As The Semester Winds Down....

It absolutely blows my mind that I'm 8 days from being HOME and DONE with this semester! It definitely doesn't feel that close, probably because there is SO much that has to be done between now and then! And probably because I literally have not done anything except study it seems like lately. Yesterday I was at Evans studying from 11-4, took a dinner break, and then was at the MedSci Library from 7-2. A VAST majority of that time was spent working on the worst class to ever grace this beautiful campus -- Chemistry. BLECH!!

This next week is essentially devoted to studying. I'm done with classes, and have already taken 2 finals (chemistry lab and my education class). I have 2 finals, an optional final (that I haven't decided if I'm taking yet), and a paper that is standing between me and sweet sweet summertime!

Outside of studying, there are quite a few things that I'm looking forward to between now and when I move home. Tomorrow night I'm going to dinner with Allie and then it's an all praise and worship Breakaway. On Wednesday I'm running in an "Amazing Race" with Katie, Jen, and two other polo girls. The Amazing Race is kinda like a scavenger hunt across campus -- should be fun! On Friday I will take my chemistry final (AHHH!!!), but then as a mini reward for studying all week and surviving that class I have a Cho-Yeh party to go to. It will be the last time that I get to see a lot of the people who aren't going back to camp this summer, so that's kinda sad, but it will be good to just relax and hang out with those sweet friends who I don't get to see nearly enough! Saturday and Sunday will be devoted to studying for my math final on Monday, and writing my part of a group paper that is due on Tuesday. I have an optional final in Geography on Monday too, and so if I decide to take that I will need to study for that too. Essentially, I need a 94 on that final to get an A in the class. The highest I've ever made on her tests are 88's. I'm debating if it's worth taking the final which is known for being harder than a rock and taking away study time from math where I am also borderline A/B. Soooo we shall see. I haven't really decided yet. We will see if I have any brainpower left after chemistry on Friday!

So yes, I take my LAST final of my freshman year on Monday. Then all of Monday I'm packing up my stuff, and then I think Genny and I are spending our last night together being silly and goofy. My parents are coming Tuesday morning to help me load up all of my stuff into 3 vehicles (I've gathered A LOT of stuff....). I have to turn in a paper on Tuesday afternoon and once that is done, I will be heading HOME!!!

I'm excited to be able to relax at home. I'm excited to be able to spend my birthday at home (for the first time in 4 years I won't be having to study for AP tests!!). I'm looking forward to hanging out with Carley and going shopping for a dress to wear for Laura's wedding. I'm making some costumes for camp. I need to pack for camp aswell. I have Laura's bachelorette party weekend. I'm looking forward to many ice-cream dates with Renee. I'm excited to hopefully have time to just relax and not have to going going going going going.

But until then, I'm studying. And spending as much time as possible with these precious friends that I have made here this semester! I forget that everybody else is going home too, and not everybody is from Houston! Jen is from New Mexico. Katie is from San Antonio, but is spending the summer in Tunisia (Northeast Africa). Jana is from Houston, but is going to be getting a real person job after she graduates. It's funny, because these girls have become another "family" to me, and not seeing them for 3 months seems like a REALLY long time!!!

A Mother's Reaction

Before reading this blog, you should read this posting!

My mom called me to give me a much-needed study break from chemistry this afternoon, and was asking me about last night. I told her the full story (although I'm sure she had already read about it...), and couldn't help but laugh at her reaction...

PROUD?

I feel like most parents aren't proud when their daughter goes out on Northgate and hangs out at the bars and dance halls until 2:30 in the morning... I knew that they wouldn't be mad or disappointed, but I don't think "proud" was the reaction I was expecting that they would have.

I texted Jen, Jana and Katie and told them that my mom was proud of me for going out, and they couldn't believe it. Jen replied back "haha, I'm glad your mom approves of us making you stay out until 3am at bars!"

Oh goodness!

GIRLS NIGHT!!!

Last weekend when Jen, Katie and I were driving back to College Station, we were discussing how we all need to hang out more outside of the pool. Now that water polo is over with, we all had a bit more time to do just that!

