Stressfull doesn't even begin to describe the past three days.

I have taken a huge step in the stages of early adulthood.

I GOT AN APARTMENT!

My current roommate, Caitlin, My current RA Becky, and my dorm mate from last year, Christina decided we are getting an apartment for this summer and next year. This is it. No more dorms, no more RA's... we get a place all to ourselves! we're going to be juniors in college. we've had our fun on campus. Time to grow up.

We had looked at a place on Pearl street, but that just wasn't for us. The layout was impractical. Then we went to an open house on Buell Street. Wicked nice, but it got rented the next day.

now, there is a house 4 of our guy friends live in. Becky, Caitlin and I hang out there basically every day. Two days ago they decided they didn't want to resign for that particular apartment. So they called the landlord to tell her, and i jumped on the oportunity and called her after them. So she said to come over the next day at 4pm to sign.

woah woah woah.... Sign the LEASE tomorrow??? This was a big step. We had to think about what all of our parents were gonna think and how we were going to come up with $2550 in 24 hours, what the terms of the lease were.... in 24 hours???

So i said, "OK! see ya then!!" I had alot on my plate thats for sure. The competition among students to get apartments up here is insane. So i talked to my four friends and we all really wanted the place. I mean it has 4 huge bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, a Kitchen with apliances, good sized living room, a deck, a screened in porch, and a sunroom. We hit the jackpot.

i couldn't sleep all night. Constantly thinking about where the money is going to come from, what are my parents going to say... is everyone going to be able to come through...

9am the next morning i dropped by the landlords place to pick up a copy of the lease to fax to my parents so they could read it over. I sent it to my friends mom, since she is a realtor, to look over, and had one of the counselors in the admissions office, which is were i work, look over it too. My parents were freaking out because they really had no idea what went into a lease and wanted me to be sure what i was getting myself into:
"Lindsey, What is one of your room mate bails out? who's responsible? what happens is something is damaged? What if all three of your room mates bail out, are you on the hook for 26,000 dollars??" No pressure mom and dad.

i was sitting in the admissions office tearing through a box of about two hundred envelopes i had to sort through, thinking about all these questions. My phone is ringing off the hook between my parents, my room mates, and my friends. I was gonna have a panic attack. I actually started crying because i had so much on my plate. We went to the landlord's at 4 and said we didnt have the money until the following day because it was MLKjr day and the banks were closed, so instead we filled out the aplications and she gave us until 5pm today. It was good we had the extention for the payment... but things were still a little shaky.

Later that night All of our parents had a conversation and Becky's parents and my parents said they wouldnt sign!! The four of us room mates finally agreed we could come up with the money. That through a kink in our plans thats for sure. Then Becky's dad called the landlord and tweaked a few conditions. We didnt hear from any one after that. I got a copy of my friends lease from a different landlord to send to my parents to show that they had pretty much the same terms. I sent them pictures of the place and all of these other reinforcements. i wasn't going down without a fight.
With our hopes crushed we all went to bed.

The next morning, becky's parents talked to mine after calling the landlord. My parents called me and said they were IN!!!! so now that all the parents were in check. I typed up receipts of payment i wanted to landlord to sign and after our 330 classes we drove to the landlords house, signed the deal, and signed away alot of money!

But holy hell is that a load of my shoulders.

I signed a lease for my first apartment, and made my first business deal with a legal contract! Good thing i took business law, that actually came into some good use in this whole deal.

We're already planning out the layouts of our house and when to have a house warming party!

I'm so excited. Plus - in the complex we are living in we have like, 13 friends living in the same complex. In the apartment above us, and the building adjacent to us in apartments 6, 7, 10, and 11. This summer is going to be outrageous. Party all the time!!! just kidding.. study alot... ha.

i got my first place!

Taking care of business every day
Taking care of business every way
I've been taking care of business, it's all mine
Taking care of business and working overtime
Work out!

