I had a great weekend. It started with sleeping in until 11 and grabbing Smashed Waffles with the guys. I ordered the Chatty Patty breakfast sandwich with bacon. It was solid, but it left a weird aftertaste that made me feel a little nauseous. Good, not great. I probably won’t go back.

After a few hours of hanging out and playing cards at the dorms, we all headed up to Sennott Square to catch a bus, then a subway, to PNC Park to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates play. We got to the stadium about an hour and a half early, and I unknowingly dropped more money than I meant to on concessions. The game itself was decent. A home run in the second inning, then nothing else happened the rest of the night.

On Sunday, a handful of us joined Dr. Ray Jones to play basketball on the outdoor courts by the Petersen Events Center. Despite my best efforts, my team lost to Dr. Jones. All I’ll say is that only 2 of the 10 points were scored on me.

Looking back at the two weeks I’ve spent at Pitt before heading to Ireland and the UK, my biggest takeaway has been getting into the rhythm of college life. This was our whole group’s first time taking a college class outside of high school. Having the space to figure out the routine without the pressure of thousands of first-years made a big difference. Getting to meet professors and staff in a more relaxed setting has already helped set a strong foundation for my next four years.

Right now I’m sitting in the Philly airport, waiting to board my flight to Dublin. I’m excited for the week and a half ahead. I’ve been to a few places in Europe before, but never the UK, so I’m really looking forward to spending some time in Belfast. Still, I’m most excited for our stay in County Donegal, Ireland. I’ve never stayed anywhere rural for more than a day. Being in a town of just 200 people will be a completely new experience.