3 Down 5 To Go!! Part 1

Hey Everyone,

So I cannot believe it is 2016! It seems like yesterday was only 2015...(I know I'm not funny but I have to at least try). Anyway...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! This post is going to be a two part one. The first is a reflection on my most recent semester at school and the second are my New Year's Resolutions. My second post will be up later today. So keep an eye out! Anyway here is part 1!

This video is basically a summary of the highlights of my semester. Enjoy!

So, I am on winter break after my first semester of sophomore year. It is has been a different one full of things that I never could have expected to have happened. At the beginning of the semester I felt lost and unmotivated but with a little help from some amazing friends, I managed to turn it all around. What happened you ask? Well let me highlight 5 key things that happened this semester. The first two are a little upsetting and the rest helped turn my semester around. 

1. My boyfriend of 7 months and I broke up the first day of classes. You might remember my post about relationships after we broke up and how hopeful and happy I sounded in it. Well, to be honest, I was not being totally honest. In the moment, I was hopeful and ok but deep down I was heartbroken. My ex and I were together for a while and we were really close to begin with. So when we broke up, I felt confused, hurt, and angry. I went the week of our breakup hoping that we would get back together. Then I went and talked to Father Jude in Campus Ministry. This conversation did not go the way that I thought it would. I thought that I would tell him what was going on and keep totally composed and just need some time to vent. In reality, I walked into his office, broke down crying, and said how do I go from here. Embarrassing right? I cried in front of a priest! Like how is that not rock bottom? Father J did not blink an eye though. Instead of letting me vent and cry, he helped me. He talked me through what happened and then he helped me. We talked about what I was going to do from here. How I was going to focus on myself and make myself into my own identity. I did not want to be known as that girl who once dated the fraternity guy. I wanted to be known as me-Roisin Gibbons a fantastic human being...haha just kidding. But I wanted to be known as me and nothing else. This was not something that could be decided in one conversation. It took me a lot of time and effort. Which after my conversation with Father J, I was completely willing to do. I was motivated to not only focus on school and myself but also others. I wanted to expand my social circle and I felt like I could do that. Unfortunately I lost someone important to me in my circle, my ex. Due to the fact that the breakup was not great, so my ex and I did not end on a good note. But you can't win them all and he was in my life for as long as he needed to. Now it's time to move on. In a weird way, I am extremely thankful for our breakup because the other things in this post would have happened. 
2. I did not get into the sorority I was hoping to join. There is one sorority on campus and after the breakup, I decided go out and meet the girls and see what happened. Unfortunately, it did not work out in my favor and I did not get in. I thought that I would be really upset about not getting in but I wasn't. Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to bash sororities or anything but when I was with those girls, I was not me. I was being someone I wasn't. I felt like I could not fully be myself around those girls and so not getting in was a blessing in disguise. So yes in the moment of being told no I was upset, but five minutes later I was totally fine and laughing with my friends. If I had been in the sorority I would not have had time to do the rest of the things on my list.  
3. I saw Pope Francis. THE POPE CAME TO MY SCHOOL. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I REPEAT THE POPE WAS AT CUA. Yes! I got to go to a mass with Pope Francis as lead. That experience was amazing. I don't know how to fully describe what it was like. I felt like I was a renewed human being after seeing him up-close. Being able to witness a once in a lifetime experience helped reinforce my faith. I got to understand why I really love being Catholic and what it truly means to me. It helped me make the decision to change the world. Not in a huge way where I find a cure for some disease or something. But in a way that changes the people at the CUA community. 
   
4. I joined an amazing blog called HerCampus CUA. I wanted to be able to write more than this blog because it was only me on this blog. Which I love but I wanted to feel more connected. So, a girl helped me connect with HerCampus CUA. I had no idea what to expect when I went to the first meeting. I went in gym clothes and I almost went back to my room to change. But no matter what I was thinking or wearing, nothing would have prepared me for what I walked into. I walked into a room full of inspiring and lively girls. The first thing that happened when I walked into the room was that a girl named Katherine welcomed me. Katherine has this amazing smile that lights up any room that she walks into. When she saw me she gave me a huge smile and said "Hey! Are you here for HerCampus?" I just nodded and sat down. I was asked to introduce myself and I was so nervous, I almost forgot my own name. Another girl named Caroline was the one who asked me and just gave me this look that told me I belonged in that room. I kept my eyes on her and that helped me find my voice enough to tell everyone who I was. After that, the meeting started and it was like I had been in the group all along. I felt so included and welcomed. When Caroline asked me to write my first article for the group, I called my mom jumping for joy. I was so happy to have the opportunity to write something for them. I have loved going to every meeting for this blog. The memories I have made with all of these girls have brought me immense joy. One of my favorite memories of this semester is when we hosted a Powder-Puff football game one day and it was so much fun. The whole day was filled with laughter and jokes and great memories. I spent most of the day with Caroline and Katherine and I am not lying when I say that these two girls are amazing. The best thing about these two amazing girls, is that I know that I can go to them when I need to. They are always there for me. They both have helped me through a lot...even though I almost killed Caroline's eardrums when the bullhorn went off in my backpack while we were on the elevator. (Sorry again! I thought it was off!)I love these girls and this blog so much. I am so thankful for them. 
5. I got elected into SGA as the Social Work Senator. So my school has a student government and each school inside the school (make sense? ok gucci!)each gets 2 senators. I am in the School of Social Work and one day I woke up and decided to run for the position. Crazy right? I know nothing about regular government let alone student government. (tbh still don't know that much about student government). I thought that I would run just cause and see what happened. I ran against 2 other girls so I had a good chance of getting in but also a chance of losing. However, I WON!! :) YAY!!! I have loved being in student government. It is so much fun and I have met a lot of great people while being in it. I have learned a lot about myself in this group. I have learned about how I do have a voice and people want to hear it. Also, I have a lot of great ideas that are worthy of being brought up. 
   

Those are just some of the things that happened this semester. Some of the other things are the private music lessons I started taking, my amazing RENEW group, and my induction into Phi Eta Sigma. There is still a lot more. But, if I talked about everything this blog post would never end! I am so thankful for everything that has happened to me this semester. I know that may sound crazy but it is true. Without the break up or the rejection from the sorority, I would not have all of my blessings. I would not have found my love for fashion again. I would not have opened up the way I did. I wouldn't have done all things that I have done this semester. So did I get my heart broken? Yes. But did I recover? Yes. Did I discover myself? Way more than I ever thought I would. This is all from one semester of school, so where will I be after 8 semesters? You will just have to wait and see ;) Ciao for now mis amores (yes I did just combine 3 languages). This is not the end of the post, you just gotta wait for part 2 <3.