Got a job offer 2

The nine of us who embarked on last weekend's Q+ retreat/getaway in Vermont were the most fortunate of Q+'s members, as we had ton of fun. There's something psychologically inimitable about going somewhere removed -- and in this case lovely and bucolic. We rented a beautiful house that came complete with hot tub, sauna and pool table, and spent the weekend playing games, cooking, eating, talking and using the aforementioned amenities. This was the first time during my time at SOM that Q+ has done a trip, and I hope and expect it will become an annual (or perhaps even biannual) tradition.

There was much to celebrate this weekend. (1) We have an awesome group of LGBT students and allies. (2) I made a pie crust that didn't appear to poison anyone. (3) I received my second (and final) full-time job offer on Friday!

This week, perhaps even today, I will officially accept one offer and decline the other. I feel immensely lucky to be in this kind of situation, especially in an economy that's still weak. This is, in fact, the first time in my life I'm ever actually going to be turning down a full-fledged job offer; in the past, I've just gone after jobs I was certain I'd take if given the chance, and did so when I got them without having any conflicts. In this case, though, the timing was just such that the final round interviews for both these jobs I wanted were in the same week, so I went to both, hoping I'd get at least one offer.

Both jobs are based in New York (although one would require regular travel). So it's a sure thing that I will be living in the city after school. This is exciting news, as it means I can enjoy the Big Apple's many exciting offerings, and finally get rid of my car, which I've had since 1999. I suppose "finally get rid of" is an insensitive phrase. My car, whose name is Cynthia, has been loyal and kept me safe. But she's not the car she once was. She's showing her age, especially after a harsh Connecticut winter, on top of the fact I almost never start her up these days. So she'll make someone else happy come May. Meanwhile, I'll be happy not to get hit with these outrageous Northeastern insurance bills.

I digress. It's worth mentioning that my heart is swelling with joy at what lies ahead from this day forward. The holidays are coming up -- I'll get to spend Thanksgiving with my brother, sister-in-law and nephews. Then when I'm back in Florida for the Christmas break, I'm going to spend a few days at Disney World with my dear old friend Carla, who I've known since I was 13. Then it'll be Christmas with family, leading into a semester I expect will be fantastic, loaded up with courses I find interesting (as opposed to this semester, when I'm taking classes I felt would be good for me in a calisthenics type of way). And I will be able to at least try to immerse myself in these moments and opportunities without the rumbling cloud of uncertainly hanging over my head.

Last year, when we first-years were hunting for internships, that cloud really rained on my spring. I was recently looking back on my Outlook calendar and realized I didn't actually finalize my summer plan (at the Associated Press) until about April 29, just a week or so before school ended. This had my stomach in knots for months. So it's a nice feeling to have something official, and something I genuinely want to do. I'm sure I'll still have some knots, because that's part of my charm, but they'll be significantly smaller and looser knots.