I’ve always thought of my life as a book. It’s a quirk of mine I’m still trying to understand. Maybe it’s because I read too many biographies as a kid. Maybe it’s because I’ve always loved writing. Maybe it’s because my initials, R.S.L, almost match up with those of one of my favorite authors, R.L. Stine. Beats me.

But looking back on it, dividing my 20 years into neatly defined chapters would be a pain. I’ve gone to seven schools in three cities, most recently in Evanston, but also in Glenview, Illinois, (my home town) and Burlingame, California. In that time I’ve dabbled in everything from ice skating to improv. I’m a sports-crazed fan who doesn’t have a favorite team, and a journalism major thinking about law school. How’s that for a plot twist?

Now, at the halfway point of my college career, I’m putting Northwestern on hold in order to fulfill a life dream. I’m not sure when the last chapter ended, but I get the feeling a new one’s about to start.