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The Lantern Bookstore on P Street

I have a few new goals for this semester, all working toward one big goal: feel at home in DC. I want to go out and explore much more—find the cool little shops around the city, beautiful study spaces for when I need a change of scenery, and the best places to get a smoothie. I want DC to feel like home. Right now, my home is still Johns Creek, but my family won't live there forever. Ever since I was a child, my parents have talked about wanting to move back to Nebraska, and now that I live in DC, there's very little stopping them from finally moving. I won't always have Johns Creek to come back to, so I need to make DC my new home. Living here, it seems, isn't enough. I have to get to know the place, too.

Today my friend Julia and I walked down P Street toward the public library, and we found a cool shop that sells "Used & Rare!" books. I'm considering making every Sunday my day to get off campus and find something cool and new. I would say I like DC, but honestly, I don't know it well enough yet. We've only just met.

Blizzards?

Last weekend DC, along with much of the East Coast, was hit with a large storm. Along the southern coast was mostly rain, but the DMV area was hit with more snow than I've ever seen in my life. There was a frankly horrific amount of snow. Growing up in Georgia, I didn't see much snow. In two days, 22 inches of snow fell on DC, and I was overwhelmed. During the snow storm a few friends and I walked about a mile to deliver food to a soup kitchen; the streets were deserted and everything felt eerily apocalyptic. Classes were cancelled on Monday and Tuesday, and then I became very sick and missed class on Wednesday and Thursday. There is still snow on the ground everywhere, but the roads and sidewalks are (mostly) clear. 

Today is a beautiful, sunny 57 degrees. I'm mostly healthy again, although I still have a bit of a stuffy nose, and Jesuit Heritage Week begins this evening. Jesuit Heritage Week is essentially a week-long celebration of the Society of Jesus, and Georgetown celebrates with Jesuit-student volleyball matches, special prayer services and religious services, and a number of talks and events. Tonight I'll be attending puja, the Hindu religious service, as part of Jesuit Heritage Week and also to complement my readings in my theology class. (Aunt Judy, if you're reading this, I'll be sending a few essays on Hinduism your way very soon!) 

I'm excited to start a new week, a new month, a new and sunny phase of life. Be well and happy, my readers! And let me know if there is anything I can do for you, such as writing about specific topics or even just including you/your intentions in my prayers.