Read about my first year of college here and my second year of college here.
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My third year of college was a huge transition year for me. A lot happened this year and I changed and grew up a lot. This is the year I kind of crossed over from immature “teenager” to a young adult.
When I think about my years in college I kind of split them up into two sets of two in my head. My first two years were at GPRC, in Grande Prairie, whereas in my third year I packed up all my things and moved across the province to Kamloops, B.C. to go to Thompson Rivers University. 1000 km away from everything I’d known my whole life.
I would say that this was also the hardest year for me emotionally. It started with me moving miles away from my friends and family and then when Eric came down a month later it was really hard for him to find a job, which had a very negative impact on our relationship. Too top it all off, near the end of my first semester we got in a car accident and were vehicle-less for six months. It kind of felt like Kamloops was “out to get us” and everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. It was a really emotional and hard year.
While it was a difficult year for mine and Eric’s relationship, it also changed our relationship for the better. We were miles away from home and we had only each other to rely on. Also, since we didn’t know very many people we hung out together a lot. The whole dynamics of our relationship changed and the things we learned about each other this year is the reason we’ve been able to not only survive, but thrive, through the last year of long-distance.
However, despite all of that, three very important and life-changing things happened in my life that year.
2. We got Webster!
I honestly don’t think I would be the same person that I am today if it wasn’t for these three things because they have become the things that literally define me. In a good way. Seriously, if someone only needed to know three things about me it would be that I’m a blogger (who loves the community), a fur-mommy (who is obsessed with her little fur-baby) and a runner (who is currently gearing up for training for her first marathon)! I honestly feel like those three things really define who I am! Is that terrible!?
Academically, my third year of college was my first year of journalism school. My past two years were just a bunch of random courses basically, and I loved it.
Journalism school was a whole different ballgame. At first it was challenging and interesting but it quickly became quite frustrating. I entered journalism school with a lot of passion and interest in becoming a journalist and I feel like the program I’m in basically killed that. But, that’s not to say that I’m not super happy about the career path that I’m on now!
OK, time for some pictures from my third year of college, these are a lot less “party-party” then the last two years, I told you, I grew up in my third year 
The river in Kamloops and one of my favourite places to run.
This picture was taken the first night we brought Webs’ home! He was so lil’ and fuzzy!!
Towards the end of the semester I made some awesome friends! Here we are at an 80’s party.
And a girl’s night at my house.
And then at the very end of my third year of college I ran my very first half-marathon in Vancouver, after spending four months training for it.
So, tell me about your third year of college? Good? Bad? Did you do all four years at the same college or did you switch colleges like me?
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Oooh the water looks like a beautiful place to run! I had a blast my junior year of college, but by senior year I was ready to be done!
your third year sounds wonderful. i’m sorry that your school killed your journalistic spirit, though! but everything happens for a reason, i suppose, since you’re happy with where you are right now. school didn’t kill my spirit, but it did make it very difficult for me to get to where i want to be. THAT might kill it. hmm. anyway. my favourite year was my first year. my third year blended in with the MESS that was years 2 to 4. <3
My Public Relations diploma was only 2 years, and since I’ve never really used it since graduating (long before you were even born…sigh…), I don’t think I got out of it what I put into it! And I went to college here in Calgary, so I never even moved out until well after school was done.
What I didn’t realize is that Webster is a Hemingway kitty! http://cats.about.com/od/felinegenetics/a/polydactyl.htm
My Giorgio Armani is also a Hemingway kitty, with the extra toe on all four feet…how about Webster?! While George (his short name) is a Tuxedo, I am also partial to the orange tabby, as ALL my cats growing up were orange babies! I love looking at old pictures of my kids, from when they were kittens…considering Coco is around 16 pounds now, it’s hard to imagine she was ever that small!
Oh my gosh Webster looks so itty-bitty!
Isn’t it funny how little things such as deciding to start running affect us in a much larger scale later on? Love it!
I love this series
My third year was my best year, by far - most of my classes were electives that year so I could take the things I was actually interested in, like English, religious studies, anthropology … and I had a crazy social life that year, it was awesome! Webster was such a cute lil’ kitten! I wish Nathan wasn’t allergic, I’d love to have a kitty!
Third year for me was a learning experience! I too entered the J-School and I made a lot of great friends.
Annnd you forgot to mention that half way through the semester you started as the co-news editor at the school newspaper and had the COOLEST co-news editor EVER.
My third year was kinda meh. It passed, with nothing particular to note. It didn’t kill my interest in my subject, but didn’t exactly inspire it either. It’s best described as meh.
