The Last Week Before Spring Break & My 20th Birthday - Week 27

The last week before spring break has come and gone, and with it, the dorms have already closed. It feels like the semester is moving fast, but the biggest highlight of the week was celebrating my 20th birthday—something I will remember for a long time.

At the start of the week, things felt pretty normal. Monday through Thursday were just routine days. I went to my classes, finished up assignments, and stayed on top of things, but nothing really stood out. It was that kind of week where you’re just counting down the days until something more exciting happens. With spring break approaching, campus started feeling emptier, and a lot of people were already making plans to leave.

Then came Friday, and things took an unexpected turn. Since many students were heading home for break, several of my classes were canceled, which gave me a pretty slow and relaxed start to the day. I wasn’t expecting anything special—just another quiet day before break officially started.

In the afternoon, I was walking back from the B-room and went to look for a printer, not thinking much of it. But when I stepped into a dark room, I suddenly found myself surrounded by people. For a split second, I was confused—what was going on? Then it hit me: this was a surprise party… for me! I was completely caught off guard. My closest friends here at Wheeling had secretly planned everything, and to my pleaseant surprise, my beloved girlfriend(who I miss very much) back home in Sweden had helped organize it. It was humbling to see how much effort they had put into making it happen. And the best part? I had absolutely no idea. They had apparently been working on this for a while, keeping everything a secret, and I never even suspected a thing.

Even though my birthday is technically on the saturday, they decided to celebrate a day early since most people were leaving for break. It worked out perfectly, and I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate. After the party, I headed down to one of the senior apartments, where the night continued with more socializing, laughter, and good vibes all around.

One of the most meaningful moments came when I received a gift from the team—something that truly made me feel at home here. They had gotten me a Swedish flag, which now hangs in the pool. It was such a thoughtful gesture, and seeing it up there is a reminder of how lucky I am to have such great teammates. It means a lot to have a piece of home with me, even while being so far away.

The next day, March 1st, marked the official start of spring break and my birthday, and we kicked it off with a competitive game of Monopoly. What was supposed to be a casual game turned into a full-on battle that lasted over four hours. Everyone was determined to win, and the strategies got intense. In the end, my roommate managed to pull off the victory, but it was a close enough game.

Looking back, this week started off slow, but it ended on such a high note. The surprise party, spending time with friends, and starting spring break with a fun game night made it a week to remember. Now, with break officially here, I’m looking forward to some time to relax, recharge, and maybe even catch up on some work before things pick up again.