At some point on the drive back, Jen found out that I had never been out on Northgate and so decided that she was going to be responsible for fixing that.

Northgate is the strip off of campus that has all of the College Station nightlife. There are several bars and dance halls, and is typically known for just holding all of the drunken college students at nights. Just the words “Northgate” makes me nervous, because that is not the atmosphere that I feel comfortable in. I would rather have a movie night and go to bed super early than even think about going out on Northgate. I know that some of my friends drink, and I don’t want to see them get completely wasted and then me think differently about them.

When Jen brought up that we should get a group of polo girls to have a girls night and go to Northgate, I tried to talk my way out of it as fast as I could, but eventually agreed. All week it was the talk of the polo team, and all week I just got more nervous. I knew that Katie didn’t drink, and that a couple of the other girls weren’t 21 yet either. I told Katie how completely nervous I was early on in the week, and she promised me that she wouldn’t leave my side and the second that I felt uncomfortable she would leave with me. I agreed that I would go, and tried to force myself to be as excited as the other girls were.

I am learning this semester that sometimes you have to go out with friends just for the friends, not because you particularly want to do what they are doing. This goes with movies, dinner plans, etc. And every time, even though I’m not thrilled about the activity option, I always have a blast when I do hang out with friends, and so I was hoping this would be the same way.

So last night (after texting other girls because I had no idea what I was supposed to wear or bring when going out on NG), I kinda got dressed up, and looked semi cute for the first time nearly all semester. Katie and I drove over to Jen’s apartment where we were meeting the rest of the group, having no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

Kimbre (polo freshman) was already there when we got there. Jana had called Jen quickly after saying that she had to run home to get lemons and that she and Emily (her roommate that hangs out with us a bunch) would be back in a bit. I didn’t even want to know what those were for. When Jana got back she came in with a couple bottles of alcohol, and I was like “oh great… they are planning on drinking before we even go out!” Katie must have been able to tell that I had begun to minorly freak out, and reminded me to take a deep breath. It was going to be okay.

Jana surprised me by pulling out two cans of lemonade and tossing one to Katie and I while saying “don’t think I forgot about y’all! I brought something that y’all could enjoy too”. I smiled, and for the first time all night thought that maybe this would go okay.

Jana offered Kimbre a shot and Kimbre tried but couldn’t manage to drink anything but a sip of it. The rest of the group took one, and Katie and I got a kick out of their faces. Supposedly it was supposed to taste like birthday cake and chocolate… but from the look on their faces it didn’t taste like that AT all!

After that, we decided it was time to head over to NG. Jen lives right behind it, so we were able to walk there and not have to drive (which made me really happy!!). Supposedly it was early still (it was 11:30….) and so we walked through some bars. Jen, Jana and Emily took two more shots, while Kimbre, Katie and I just laughed. I loved just watching people! The most interesting people were there! Another girl from the polo team and her roommate met up with us, and so being in a group with 7 other girls, I felt completely at ease. The camp counselor side of me definitely kicked in and I was doing headcounts and making sure I knew where everybody in our group was all night.

After walking through some of the bars, the group tried to teach Katie and I about all of the bars and the different atmospheres, “just in case we ever wanted to know”. Luckily, we skipped the gay bar! PHEW!

We ended up at Daisy Dukes, a dance hall that plays 5 country songs and then 5 rap/pop/i-don’t-know-what-to-call-it songs. I got asked to dance on a couple of the country songs, and I picked up two stepping fairly fast! When one guy asked me how much I had had to drink and I replied “Nothing, it’s just not my thing”, and swung me out and walked the other direction, I laughed as I walked back to my friends. Katie and I were experts at finding the most awkward ways to dance to songs that didn’t involved dirty dancing, and it was fun to just laugh and be goofy with them. Emily wasn’t a huge dancer, and neither am I, and so we would tend to sit off to the side and watch everybody else. People watching is so entertaining! Before we knew it, the last song of the night was playing – it was 2:30 in the morning!!