Webster is sooo tiny!! Oh my God, he was cute!
Such a great year
I love those flashbacks because they allow you AND us to realize how far you’ve come and how much you’ve accomplished in one short year!!! I think it would give anyone the strength to either keep going, or actual start something 
And Webster is SO cute. Seriously!!!
ahh flashbacks are great!
that photo of Webster truly does him well. so precious
my third year of college I fell in love for the first time, moved into my own house, threw parties for every occasion, worked my ass of more than i ever had before, bought my first car, spent a long weekend every month in NYC, drank like a fish, made my first pot of chili, ran my first race and missed my college friends the most (my closest pals all graduated and moved at the end of my second year.)
Wow thinking back makes you realize just how much time does fly!
I think it’s great that those things define you. When I first started at Target, I had a ‘get to know you coffee’ with a co-worker and he asked me what I hobbies i enjoy most. I said running, reading, & blogging, and he said - wow, those are both kind of introspective hobbies, that tells me alot about you. I never thought it, but it’s so true. i am an introspective person. I enjoy my alone time. I am ok with silence. I am very analytical and like to really think through things at my own pace.
Anyways, back to the 3rd year of college.
Mine was awesome because it was the year I studied abroad in Australia. The fall semester sucked because I had a really hard time coming back from my summer job in Colorado. All my friends were 21 or had fake ids, so we were always going out to the bars, so I stayed home alot. But that is when I got close to my 2 best friends, so I know I had to go through that rough patch to meet them. Then I moved to Australia for 6 months and who can complain about that! 
These flash back posts have been fun. I think Junior year was also the year where I was sort of starting to realize that maybe being a math major wasn’t all that great, but I had put so much time/effort into it, it was too late to change. I think many of us reach that point in our 3rd year and just power through and finish since the most important thing is having an actual degree.
I’m sad that your journalism classes killed your spirit! but I totally understand, because that’s what music classes did to me!
but we both ended up where we needed to be, so that’s the most important thing. funny how life works that way and surprises you.
by the way, Webster is so dang adorable! not that you don’t already know that! and not like I have told you that a million times before!
hope you have a great weekend!
Baby Webster is sooooo adorable!!!
I transferred from a small school in Pennsylvania back to a large state school at home in Texas my 2nd year, so my 3rd year was my first full year there. And I knew I had made the right choice. I lived in a dorm and the first semester my roommate and I didn’t mesh at all (they put a new freshman with a junior? bad idea) but I moved into another room partway through the semester and them made some of the best friends ever. I also did a lot of growing up but had a lot of fun too. I finally was at a place I felt like I belonged!
It’s funny to think I was reading your blog back last year. During each milestone you mentioned I kept thinking, “Hey I remember when she wrote about that!”
As for my Jr, it was at the same college as all 4 of my college years. Myself and 2 friends friends lived in an off-campus apartment together. That’s really the main thing that comes to mind when I think about it. It’s funny how quick;y everything starts to blend together.
I totally did a memory post today without even realizing it is your Flash Back Fridays post day! I guess I am subconsciously copying you! I promise I won’t do it again
What a great recap!! I am not in my third year yet!! hah such a youngin’ I know!
Junior year was a year of ups and downs - coming out on the upside! It was a crazy good time, but it was during this year that I abandoned my pre-medical track and ventured elsewhere. I remained at the same school for all 4 years. Sigh…love this series. It takes me back to reflect on those years and where things have gone since then!
I don’t remember much about 3rd year, except that it was the most work, and I made many friends that year. I stayed at the same college for all my years.
Oh look at the little kitty!! I remember when I first got Rose and she fit in my hands… what a sweetie
I really enjoyed reading about your third year. And your ’80s picture. Dressing up is awesome!!
Great recap… Third year of college was great for me as well. Had an awesome internship, rediscovered my passion for writing and made some lasting friendships on campus. Overall a good year.
Best,
Hannah Katy
That kitty is too cute!
That was a big year for you! My junior year was a bit of a transitional year as well. I was going to transfer to a college in DC, but within a few days all my plans fell apart and I ended up back at the same school I desperately wanted to leave. Looking back I’m glad that things turned out the way they did, but I was bitter for a good semester.
Look at Baby Webster! How adorable!
My third year of college was WEIRD. I went from being THISCLOSE to finishing and graduating with my Bachelor’s degree in education to switching majors and becoming a journalism student for spring. But I’m happy with my decision (just not happy it took me so long to make it!)