54 "Firsts" from my year in SC....

1. Spent longer than six weeks away from my family.
2. Been in a highly successful long-distance relationship.
3. Skydived.
4. Been on a cruise...incidentally, best holiday of my LIFE!
5. Had friends from soo many different countries.
6. Cried so much - from homesickness, from my friends leaving me, from happiness...
7. Been to an (American) football game.
8.Lived in a different country. 
9. Been on a long-haul flight.
10. Got a really freaking good base tan. 
11. Enjoyed singing along, and faux-grinding to Hip Hop.
12. Drank "Donny shots"....
13.... And Everclear....
14. ...And Jello shots.
15. Been asked on dates by American boys.
16. Been to a frat party.
17. Gone on a road trip (eleven hour journey hell YES!)
18. Danced on a bar.
19. Been asked if I'm from Australia.
20. Played Flip Cup...
21.... and Beer Pong.
22. Missed my friends, family and boyfriend SO much.
23. Skyped for hours.
24. Got Airmail letters... and parcels full of Galaxy (thanks Grandma and Mummy!) 
25. Listened to soo much country music
26. Been terrorised by cockroaches in so many different places
27. Been truly, madly, in love.
28. Gone to a drive-through cinema.
29. Tried on hundreds of dollars worth of diamonds ( in St Thomas)
30. Slept on a church hall floor, and sang pro-trade union songs
31. Celebrated Thanksgiving,
32. Sunbathed in March
33. Felt like a real grown up.
34. Been to a real American State Fair.
35. Eaten raw cookie dough...
36.... And deep fried Pepsi....
37.... And Moe's  (place of dreams)
38. Visited the place where Gone With the Wind is set
39. Gone to a rave, and been the only one NOT on Ecstasy.
40. Ran away from the police
41. Been 22 years old, from Mexico, and called Maria (or so my fake ID says....)
42. Spent so much money on Fro Yo. 
43. Gone tailgating.
44. Seen real-life cheerleaders.
45. Been thrown in an outdoor pool fully clothed.
46. Shouted "COCKS!!" at the top of my voice, along with 90,000 other Gamecock fans. 
47. Got in legit fist fights with men. 
48. Been asked if us Brits don't have guns, how can we overthrow the government?
49. Spoken in " black" - Ohss daymn gurrrrl, holla, uh uh no you didhunt, etc etc 
50. Learnt the Thriller dance.
51.Worn my hair in a topknot.
52. Used the words "Holla", "Y'all", "legit", and "fo sho" in day to day conversation.
52. Had so much fun.
53.Gone on so many adventures.
54. Grown up so fast.


Thank you to all the incredible people who made my year abroad the best year of my life so far... you inspire me, make me laugh, make me cry, are the best fun, you push my boundaries and make me feel at home, you are incredible listeners, and such amazing friends who I know I'll keep forever... You know who you are, and having you as friends makes me the luckiest girl in the world! I will never, ever forget being a Gamecock - it has changed me, and changed my life. I've done this, I can do anything - bring it on!