I was so glad that Jen, Jana and Emily didn’t drink too much that night. They acted like themselves all night and didn’t go crazy. It very well could have been just because they knew how uncomfortable I am with alcohol and how uneasy I was about being on Northgate – but whatever the reason, I was relieved they only drank a bit. We went back to Jen’s, and then Katie and I took Emily and Jana home. I’m sure they could have drove themselves, but when I asked if they would ride with me, they knew it would make me feel better and didn’t even argue.

I got back to my dorm around 3 and was shocked to find so many open parking spots… guess a lot of people were still out! I immediately ran through the shower because I REAKED , and then climbed into bed. Overall, it wasn’t a bad night! I had more fun that I was anticipating, and I realized that you can have a good time even in those situations. It is possible to have fun on Northgate and be completely sober. It is okay to have friends that drink, especially when they know their limits. It definitely helped being in a group of girls, and being able to use the line “GIRLS NIGHT!” when a guy wanted to dance and you didn’t want to.

Would I go back again? I think I would, depending on the group of girls. I love these so much, that even if they would have drank too much, I would have rather been there knowing I could drive them home. Overall, not a bad night! Now off to study for the rest of today!

"You Make Me Proud"

I am a people-pleaser through and through. I never want to disappoint anybody and never want to let anybody down. Sometimes I am too hard on myself because of this, and I stretch myself thin to where I'm just constantly exhausted.

I am always a person who thrives off of encouragement. When I took the 5 Love Languages quiz (highly suggest this!), my top 2 were physical touch and words of encouragement - absolutely no surprise!

When somebody takes the time out of their day to send me a quick bit of encouragement, it absolutely makes my day. Luckily I'm blessed to have Carley and Laura - two brilliant friends who are incredible at providing me that!

Oftentimes we are too busy and running too ragged in order to take the time to pause and tell somebody that we are proud of them. We don't think it matters, or we think that they already know that we are proud of them. You know what though? Sometimes a person just needs to hear that. People need to hear that we are proud of them, that we appreciate them, that they are valued and treasured, and that they are doing a great job. People thrive off of that. It really doesn't take too long in order to send a quick message of encouragement, and it so often makes that person's day. It is worth the 2 minutes it takes to send it.

I had a friend who graduated from A&M last year who played water polo and also worked at camp. For several years I looked up to her and wanted to be just like her. I would go to tournaments to watch her play, and would always meet up with her for lunch when she was home from school. I was slightly disappointed that we wouldn't ever get to play together, but was so excited to be a part of something that she talked so highly about and loved so much. She came to watch us play water polo last weekend, and it was so good to see her! A few days after the tournament she just simply told me that she loved watching me play and that she was proud of me. It MADE my day. She was the girl who encouraged me to stick polo out last semester when I wanted so bad to quit. When she said that she was proud, I know it meant more than for just playing decently that weekend. It was for diving into polo and getting involved, for finding friends in a group that I previously would have been wary of. For embracing new experiences, but sticking to what I believed in.

Not nearly enough in life do we let people know that we are proud of them or that we appreciate them. We say "thank you" when somebody helps us out at work, but those words are often emotionless and just polite. Take the time to let somebody know that you do appreciate them and that they are valued in this life. Life is all about relationships -- we have to foster the ones that we have! Don't hesitate to tell somebody you are proud of them - it just might make their day!

Learn Something New Everyday

You would think with finals just around the corner that the things I would be learning would be revolving around chemistry, geography, math, multicultural education, and english. Well -- although I did (hopefully) learn a lot of chemistry last night at MedSci, I also learned a new random fact!

I met Emily at Evans last night at 7:30 to rework old chem lab quizzes before our final that is this afternoon. Then at 10 I drove over to MedSci to meet Jana, and worked on chem lab and regular chemistry from 10:20 until about 1:50, at which point I began to pack up my stuff. Jana was packing up too, knowing that the library closes at 2. What I did not know though, was how do they actually enforce the closing rule? Because I know some people were really in the zone studying, and probably weren't paying attention to the clock. (One of my all time biggest fears after hearing this happen to a friend is getting stuck in the library when it's not open). So how do they let everybody know it's time to leave? They flicker the lights!