Posted by Lindsey Campbell at 7:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Transition is such a weird thing. I, personally, figured out i'm not a huge fan of change. I like to go somewhere, get comfortable and stay there. A constant changing lifestyle, however exciting it may be, sends me for sort of an emotional loop.
Sunday, i woke up at 9:00am, packed up my clothes and christmas presents, and loaded up my Ford. I put on my new plaid pea coat, and buttoned up in the living room. It was about time for me to go back to school for four months. I took one look at my mom and i could see her face breaking up. I prepared myself for the flood gates; too bad they don't provide life vests for that kind of river. I walked over to give her a hug and say goodbye. I told her not to miss me, and at least now she wouldn't have to constantly nag about cleaning up my room. A failed attempt at lightening the mood. Anyone will tell you i'll cry at the drop of a hat. I cry during movie previews. (not kidding). It was so hard to keep it together. My mom and i have a really close bond, and the break seemed too short, we didn't get to spend enough time together. You'd think after 20 years she'd have had all the Lindsey Campbell she could handle.
I walked out to my car after my moms teary eyed goodbye and my dad followed. He told me to follow him down to the bank on the way out of town and get some money. I sat in the car waiting for him to come out. I knew this was going to be just as hard as the good bye with my mom. He came out, i steped out of the car, and as he put the money in my coat pocket, i put my arms around his neck and said goodbye. His voice cracked as he told me how much he loved me and was going to miss me. Sure, its fine when Mom cries - shes a woman, and i have seen her be emotional countless times. But, Dad?? I almost lost it. I pulled back, gave him a kiss on the cheek and told him to stay out of trouble. Yet again, another attempt at humor failed. Way to go, Linds.
We got in our seperate cars and parted ways. I drove to my best friends house, for yet another goodbye. (Next time, i need to learn to spread these things out.) I pulled up to Kelly's house, she jumped in the car, and we headed to D&D for our daily Large Hazelnut regulars. We drove around a bit, then i pulled back in her driveway. She told me we never say goodbyes and we huged each other, said our "i love yous" and "I'll miss yous". I watched her walk in the house and turned on my CD. Tracy Chapmans All You Have Is Your Soul. I headed towards Rt.3 North, and i dont know if it was the song, or i hadn't had enough caffine, or it was all just hitting me at once but my eyes filled up and it was all over. Thank god for waterproof mascara. The lady next to me at the stoplight watched me with a concerned look. I just lit a cigarette.
Don't get me wrong, i was excited to come back to school. But i would miss my parents. When i'm in Marshfield, i whine and itch to get the hell out. It's quite the catch 22 college puts you in. I felt a little better when Take It Easy by the Eagles came on.

I've been back at school for three days now. I'm right back in the swing of things, i've called my parents four times already, my best frend, three. When you're surrounded by your best friends up at school, you forget why you were upset in the first place. I still miss my parents. No matter how much you think you wanna leave home, or how you hate your boring hometown, whose streets you've driven over three million times, you could draw a map with your eyes closed...you never cease to hold that place in your heart for it. Good Ol' Marshfield.

Talk to you guys later, though. My mom's calling.

Union St. Bridge - Marshfield, MA

Posted by Lindsey Campbell at 2:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I go back to school tomorrow. It seems like I just got here two days ago...
well maybe because I actually did.

Even though it's winter break, i couldn't stay away from Burlington for too long. I came home too good ol' Marshfield for a while, but went back to Btown for New Years. Let me tell you, usually i really hate coming home for breaks, but this break has been incredible. Don't get me wrong, I love coming home to see my parents and my brother, and get a nice homecooked meal for a week or two, but for some reason it seems like this town never changes. I guess thats what happens when you live in a small town. I honestly can't go anywhere without seeing at least three people I know. Which is one reason i felt i needed to "get outta dodge" and i went 4 hours away to school. All my high school friends went to school around Boston and Marshfield, so when i come back its like being in high school again. No thanks. None the less it IS always nice to come back, " I love that dirty water - Boston you're my home". So this time really topped the charts. My best friend, Kelly, and I (who have been inseperable since age 7) decided to meet up with some of our old Middle School friends. It was such a blast from the past! I used to hang out with these kids every day my summer going into 8th grade! we went to a few parties and talked about memories of the good old days. Really had an enjoyable time.

But this New Years needed to be great to top off the break. And where could i go to have a good time without fail? Burlington, of Course. So kelly and i hopped in my Ford and headed up to VT. We made a few CD's of our favorite songs, belted them out and had an awesome ride up.
(Minus the $350.00 speeding ticket i got in New London, NH. WARNING - Don't go 88 in a 65 in New Hampshire) So aside from that little buzz kill, we had a great ride, even at 65mph. ;)

The second i walked in the door of my friends house on S. Winooski Ave - i was having a great time! All my really good friends PLUS my best friend from home made for an excellent trip.

I think it's really cool that you can introduce your new friends and your old friends and they mesh well together. That way when i'm talking to Kelly on the phone about "so-and-so" she knows what I mean. Kelly goes to school in RI at Salve Regina. They are both two totally different experiences, with two totally different atmospheres.... But Kelly loves to come up and visit me! (She fits in down at Salve anyways. Our schools really represent our personalities)

So i drove back two days ago, and have really been trying to recoup from that trip. I got no sleep. And you know what - i don't even care about driving 4 hours up there tomorrow morning. I'd drive 15! it's definately worth it. So, Happy New Year! This is a fresh start, a new semester, and the end of a begining and begining to another end. I plan on Living this UP!

"Go Big or Go Home"

-Lindsey

If you're interested - here are some of the songs from the CD's kelly and i made:

-Don't Think Twice, It's Alright - Bob Dylan
-I'm on Fire - Bruce Springsteen
-Say - John Mayer
-Every Day Is A Winding Road - Sheryl Crow
-Hook - Blues Traveler
-Anyway - Blues Traveler
- Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
- Into The Mystic - Van Morrison
- Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin
- Angel From Montgomery - Bonnie Rait
- All That You Have Is Your Soul - Tracy Chapman
-Fast Car - Tracy Champan
-Night Moves - Cornbread Red
- Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
-New York State of Mind - Billy Joel
- Don't Know How it Feels - Tom Petty

and a bunch of others.. we like older music - ha!

This is my Home Town

Kelly and I up in VT

Posted by Lindsey Campbell at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)