On the Literary Pub Crawl yesterday, the concept of place was so evident and tangible. By being in the

various places that authors and leaders congregated and comingled with their fellow Irishmen, I was able to grasp a better understanding of how their works and actions took shape. The atmosphere contains energized electricity and the slow, calm pull that follows a few beers. This complexity is reflected in the literary work that comes out of Ireland, which the actors so effectively portrayed during the various stops of the pub crawl. While in the pubs, I was able to see the various types of people drinking or simply hanging out with others. There are so many different types of people, but also the same types at every stop along the way. I can understand why some of the pub descriptions can become clichés, but I am also very aware that those characterizations must be from an outsider perspective. The differences in the pubgoers is probably much more evident to those from Ireland, but Dublin specifically. Another great aspect of the pub crawl was being able to experience the various aspects of a Friday night in Dublin. While in the pubs, we saw happy people experiencing and enjoying life. We also were able to see some of the dimmer sides of Dublin, the beggars and those that were a little too drunk. The latter reminded me of the characters from Dubliners, which is interesting since James Joyce wrote in and about many of these pubs. This is probably the most striking reality of the pub crawl, that Dublin is a striking and complex city, with high and low aspects.

One of the first things I noticed about Dublin was the abundance of flowers. On our walk to Blackrock yesterday there were so many front gardens that had rose bushes and trees. Even the weeds lining the transit tracks were beautiful. Earlier that day we visited the Clinton Center at University College Dublin, which was treasure trove of picture opportunities with flowers set against the stone wall background. Then, as we were exploring Dublin, we discovered a book store, which was hosting a book launch. The new book, The Open Gardens of Ireland, literally delves into the gardens around Ireland. After reading a bit of the book last night, it is very obvious that a large portion of this book is about the people behind the gardens. The gardens themselves represent an area of intimacy and power for the gardener, and they have allowed the author and reader to access this space. Through this book, I am becoming an insider in the garden, rather than an outsider looking in. In fact, the author even thanked the owners of the gardens for allowing her access to their gardens, because they are such an intimate space. By entering this space, I now feel a deeper connection to the gardens I will continue to see. There is always a story behind a garden, because they take time and commitment to upkeep, they rarely just occur by happenstance. So, by having a better understanding of some of the gardens, I will be able to appreciate future garden observations even more. And I am so, so thankful that happened upon the book launch. I was just in the really right place at the exact right time.

I find that my childhood is connected very closely to the books I read. I dove into the worlds, became fully consumed by them. During my summers, I spent most of my break with my grandparents, who live in the Blue Ridge mountains. Their home is idyllic, nestled in the valley with a creek trickling past, surrounded by cow pasture and colorful mountains. I would read by the creek, on the porch, out in the pasture- anywhere within earshot of my Papa. When I visit now, I feel a sense of nostalgia for that period of my youth where anything was possible. I was not yet eleven years old, so the potential for my letter from Hogwarts to arrive was tangible. Narnia was the woods past the garden, where the trees grew wily and untamed. As I grew up, I lost some of that imagination. My eleventh birthday came and went, and my love for reading books shifted to a necessity to study books. The mountains, though, retain some of that magic. The trees are still gnarled in a way that invokes images of Hobbits and wizards, and the creek still speaks in that same soothing voice that lulled me to sleep in the bright summer sun. Now, though, the woods are like an old friend. One day, I will sit for a spell and visit with my childhood self. I will again adventure and become enveloped by the worlds that words created, but nature provided the backdrop and setting.

This place also provided a different sort of comfort. My grandparents both are very important to me, but my grandmother occupies a great part of my heart. I feel that we are bits of the same soul (not in the Heathcliff sort of way). Most of my habits that make me feel comfort come from her. I bake and watch crime shows because of her. I stay up way too late because of her. I am the person I am because of her.

There are so many beautiful spots on Georgia State’s campus, but my favorite beyond all others is located at 100 Auburn Avenue. The Honors College is important not only for it’s ideal locale, but also because it has had a profound effect on my studies and life as a whole. The Honors College is a place where I feel welcome and cared for, which is sometimes hard to find on a campus as extensive as Georgia State’s. While I tend to study at the library or at one of the various coffee shops around town, I find that the Honors College is the quietest place to finish assignments or catch up on some leisure reading. Through the Honors College, I was able to receive the Presidential Scholarship. This scholarship is the most profound and influential aspect of my life thus far. Without this scholarship, school would not have been a viable option for me. So, I am extremely indebted to the Honors College, as the Presidential Scholarship has allowed be to grow as a person, pursue my studies, and fulfill the things I never dared to dream- like traveling to Ireland. I also have found some of my best guidance at the Honors College. One of my greatest mentors was also a Presidential Scholar, as are some of my greatest friends. I have found that the people that work in the Honors College are some of my greatest advocates, and they believe in me and my studies even when I have doubts. Above all, the Honors College has provided me a home while at State. A home in the sense that I feel accepted and encouraged, advocated for and always welcome.