For some reason, I thought that was THE coolest thing ever. Maybe because I was overwhelmed with chemistry by that point. Maybe because I was up until 2 the night before. Maybe because I was delirious. I don't really know but it was stinking cool!

Guess you really do learn something new everyday!

The Magical World of MedSci

To say today was stressful is a vast understatement. Three different teachers found ways to make me uber frustrated and irritated through their comments (example: "I am teaching perfectly fine, you guys just don't know how to learn"). I had class from 8-12:30, came back for lunch, then was studying from 1-5. Left at 5 to go to a math review session, was back around 7, and then did math homework until 8. I made a quick run to Target for essentials like toothpaste and shampoo that I have been running very low on. I headed over to Breakaway which was amazing as usual, and then I met Jana at MedSci.


For me to study, I have to be "in the zone". I used to LOVE studying at Evans Library, but I find that when I study by myself I tend to get distracted a lot more. Emily (freshman, elementary ed major) and I are great study buddies (even when we aren't studying the same thing, we keep each other focused), but she works until 6, and then goes to bed by 10 so on nights like tonight where I had places I had to be, studying doesn't necessarily work. I have surprised myself to find that I actually do get a lot done at night, but I'm just not good at keeping myself awake. So when Jana asked me to meet her at MedSci tonight to study, I decided it would be worth a shot.

First of all, MedSci is short for Medical Science Library. Yeah, I know, sounds like a place filled with extremely smart people. It's out on West Campus so I drove over there after Breakaway and got there around 10:30. I didn't realize how late it had gotten because I was being SO productive! Jana and I were great study buddies, we both stayed focused, but also got to enjoy each other's company.

I was able to review 5 chapters for my geography test in the morning, finish a math homework, read and annotate an education article, review 4 labs for my lab final Thursday, create a "I don't know this information" list for said lab final, and read over/begin to understand what I'm supposed to be learning in chemistry! It was WONDERFUL! At one point Jana got up to go grab a drink and when I looked at my phone it was 12:58... whoops! The library was open until 2, but I was feeling pretty accomplished and could feel the tiredness kicking in. I was so proud of myself for all that I got done in the magical world of MedSci!

I drove back to my side of campus, ate a quick dinner (yep, somehow missed that tonight), and made sure everything is in order for registration for Fall 2012 classes tomorrow morning.

It was a crazy day, but I feel like I got SO much done tonight that it was definitely worth it!!

Good Thing Horses Don't Have Skin!

Just because I NEVER want to forget this conversation!

Prof: "Wow! How did you get so sunburnt?"
Me: "I had a water polo tournament this weekend that was outside"
Prof: "Good thing the horses don't have skin so that they cannot get burnt!"

Uhh.... gotta love people that are too smart for their own good!

Blessed Weekend

To me, college is about more than just classes and GPA. It's about more than winning conference and getting a national bid. It's about more than graduating so that I can have my own classroom. It's about more than living on my own and growing up.

To me, college is all about the relationships that you make. And that is something that I have definitely been blessed enough to have found this semester! My polo team is absolutely wonderful, and I am so lucky to have found these friendships where I can be me - hyper, sassy, silly, goofy, clumsy, weird, and crazy - and that is perfectly okay. I don't have to be "sane". I am loved for being sarcastic, for being innocent, for saying things that I didn't think about before they came out of my mouth. These girls love me for ME and I couldn't ask for anything else.

After our last game today (our last game for the season), I got super emotional for a bit, realizing that one of the girls that made me fall in love with this polo team is graduating this semester and won't be playing with us next year. Graduation is always a bittersweet time, but I have never been this upset about a senior leaving. Jana and I spend numerous hours a week sassing each other and being our absolute ridiculous selves, and she always finds a way to make me smile everyday.

These are the relationships that I will treasure forever. These are the friends that I may go a while without talking to, but I know will never leave my life. Grades, GPA, extracurriculars, graduation... yes those are important. But nothing is more important than the relationships that you will make and treasure forever!!

