did i really figure out what to do with myself?!

Took the GRE last night but that's not what this post is about. Ugh, GRE... let's hope my scores will be adequate enough. Think my dreams of Brown are pretty much dashed though.

Anyway, what I really want to say is that I think I've figured it out. I'm going to go to school to study Public History, which is basically what people who want to work in museums, at historic sites, at living history places like Conner Prairie, that sort of thing study. That is what I want to do. I can get in everything I'm interested in (history, architecture, tour guiding, reenactment, computer science with building exhibits, ecology, environmentalism, not having a normal job, etc). If I get what I want, it will not be a desk job. There will always be something different and cool going on. It'll be interactive. That is what I want.

So then I narrowed down where I want to go. There are actually several schools that have actual MAs in Public History (or something really similar but named differently, like Preservation Studies), and this is what I'm aiming at (versus doing an MA in History with a track or concentration in Public History). So then my next job is to narrow down where I want to be. Since the majority of the history I'm interested in is US history from around 1760-1900 with focuses on the American Revolution and Civil War, I figure I should be in the area of the country where those things actually took place. So I'm looking around Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. I kind of want to be somewhere decently warm (but still has seasons). There are two schools in NC that look kind of promising, one in SC, and at least one in MA (I haven't checked out all the schools there yet), so I've got four to apply to already.

I'm excited and relieved that I found something that combines all my interests. My whole life I've had such a hard time narrowing down my interests and what I like to do or what I want to study or, well, anything. It's awesome to think I've found something that inherently incorporates everything I like. I'm just going to go with it! If I find I don't like it, well, I can always go do something else. I like trying new things.

Next: trying to find an internship for Winter Term. Let me know if you know of anybody who works at a museum, historic site, or living history park...

lies, lies, tell me sweet little lies

So I totally didn't update like I said I would. Lame and sorry. For one we only had easily-accessible internet in the Outer Banks and for two I was having way too much fun to bother with being on the computer. Mostly I used it to check my email like once or twice a day and that was pretty much it.

In any case, I had a fantastic time. I think it was my favorite break yet, and I've had some pretty good breaks... (no offense to anyone on the other breaks :) ) We saw a lot, did a lot, etc. Very fun. I wish I was still in NC, though.

Nowadays I'm figuring out grad school stuff. I'm taking the GRE on Friday...wish me luck? I'll need it. I haven't studied for it at all yet so it's probably going to rock me. The problem is I haven't really figured out what I want to do with myself. I am definitely going to go to grad school (I don't think my score will be bad enough that I won't get in anywhere), I just don't know where or for what.

Here are the ideas I have right now. I may very well just end up applying to all sorts of crazy places and see what happens.

- American History/US Civilization

- Architecture

- Environmental Design

- Higher Education studies/etc

- Environmental Studies

- Natural Resources and Conservation

- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies

- Museum Studies

- Historic Preservation and Conservation

All of these things have something to do with either history, being outside, nature, or education. Another thought is that I go get my teaching license/degree/whatever it ends up being. I wanted to be a high school history teacher for years...

As for where to go, here are the ideas for that. I want to live somewhere I haven't lived yet because I like exploring. I halfway want to live somewhere warmer, but I know I would miss fall and winter. I'm also absolutely terrified of starting all over again somewhere new, where I might not know anyone and be really far from home, but I'm hoping that I'll get past that as I always have. I also have to think about how much it'll cost to go there, so I really need to figure out somewhere that gives paying opportunities to master's candidates (I don't really think I want to go PhD anymore, but of course that could change).

- Oregon (somewhere where it's not rainy/cloudy all the time)

- Washington (not Seattle or anywhere rainy/cloudy all the time)

- California (San Diego)

- Indiana

- Maryland

- Pennsylvania

- Virginia

- West Viriginia

- North Carolina

- South Carolina

- Maine

Nothing is really tying me to Indiana/the midwest right now except maybe finances. So much can change within the next year, though, you know? I don't even know what's going to happen tomorrow, let alone next August. I hate having to make decisions so far in advance.

Here's a question just out of curiosity -- what do you see me doing, and where? (don't limit yourself to what I listed above)

Road Trippin'!!

Break seems to be geared toward road trips. I have taken a road trip 2/4 fall breaks and 2/4 spring breaks. So this is the second road trip I'm going on in the past 6 months (the last was to Panama City for Spring Break 09 in March). I am STOKED. It's going to be, well, fantastic. Here's the plan:

Sunday: leave Greencastle with Mary, pick up Rob in Indy, drive to Harrisburg to see my grandparents and stay the night.

Monday: leave Harrisburg, head to Rockville where we'll hop on the metro to DC, spend the day exploring DC, take the metro back, go to my uncle's house where we'll eat dinner and hang out with him, and stay the night.

Tuesday: spend some more time in DC, then head down to Chapel Hill where we'll meet up with Eric, see UNC, eat, generally have a good time, and stay the night.

Wednesday: head to Raleigh, see Mary's friend Tim for his birthday, and then head on to the Outer Banks. Get to explore OBX, eat, enjoy the ocean since it's right next to our motel, and sleep.

Thursday and Friday: explore OBX - lighthouses, the lost Roanoke Colony, shopping, eating, beaching, and all sorts of other stuff. I want to go hang gliding at Kitty Hawk.

Saturday: leave OBX, drop Eric back at UNC, head back to Indy to Rob's place
Sunday: take Mary to airport, head back to Greencastle, rest, get homework done.

It's going to be epic. 2200+ miles, 8 states + DC, over a day and a half total driving time.

When I have internet I'll definitely post what's up and some pictures. (I'm going to take So.Many.Pictures. and Eric is going to kill me for it, but someday he'll appreciate all the memories I'm saving.) Either way I'll still write something up and post it when I can.

It's going to be good.