Even though I’ve lived in Vicksburg for three weeks now, this weekend was the first chance I have had to move my furniture into my place. Because of a strange series of events I initially moved into a temporary location so that I could start my job here at The Post. We thought I’d be in my temporary home for one to two months, but I was fortunate to get in my permanent location after one week.

This past week was the only time this summer that both of my parents were off work at the same time considering they coincidentally work on opposite days of the week. We chose to rent a U-Haul on Saturday the Fourth since I didn’t have to work this weekend either.

We packed up my lovely condo in Tuscaloosa and transported it to Vicksburg. Through the rain and humidity we made it in one piece. No tears, no major fights and nothing broken. When moving in the past I have tended to send myself in a stress-induced spiral all the way down until I’m actually physically sick. I have to say it was probably the best moving experience I’ve ever had.

To be honest, I am going to miss my place in Tuscaloosa. It was a cute little condo with updated fixtures and a combination washer dryer in my unit. It had a pool and fitness center in a great location with a spacious parking lot. I had a sweet roommate, who may have scratched my cookware but was still one of the best roommates I could ask for, and now she has to find somewhere else to live because of my leaving.

Let’s face it; the student lifestyle is the greatest. There is always something going on in a college town. Sporting events, a fitness center, a pool, all accessible for just the price of tuition. Not to mention the free food and t-shirts any good student knows how to find.

One more trip to Alabama is still in order. Admittedly, I do have a bit of a hoarding tendency, and I still have a handful of things that need to be retrieved from the condo that is still mine until the lease runs out in three more weeks.

It’s hard to drive away from a place that means so much to me and a place that I could have stayed comfortably; however, growth doesn’t come from being stagnant, and I believe opportunities should not be passed up.

It wasn’t a traditional Independence Day for us. Unfortunately we missed the fireworks and the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, but we did get to eat barbeque and watch the United States women’s national soccer team win the World Cup.

Family, food and cheering US teams to victory. Isn’t that what America is all about anyway?