From L-R

Jana ('12), Jen ('13), Katie ('14), Kylie ('15)

Polo Funsies

I feel like water polo has been ROCKING my world recently! This afternoon I found out that I was mentioned in the CWPA (College Water Polo Association) magazine for this semester, and was one of the five freshman out of all of Texas listed! AH! I'm so excited!!

This weekend we are playing in the conference championship tournament in Houston, and hopefully winning the entire thing and getting a bid to go play in FLORIDA at Nationals! Not only am I excited to play, I am so looking forward to hanging out with these girls and just being ourselves. Katie and Jen are staying with me, and we have been so stoked for this weekend all week. Not only are we excited to roadtrip to Houston tonight together, but spend the entire weekend being our silly goofy selves! I love these girls so much, and they are two of the most amazing ladies I have met since moving to College Station in the fall. I am SO blessed to have them in my life, and I am excited for my family to get to know the crazy girls I spend so much time with!

This weekend is going to be so much fun, and the icing on the cake will be when we BTHO Texas on Sunday!! :)

Just Read This: A Professor and A Student

Just read this conversation. It has been flying around facebook wildly, but it is SO good that it is worth reading!!

"Professor : You are a Christian, aren’t you, son ?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Professor : Is GOD good ?

Student : Sure.

Professor: Is GOD all powerful ?

Student : Yes.

Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent.)

Professor: You can’t answer, can you ? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Is satan good ?

Student : No.

Professor: Where does satan come from ?

Student : From … GOD …

Professor: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Professor: So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer.)

Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, who created them ?

(Student had no answer.)

Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?

Student : No, sir.

Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?

Student : No , sir.

Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smelt your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.

Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Professor: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Professor: Yes.

Student : No, sir. There isn’t.

(The lecture theater became very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?

Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, well you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?

Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.

Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class was in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?

(The class broke out into laughter. )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Professor: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it sir … Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.

P.S.

I believe you have enjoyed the conversation. And if so, you’ll probably want your friends / colleagues to enjoy the same, won’t you?

Forward this to increase their knowledge … or FAITH.

By the way, that student was EINSTEIN."

Fall 2012: Honduras?

For a few hours today I was seriously considering going to Honduras and working at the orphanage for the Fall 2012 semester!

As of right now, only 2 of the 6 classes that I am supposed to take in the fall are actual possibilities. That sure sounds promising! Registering for classes is seriously the most stressful part of the school year I think, and finals are a close second. Yes. Registering is more stressful than finals. Isn't that RIDICULOUS?

I can only get into the math and biology that I need to get into. Somehow the biology lab is full, even though the class itself has over 200 open seats left. The comm class is completely full, and we are still in the middle of senior registration. 2 different reading classes have requirements that you have to be a sophomore to get into. Which technically after this semester I will be a sophomore, but because I haven't finished this semester yet A&M doesn't let me register for sophomore classes. Makes total sense... not.

So as of right now, I'm only taking math and biology in the fall! That sounds like lots of fun. Let's hope when I talk to my advisor she has some genius solution! Because, my alternative is to take the fall off and volunteer in an orphanage. (No parents, I won't ACTUALLY do that... although I really wish I could! Sounds a lot nicer than trying to get into these stinking classes!!)

The Little Things

One thing that has been repeatedly shown to me today is that it is the little things in life that matter the most. It's the goofy text messages where Kevin and I compare physics to cake. It's taking the few extra minutes to catch up with a friend. It's walking around the pool deck dancing to a song that is in your head. It's surviving a brutal "get out" swim set with added push-ups. It's managing to do said pushups on a wet pool deck without falling on your face. It's fitting the entire team in one shower even though there are several open. It's laying in the locker room just relaxing as a team. It's icing a cake with lab partners and purposely messing up some icing so that you have a reason to eat it. It's your roommate bringing you back a pizza roll from Gumby's.

There are so many things in our ordinary life that seem so mundane. When you view life only in that way, it seems boring, dreary and uneventful. But when you take note of all of the little things, you will see that life really is special. It's the little things in life that really matter, embrace them and see how your perspective changes!

Hold Up A Second...

