First, let me introduce myself. My name is Siera Lunn, and I am a rising junior from Waxhaw, North Carolina. I have been in Orange County, California for a week, and throughout my brief time here, I have had the opportunity to eat delicious desserts, travel to 3 different beaches, dine at various restaurants, and visit the Aquarium of the Pacific.
Upon arriving in Orange County, we settled into our dorms at California State University, Fullerton and went grocery shopping at Target. It was challenging for me to decide the food items that I should purchase because I rarely cook at home and have never cooked at Duke due to an excess of food points. I found myself calling my mom to ask for advice on what I should buy, and when it was time to check out, I felt as if I had gotten little to nothing to cook over the next few weeks. Once I viewed the total amount that I had spent at Target, I realized that I have much to learn about being an adult. It seems that I will be learning more than I thought during my DukeEngage program such as how to budget, to cook, and to provide for myself.
My favorite excursion so far has been our trip to Laguna Beach. The beauty of the rolling mountains touching the beach was a shocking, stunning view for me because on the East Coast the mountains and the beach are consistently separated by hundreds of miles. It was amazing to explore the marine reserve that was located at Laguna Beach. As we walked back to the van, from the beach, we got gelato from Gelato Paradiso. It was my first gelato experience, and I was extremely pleased. This past week has made me excited for what is to come. I look forward to the places I will go, the relationships I will build, and the desserts I will eat throughout the following two months!