Hi everyone! It’s Friday and my last day in Seattle. I can’t wait to tell you all about it on Monday! For now, I’m linking up as always with Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney for the Friday Five Linkup! Their suggested post theme is “Five things I was doing 10 years ago”, but when I started thinking about it all I could do was think about the things that I wasn’t doing yet. This post is coming at a perfect time – I’m turning 28 on Tuesday, and thinking back on all of the things that have happened since I turned 18 is pretty crazy. I was a newly graduated kid who was about to be a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh and had no clue what I wanted to do with my life! I had no idea what I was missing out on back then, and how many awesome things that were in my future!
1. Running. Yep, I didn’t run back then! I didn’t start until I was 24 years old and well out of college and grad school. In fact, at 18 I was probably celebrating the fact that I didn’t have to run the mile in gym class or run during field hockey or softball practice warmups anymore!
2. Dating my husband. We met when we were 19 and living on the same floor in PA Hall at Pitt. In fact, I was dating some crazy guy from high school when I was a freshman and it was bad news. So glad I ended up dumping him and finding Andrew a few months later!
The oldest picture I have of us! Next year will be our 10 year anniversary of being together!
3. Rocking sorority letters. Fun fact: I was in a sorority in college, but didn’t join right away. I waited until I’d been in college for at least a year and made other friends before deciding to join. I loved my experience – my sisters were amazing and helped me through so many tough times, and I loved participating in so many fun volunteer and campus events as a group.
Part of my amazing pledge class! If you know what sorority symbol we’re throwing let me know because we’re probably sisters!
4. Teaching. I declared as a history major when I was 18, and graduated with my Bachelors degree in early American history. But all throughout my college years I spent time volunteering with Somali refugees who needed help with tutoring, working in daycares, and leading the first grade group at summer camp, so it was only a matter of time before I realized that teaching was really what I wanted to do. I went to a school in Philly for my Masters degree in elementary and special education and I’ve been working with teens ever since!
Stepping off the stage with as a Master of Education for the first time!
5. Living in Alaska. My parents made me stay in PA for college to help with tuition, and while it made sense for money reasons I definitely wanted to live somewhere new and had the itch to explore other states. Alaska wasn’t even on my radar because it was so far away, but I’m so glad I’m here now!
It was so much fun taking a trip down memory lane! But honestly, I’m glad I’m not 18 anymore. Life was so confusing and I didn’t have any of these amazing things in my life yet! 28 is going to be much better 🙂
What were you like 10 years ago? Were you a runner? Were you still in college? Leave a comment and tell me all about it!
Mom in the Mtns 
Being 18 isn’t all it’s cracked up to be is it?! Sometimes I look back and think how dumb I was but thought I knew it all. Fun to look back!
So true! I thought I knew everything!
10 years ago I was celebrating my 20th anniversary with my husband (whom I met in college) in HI & no, running wasn’t on my radar then.
Funny story: we always said we’d go Alaska for our 20th but when it rolled around we just looked at each other & said HI!
We’ve since been to Alaska. And HI twice more. I really wanted to do the running cruise in Alaska this year but it was not meant to be.
I hope you can do it someday! It sounds pretty awesome!
Thanks!
Looking back is always so much fun! Its crazy to think that 10 years ago I wasn’t running either.
I feel like I keep hearing that from people. What were we thinking?
10 years ago I was 9 years old…I have no idea what I was doing. Just dancing 24/7 outside of school and that’s about it! Hahahahaha!
Haha that’s funny! I’m glad you traded dancing in for yoga!
This is a fun topic! 10 years ago I was 16.. and in High School at Exeter. I loved being 16! I was playing soccer, hanging out with my friends and just getting that “driving freedom”…. ah so fun!
That’s so funny! I think 16 was probably better than 18 because you’re still in school and don’t have to worry about college yet!
so true!!
I was definitely running 10 years ago but didn’t consider my self a “runner”. I was more a gym rat and kick boxing was my workout of choice. So funny, I had an aunt who at 18 graduated high school and decided she wanted to move to Alaska – so she did!
That’s awesome! I didn’t know I wanted to move here until 2 years ago but I’m so glad I chose to do it!
I was not running 10 years ago. 10 years ago, I was 31, married for 7 years and had a spunky 2 year old. 🙂
Awww so cute! I’m glad you finally found running!
Very fun. My wife actually went to Pitt too! Small world.
I wasn’t running either in college, only starting 2 years ago.
That’s awesome! Pitt is the best!
Oh, 18…when you think you know everything but know NOTHING. LOL 🙂
Yep! What a crazy age!
I wish I could go back to 18 and do some of it all over again. I had no clue what I was doing back then. And my priorities were so out of whack. Live and learn….
You were very smart to wait to join the Greek system. I waited too, but never joined because I got invited to all the parties regardless of pledging. I was an honorary DG.
So true! I think everyone wishes they could re-do 18 again! And that’s awesome that you got the perks without paying the dues!
Ha, I prefer what i’m doing now versus when I was 18! I love having my own house and just being an adult! Glad you’re still loving Alaska!
So true! I don’t have a house yet but what I do have is much better than my freshman dorm room!
If I had to choose 18 year old Jen or 30 something Jen, I would go for the latter 🙂 Such a cute early dating pic of you guys!
So true! i don’t know if I would want to go back there, but I would like to maybe change some of the things I did. I feel like I totally wasted some of my years!
I love reading all these “look backs”. I wasn’t running either, but that’s because I was pregnant for much of 2005 LOL.
Oh wow! That’s definitely a valid excuse for not running 🙂
Whoa, we have so many similarities, I feel like you and I are the same person! Expect I wasn’t living in Alaska 10 years ago, and I’m still not 🙂
That’s awesome! But you should totally move up here 🙂 It’s the best place ever!
10 years ago I was just beginning to dabble in real running and racing but nowhere near as much as today. And yes, I am glad to be where I am now without all of those big decisions to be made!
That’s awesome that you have been running for so long! And I agree about the decisions!
I love this post! I was in a sorority when I was in college too and absolutely loved it. it doesn’t look like we were in the same one though 😉 this makes me excited to see where I’ll be in a few years… it’s crazy how fast life can change as you grow up.
Yay for sorority life! I definitely love being in my late 20s vs my early 20s because I feel like I have things a little bit more together than I did then…mostly because I was in college forever and could barely afford to live on my own when I was younger!
That really is a big time for change, from 18-28. Glad to hear that you got rid of your “bad news” boyfriend in time to meet your husband! This certainly was a fun topic wasn’t it? Have a great weekend!
It was so much fun! I love looking back on how far I’ve come!