March Through Time
March has been a pivotal time for me for most of my adult life. Perhaps its the changing of the seasons, perhaps its because it fell at the midpoint of a college semester, and either way its the time to start thinking about the summer and the rest of the year. I have found it to be much better than New Years to be sort of predictive of the year to come. I'm not sure yet what will define this March or this year, but I want to take a look back at Marches past. These are just snapshots, but each one was a precipice or catalyst for something significant in my life.
March 2017: Freshman Year
What I remember from March of my freshman year is St Patrick's day weekend. I don't remember Friday, but I'm sure we were drinking. Saturday, my roommate and I are craving Chilis, a freshman year favorite of ours. Because I was so hungover and lethargic all day, I'm not sure I'd eaten anything before we went for dinner. This prompted my infamous "2 for $22 for 1", wherein I ate two entire chili's entrees, with an appetizer and dessert, by myself, much to the shock and chagrin of the waitress who was honestly a little rude. And who we did see and subsequently try to avoid on later chilis visits. I think that 2 for $22 for 1 saved me that night from total blackout and probably worse. I remember little from the frat party we went to, and the parts I do remember I don't want to recount.
March 2018: Sophomore Year
Sophomore year I went to Hilton Head for spring break with my roommate and some of my friends from my major. At the time, I was on a break from drinking that was supposed to last until my birthday in December when I turned 21. When everyone else loaded the car with Costco snacks and Costco alcohol, I was most concerned about my Costco wedge of Parmesan. It was a really fun trip where I drank a ton and sent really mixed messages to my friend who I did actually have a crush on but had already told that I didn't want to date him, and then later that month would have to reiterate that same point. It was a confusing time.
Some friends and I at Hilton Head
March 2019: Junior Year
I don't remember this year very well. I have no photos of internet record of it either. I think I went to Atlanta for part of spring break.
March 2020: Senior Year
This March I do remember (as we probably all do tbh). For Spring break senior year I volunteered to lead a mission trip to Philippi, West Virginia. I don't remember a lot about the trip, but I remember how beautiful I thought West Virginia was, and how beautiful the community we were in was. I learned so much about the complicated history of the state on that trip. Then, of course, at the end of our week there we started to get texts about school maybe staying closed for the next week too, and then, you probably know the rest. Although before things got very bad, I did have a really special week with some of my roommates who decided initially to weather the storm from our house at school.
A hike we went on during that week off, and "How to Stay Safe in a Pandemic" slideshow by my dad, for Clarke (dog)
March 2021: Grad School
In March of 2021, I was living in Phoenix and that month had made the decision to quit my PhD program. The same week I told my advisor I wouldn't be returning next semester, my freshman/sophomore roommate (see Marches 2017 and 2018) visited me. I don't remember the details but I remember it was a sort of tumultuous visit, and that was, I believe, the last time we every saw each other in person, and one of the last times we talked. Not because she died but we just had grown apart I guess. But we did go to a rodeo and that was fun.
Also that March, and the reason I was quitting my PhD, I was cautiously deciding that I wanted keep trying this farming thing. I applied to a couple programs, and while I didn't get into them, I do like this artifact I'd made for one. In hindsight, my portfolio piece might have been a little too personal and didn't highlight my expertise, like, at all, but in my defense they had said it could/should be personal and I didn't really have any expertise yet anyway.
Also that March began the long, mysterious, confusing, and utimately deeply sad process of my estranged uncle, who also lived in Phoenix, dying.
Rodeo
March 2022: Grow Ohio Valley I
In March of 2022, almost 2 years to the day that I'd left West Virginia on my college spring break trip, I moved to Wheeling, WV, sight unseen. Of course, this ushered in a really exciting and beautiful period of time where I learned so much about myself and food and farming and met so many friends that I obviously still have today.
Sunset from my street on my first night in Wheeling, and Luna and I driving to Wheeling for the first time!
March 2023: Italy/Grow Ohio Valley II
On the spring equinox of 2023, I arrived back in Wheeling after 5 weeks in Italy. One of my takeaways from my trip was how much I liked my life in Wheeling.
Relaxing on our terrace by the Ligurian Sea, and reuniting with Lune
March 2024: End of Grow Ohio Valley
By the next March, I was done with time at Grow Ohio Valley, and preparing to leave Wheeling. March was both glorious and excruciating as I was totally done with work, and had my next job secured, and had absolutely nothing to do. It was hanging out all the time in the most fun way. I remember sunset walks to the meadow, the Victoria Jamboree St Patrick's Day show, and my going away bar crawl. Oh, and I got my first tattoo! Butter, inspired by Hannah's pizza night print, to represent what I love (butter, and also pizza night and community and Wheeling), and who I am and how I can do whatever the heck I want because I'm 26!! And on March 30, I drove to Virginia to start my new life.
Packing up my desk, showing off my fresh tattoo, and driving back to Stauton
March 2025: Back in Wheeling
It's funny to think if I don't recount all the in between, it would appear almost nothing had changed for me in the last year. I am in Wheeling, living 2 houses down from where I used to, and am signing papers to be an Americorps at Grow Ohio Valley on Monday. But note, I don't think this period will be "Grow Ohio Valley III." This march I have also decided to refrain from alcohol for Lent. I don't know how I will reflect on this month in the future, and what its defining features will be but I know so much has changed in the last year. I own a house gosh darnit! and I am here as a permanent fixture, not as "just an americorps." Maybe this March will be remembered as when my sister and I both didn't have jobs and could just hang out all the time for the first time in 5+ years. Or as the month I finished a lot of major house projects. Or the month I got a job that changed everything for me.....or or or or or.
Selecting paint colors for house projects, and my fully stocked freezer
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