Hold up a second, I actually PASSED a chemistry test before the curve! I didn't think this was possible!! This hasn't happened all semester (I really despise chemistry, if that wasn't evident before), and although I felt fairly confident after the test, I was SURE I had made enough stupid mistakes that I would still manage to find a way to not pass until the curve was added. But NOOPPPEEE! 83 BEFORE the curve, and somehow a B average in that class! I know, I know, I don't believe it either!

Polo Family :)

It's official, I'm crazy in love with my polo team! It's weird to think that I have known these 17 girls for EIGHT entire months already! Granted I spent the first 3ish months dreading practices and convincing myself that I did not fit in with the team. Now I think I'm absolutely ridiculous for wasting those 3 beautiful months!

We only spend 15ish hours together a week... no biggie right? WRONG! These girls are amazing. It is kinda funny how it worked out. There are 3 other girls that I have gotten super close to, and we call ourselves a "family". It's ironic because all four of us are as far from sorority girls as you can imagine, but yet we are all in different grades, so if our polo team was a sorority, we would have made up a "family". Jana, Jen, Katie and I. We all laugh a little bit too loud (well, Jana cackles, Jen giggles, Katie snorts, and I squeak when I laugh), we all love to be silly and goofy, we all enjoy picking on each other and being sassy. We always procrastinate getting in the pool, and can never take guarding each other seriously. It's the best!

This weekend we had a polo tournament in College Station. On Saturday we beat Rice and Texas Tech, and then on Sunday we lost to Texas but ended the weekend beating Texas State. We are going into the championship tournament in Houston this upcoming weekend with a 2nd seed, although we are fully planning on coming out with a win over Texas to win the tournament! It's SO stinking bitter sweet though, I'm not ready for this season to be over!!!

"I Statements" Challenge

Challenge: Complete the blanks! Be real, be you, be truthful.

I was... still up at 3 AM this morning, thank you chemistry
I am... loud, silly, hyper, and clumsy - and love that about myself
I think... that adoption is one of the most beautiful acts ever
I wonder... what it would be like to have the opportunity to teach in an orphanage in a 3rd world country
I wish... that everybody could find happiness and peace through our Savior
I save... memories
I always... tend to laugh way too loud
I can't imagine... not spending a summer at camp
I believe... that everybody deserves to be loved
I promise... to be myself, regardless of what other people think of me.
I love... my family and friends more than they can imagine!

Looking Back

Can I just say that I absolutely LOVE that I am keeping up with Project Life? Genny and I sat down tonight and looked through all of my pictures from the last 3 months, and laughed over some of the crazy things that have happened since we are living together. There are little things in there, such as my first midnight premiere, literally running through an airport, precious notes from friends, and the newest iPhone app. Little things that I might not remember, but now will always have a picture and a tad bit of journaling to remember it by. I have only been doing this for 3 months and absolutely treasure the memories that I have preserved for a lifetime. I can't wait to see how many memories Project Life holds after 6 months or a year, or even after several years. I love this!

SHOW Love.

**Warning: This is going to be an explosion of words just so that I can get this thought down. Maybe some fine tuning will come in later? Probably not though**

 Love is a demonstration. A sacrifice. Something to be treasured. A gift. Love is an action. So often though, we fail miserably to show love. It's SO easy to tell people we love them. Our parents, our friends. In college, that phrase is used quite often with friends... "Bye! Love you!" or "Goodnight, love you, talk to you tomorrow!" or "I'm here if you need anything, remember I love you!" SO easy to say. But how often do we ACT on that word? Do we SHOW people we love them?

 This is something I am challenging myself with this week. To SHOW love to people. To do something that I might not normally in order to show these people that I love them. It doesn't take much, it doesn't have to cost money, just show them love.

