Smile because it happened...

Well, I did it!

I am officially a graduate of THE Pennsylvania State University!

This is such an unbelievably strange feeling.  Part of me feels like it's just an ordinary summer and that I'll be going back in August for the fall semester.  Another part of me already feels like graduation was ages ago!

The Thursday before graduation, Nannerhead and I decided to of take some nice graduation photos in our caps and gowns.  It was a gorgeous day, and while we only had iPhone's to use, I must say the pictures turned out pretty great!

This girl is my very best friend.  Sometimes people enter your life seemingly insignificant and turn out to be forever friends.   The story of our friendship is fairly comical.  It was the very first day of classes my freshman year and,  as fate would have it, I was running 15 minutes late for my 8 AM bio lab.  I snuck into class and took the only available seat which, as you guessed it, was next to Nannerhead!  We were assigned as lab partners and had to work together a lot in and out of class.  We became friends and realized that we had so much in common.  We were both majoring in elementary education and had nearly identical schedules.  We were also both from Pittsburgh and went to neighboring schools.  We had many mutual friends and even took dance lessons together as children!  How weird is that?!?!  Throughout freshman year, we became very close friends, decided to live together for the next three years, take all of the same classes, and the rest is history! 

 I have no doubt in my mind that we are kindred spirits and are meant to be lifelong friends.  She is the Lucy to my Ethel and the peanut to my butter.  I have no idea how I would've made it through college without her!  I'm going to miss not being able to just walk up the stairs of our near-campus house to see my best friend.  Just typing this is making me teary!  I'm so grateful to have her in my life and cannot wait to be her maid of honor at her wedding in November!  Love you, Nannerhead!

Commencement was held on Saturday, May 10th.  It was an exciting and fun-filled day.  My Mom, Dad, Step-Mom, Siblings, and two uncles all came to Altoona for the day and it was a great time!

(Nannerhead and I, of course)

(The Elementary Ed Grads!  Love these ladies!)

(Can't resist taking a selfie during commencement!  We snuck in line next to each other for seating purposes.  It's preposterous that they should try to separate us during graduation!)

(The Rotondo siblings- Christopher, Cidney, me, Caylin, and Chloe)

I still can't believe my four years at Penn State are over!  It's sad, yet exciting.  As sad as I am to see it go I am so, so grateful that I was able to call myself a Nittany Lion and have such a great experience.  We Are!