The academic year has officially ended. My schoolwork is done, my students have left the building, and I just have a few projects to wrap up and some training to do before I myself leave town. So I guess now is the time for what Student Affairs people do best... Reflection.

Yesterday the student organization that I advise, the Soul Sisters, had their end of the year event at Ginnie Springs. This amazing group of men and women make me so proud on a daily basis to be a part of this organization. Just by being around each other they become better, by recognizing and modeling each other's good traits and by challenging each other. They think I'm the only one that challenges them but it's not true.

This past year at Santa Fe College has taught me so many things. I've had to make decisions about my own professional boundaries. I've had to learn about things I've never even heard of. And I've been humbled, often times by the Soul Sisters, as they share their stories and hearts with me. They are so gracious and grateful, teaching me to say thank you more often than I say you're welcome.

I'm eternally grateful that my predecessor, Samantha, passed down this organization to me. I have learned so many lessons while advising this club, lessons I wouldn't have learned otherwise. And more than anything, had so much FUN with this club... laughing, crying, discussing both important and silly things, tossing water bottles, balloon races, golf cart rides, volleyball games. We have all given each other something really great; time, energy, love, and SOUL. (And an Advisor of the Year nod- thanks for that! :))

I can't wait to see what next year brings as an advisor and friend.

End cheesiness.

♥ Jessa

While I am incredibly excited to move to Oregon for the summer and embark on this great new adventure, I am also incredibly sad to be leaving behind this beautiful house full of beautiful people that I love. Here are some pictures from our recent family Easter. We ate delicious foods and drank mimosas and napped and my beautiful lady roommates modeled some things for my etsy shop.

The gorgeous vintages clothes Elaine and Rachel are modeling are available at the Riotous Living Etsy shop if you're interested.

♥ Jessa

Since we are going on a day trip to the beach today it only seems appropriate that I show you pictures from the time we went to the beach almost a month ago now. Here in crazy busy Jessa land I've got two short presentations and two practicum projects standing between me and the end of the semester, but the stress is off. Thank goodness. So maybe it won't take me an entire month to post here any longer. (Maybe)

This was the day that Wayne and I had wanted to go to the strawberry festival in Plant City (mmmm... delicious) but woke up way too late. Instead, we decided to take the roommate and his lady (the birthday girl) to St. Augustine! Yes, St. Augustine is the fateful place of the leg awfulness, but the rest of the day was fun!

It promptly poured on us the moment we got to the beach, which was actually pretty awesome. The wind and the rain and the choppy waves were exhilarating for the 15 minutes that it lasted. After that, Wayne practiced with the fancy camera and came up with half of what looks totally like an engagement shoot. Oh my model roommates.

I love Florida beaches.

♥ Jessa

Since we are going on a day trip to the beach today it only seems appropriate that I show you pictures from the time we went to the beach almost a month ago now. Here in crazy busy Jessa land I've got two short presentations and two practicum projects standing between me and the end of the semester, but the stress is off. Thank goodness. So maybe it won't take me an entire month to post here any longer. (Maybe)

This was the day that Wayne and I had wanted to go to the strawberry festival in Plant City (mmmm... delicious) but woke up way too late. Instead, we decided to take the roommate and his lady (the birthday girl) to St. Augustine! Yes, St. Augustine is the fateful place of the leg awfulness, but the rest of the day was fun!

It promptly poured on us the moment we got to the beach, which was actually pretty awesome. The wind and the rain and the choppy waves were exhilarating for the 15 minutes that it lasted. After that, Wayne practiced with the fancy camera and came up with half of what looks totally like an engagement shoot. Oh my model roommates.

I love Florida beaches.

♥ Jessa

There are a million things I want to tell you about. There are a million things that I want to record here for my own posterity that have yet to be recorded, for a myriad of reasons. I will do my best to catch up over the next few weeks - in the order that things happened. First - the University of Florida Student Personnel in Higher Education Visitation Days!

I was lucky enough to serve on an amazing committee of cohort mates who went above and beyond with their vision of Visitation Days. No one realizes how much work and planning go into 3 days of welcoming over 30 students to our campus but under Christina's leadership everyone pulled together and made it happen.

It was only a year ago that I was doing my own search for a Student Affairs program. What everyone tells you as a candidate but that you never truly understand until it's all over is that what is truly important in this search is the way that you fit - your values with the institutions, your goals with the goals of the programs, your personality with the culture. I applied to 5 schools and interviewed at 3 and they were all so completely different... in ways I never would have thought to consider. Administrative vs. counseling focus, theory vs. practical focus, cohort based or not (and then, TRUE cohort or not), 1 year vs. 3... the list goes on and on. I can say now that one of the things that impressed me with the University of Florida last year was how unapologetically honest the program director and the students are about what they have to offer and what they are NOT.

We don't know who has been accepted or offered a graduate assistantship yet. But I will say that I met some really incredible future student affairs professionals during Visitation Days. It was such an honor to host them and to, as a program and as a cohort, provide advice. Because of this weekend I'm not only more excited about my cohort (and how far we've come and how much love I have for most of these people) but I'm also excited about the profession and my future as a professional. I can't wait to work with and go to conferences with such fun and openminded and constantly learning individuals!

I get cheesy sometimes - but I mean it! :)

This is my favorite picture of the day and I wasn't even there! We had started a twitter hashtag (#UFVisDays2012) and encouraged prospectives to #tebow at us to show us their spirit. We got some pretty awesome responses and even convinced some faculty and students to #tebow so that we could send it out. Here, the whole group embraced it in the Swamp.

I am excited to learn who our new SPHE cohort is and who my mentee will be. I'm lucky - this wonderful woman helped me figure out where I belonged in school and continues to challenge me. Excited to be that for someone!

♥ Jessa