 Here's my story from today. I was sitting in the commons "studying" for chemistry (aka: reading but not really absorbing anything) when a girl from my polo team came up and slouched down on the couch next to me. No offense to her, but she looked horrible. I knew she had been sick the week prior, and asked her how she was doing. She explained to me that she had just gotten back from the doctor who had absolutely NO answers to why she was still sick, and had given her her 6th and 7th prescriptions for whatever she was fighting. She told me that she had to go drive to CVS to get her prescriptions filled, and I suggested that I would take her. Heck, nobody who is on that much medicine who looks like they could fall over at any second should be operating a car. Heck no techno! I drove her to CVS, went over to McDonalds to get some ice cream and study until her prescriptions were ready. It took a grand total of maybe an hour and a half. I was able to talk with her and take care of her for a little bit, and SHOW her that I loved her.

 If you have never read the 5 Love Languages, or taken the quiz online, I highly suggest it. Everybody feels loved in a different way. Therefore, people have to be shown love in a different way too. Take the time to learn how the people closest to you feel loved, them go out of your way to SHOW that love to them. You never know, it may make their day, and I wouldn't doubt that it may make yours too. Try it! SHOW those close to you that you love them, don't just tell them, SHOW IT!

Typical Comments: Take 2?

Lauren: "WOAH, what did you just say?"
*Polo team starts cracking up*
Me: "I didn't mean it like that! I promise I don't think that way!!"
Lauren: "Uh-huh. You just had us all fooled into thinking you were the innocent one on the team! I see how it is..."

"Please tell me that isn't your dinner..." (as I eat peanut butter M&M's before Breakaway)

"You are fully aware that I am NOT letting you walk back to your dorm right now. Yes, I know it isn't raining, but have you LOOKED up at the sky? Quit being stubborn, you don't have an option here. Get in the car."

"You did what? Please tell me you didn't... You told a professor YOUR view of things, and you got bonus points? I don't understand."

"I realize that she is twice your size, but get your hips up and don't let her get the ball!"

"There's a popcorn bag in our trashcan, but our room doesn't smell. Did you find a way to get rid of the burnt popcorn smell, or did you actually manage to not burn the popcorn?"

"How many washers did you use today? SIX? Oh my, no wonder your clothing choices were rather interesting this week, you were out of normal clothes!"

Emily: "Why does it look like you peed your pants?"
Me: "Oh, I sat on a bench and it was wet"
Emily: "And you didn't go change?"
Me: "Nope. Anybody who knows me will believe that I did such a ridiculous thing, and those who don't know me will just think I'm weird. And that doesn't bother me!"
Emily: "but I have to walk with you... you should wear your backpack super low like a gangster"
*As we proceed to walk across campus with our backpacks sagged and talking "like a G, yo" to each other until we got to our dorms*

They have a book entitled "Kids Say the Darndest Things"... I really think I should make my own rendition :)

Typical Comments

Just a few of the comments that I have heard in the past 2 days that make me laugh SO hard because they are very true and typical of me... they describe me pretty well! (And were all said by my sweet and loving friends, who just like to pick on me a teensy bit...)

"You are such a perfectionist, and yet your hair always looks like you just survived a category 5 hurricane..."

"You are the pickiest eater ever!"

"Are you really going to eat that plain?" (references hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken strips, hot dogs, deli sandwiches, pasta, etc)

"Now look who is the messier roommate! HAH!" (only said immediately after Genny cleans her side of our dorm)

"Are you really going to bed right now?"

"What is that ringtone? Is that even a song?"

"Didn't you ever learn how to match your clothes? That doesn't match at all... and yet you don't seem to care whatsoever"

"That is totally cheating! If a ref was here that would've been a kick out for sure!"

"It is 3 in the morning.. What the heck are you doing up? GO BACK TO BED!!!"

"That little kid is SO cute! I want to take him/her home with me!" (said about every little kid that is ever on campus...)

The list could go on and on... :) welcome to the life of a college kid who just happens to have friends, teammates, and a roommate who likes to make fun of me a little bit!

Project Life: March

It's already APRIL! Isn't that crazy? March was filled with so much -- Spring Break, Big Event, Projects, Friends, Polo Events, Family Time, and so much more! Here is a snapshot of my March in pictures (I am missing two or three days in March in pictures b/c either they are on a friend's camera and I'm waiting for them to get uploaded to facebook, or because I have physical memorbilia instead of pictures for that day), enjoy seeing what this past month looked like for me!