Sometimes I feel this way about Rainier– that perhaps if I pause enough times to appreciate it or if I take enough pictures of it, it will belong to me.

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, November!