Everything is different.

It's a new semester.

Brand new classes.

New clinical assignment with a different ATC and a whole bunch of new athletes to get to know. A new setting, new everything.

A new roommate.

A new set of problems.

A new perspective of life.

It's the first semester that I haven't actually auditioned for a technique class, although I will be TA-ing a standard class to keep up on my technique.

Like I mentioned, I have a new clinical assignment this semester. Going into last semester, I knew the athletic training staff that I was working with, I knew a lot about how the training room was run, and I knew many of the dancers. New clinical means new everything. Back to the insane amounts of pre-wrap and white tape. Different sports, lots of kids. 

It is definitely a new year and a new semester. 

Yet there are things that aren't so different.

I have the same friends.

My team is basically the same.

A few of my teachers are the same.

Same group of students in my semester of the athletic training program.

Same desire to help other people and improve myself as an athletic trainer. 

I'm still studying to be an athletic trainer.

Same room-roommate (Jessi is one of my angels), and the majority of my roommates are the same.

Church is at the same time, the same place, and it's the same (more or less) ward. 

There's a mix of the new and the same, and it is good. I am still learning, I am still being challenged. I get to work with athletics in a way that I haven't before. Today is the first day that I will don the typical athletic training uniform - Nike shoes, khaki pants, and a polo. Milestone: Check.

Growth continues. I am learning more and more of what I want out of my life and what I want to do with my life. I am becoming a better Racquel. 

So, take that winter semester and 2016. I'm comin' for ya.