SJI Family

I realize that yesterday I already wrote a pretty sentimental post about what I had learned and my overall thoughts of the SJI program, but today, going to Pass-a-Grille Beach made me appreciate the experience all the more. After a very long week of deadlines, seminars, phone conferences, and Sports Checks, we were all pretty ready to let loose and relax. It was great being able to just hang out with everyone in a casual setting and talk about everything--most of it was about sports, unsurprisingly. We learned a lot about each other, and I know that I'm leaving St. Petersburg with a new set of very close friends. They are people I know I can contact if I have any questions about my internship or just want to talk with someone who shares the same experiences, feelings, and goals with me. That's really such a great aspect of the program, that we arrive not knowing a single person and leave with a new network of people and a new "family." I'm really sad the program is over. It's been a really long (in the beginning) and short (toward the end) week (plus some days), but SJI never ends. I'll take away everything I learned and all the friendships and mentors I've made, and carry that on for my future.