Yesterday I took a trip up to Flagstaff with some family to see if I could picture myself living there for school (NAU). I hadn't been there since I was little, so it was great fun to explore and escape the 100 degree weather for a day!
We got lunch at Beaver Street Brewery, then headed downtown to look at the shops. It certainly had all the Kaylieisms that I find necessary--like a record store, an awesome cooking store with good tea and chocolate, a vintage shop (hats!), a quaint bookstore, an old Orpheum theatre, and kitschy Route 66 memorabilia. I fell in love with the soda shop on the corner of Birch Ave. that played old jazzy tunes and carried bottled soda and old-fashioned candies. In fact, all the shops played good music. I am a sucker for this kind of thing. At another shop I even found the best painting ever of a dog in a suit. It was pretty hard to walk away from, no joke.
After driving around the campus, we found Aunt Maude's Antique Mall (see me above in my dream kitchen)and I found a few zippers for cheap. Antique places are the best for sewing finds! Across the street was the Salvation Army. And guess what. I FOUND BOOTS THAT FIT ME! It was a miracle. Now, I've had a thing for cowboys for a while and my love of the West keeps on growing, but now I feel it's a done deal. I want to wear these things everywhere! Except...it's 110 degrees and I can't walk in them yet. OH WELL. This Fall will be THE best with these boots. Just sayin'.
Consensus: Of the three college towns (Tempe/ASU, Tuscon/UofA, Flagstaff/NAU), Flag would most likely fit my personality best and actually allow me to experience the four seasons (here, fall doesn't come until winter, and summer comes in spring), but academically, ASU (Journalism) and UofA (Creative Writing) make more sense. It's so confusing. And money makes it worse. I'll probably end up staying here and going to ASU to save money, so when I study abroad (I will regret it forever if I don't) it won't hit AS hard, but I'm trying to keep my options open.
Gee whiz, it is SUPPOSED to be summer. I wish I could erase 'college' and 'future' from my vocabulary, because it's all I seem to think or talk about. If you have any words of wisdom, feel free to impose them on my poor soul.
4 comments:
Don't ask other people where you should go! Ultimately, the decision has to be yours. I asked everyone their opinion and I got so many different answers I ended up completely confused, got super stressed out, and broke out in a rash. Yuck. Relaxation - definitely a must.
Also, if money is a problem, apply for grants, loans, and scholarships!
And wherever you go, don't hide from the new experience, embrace it!
:D
I haven't been to Flagg since I was very young. Maybe I'll get a change to drive up this summer!
I know what you mean about hard decisions for in-state college. I've decided to take my first two years at either PVCC or SCC. Get some credits for my core courses. Then come my decision of either going to NAU for film school, or braving a whole new world and moving to California and maybe going to USC. We'll see.
I hope you find the best decision for you! Don't compromise your future if it's meant to be you can make it happen! :D
Oh! Have you ever been to Pine Strawberry? It's sort of on the way to Flagg. It's gorgeous. Very small, but so pretty, and they have a rather awesome diner with AMAZING pie!
ooooh, darin and i stayed in flagstaff a little while on our 2007 road trip and we loved it. there was a rad parade for some kind of civil rights concern going by our window as we ate at the little downtown diner. i loved all the shops and music and food and its proximity to so much beauty like sedona and the grand canyon. i could totally see you living there. of course i love LOVE LOVE tucson too. maybe you should do your first two years super close to home (it doesn't end up making any difference academically since they're all your GE classes anyway) and then think again. i am so excited for you. this looked like a dashing little outing across your state!
Oh my goodness, I just realized that I passed that little soda fountain when I was in Flagstaff last. Bummer! I didn't go in. Oh well, maybe next time.
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