14 going on 15

my best friend of 14.5 years and I. :D Life would be so much easier if we were geographically closer, but it's all good the way it is. It would just be nice if I could see her more than once a year or every other year. :(

I miss this. We need enough snow for me to go out and play in and act like a 5 year old. :)

A picture a day...

Soooo I'm debating doing that whole Project 365 thing, where I take a picture a day and post it here. I take enough pictures, I certainly can do it. And I really like how Sarah's is turning out. Who said a blog had to be all words anyway? A picture is worth a 1000 words.

Should I?

I hate this point of the semester

aofiukaewrfpoiuahfmsaldfkj

That is probably what my brain would look like right now if you were to cut my head open to examine it. End of the semester=so much to do, not enough time to do it...assuming I want to sleep. Ha.

On a completely unrelated note. London and Paris. Spring Break. Who is with me? :D

I am thankful for...

God. Family (more than one in some cases). Friends. My residents. My co-workers. The opportunity to have an education. The fact that I have a job. A roof over my head. Food on the table. Clothes on my back. Shoes on my feet. Internet access. And a heck of a lot more. Happy thanksgiving everyone!

Dear Professors...

Dear WKU Professors,

I think that you fail to realize the term of the meaning "break." The word break is defined by Merriam Webster as "to interrupt one's activity or occupation for a brief period." This implies that our 5 day weekend for Thanksgiving is an interruption of school. Therefore, school should not have to come home with us. Planning for assignments to be due the week after said "break" does not aid in making a break enjoyable. 3 papers. 2 presentations for 2 of those papers. And a web page. All due with a week or a week and a half of break being over. In the future, please plan this better. I would like to be able to enjoy some time off for once.

Sincerely,
Disgruntled Hilltopper

Stuff like this makes me smile when I get back to my room after classes.


On a different note, I am ready for homecoming to be over. Working it...not fun. Tonight was slightly insane at the desk. I can't even begin to imagine what tomorrow is going to be like. >.<


On a completely unreleated note, 293 days. <3

<3 fall. :-)

change of plans

Now it's actually 308 days until I study abroad, because I am a very impatient person and refuse to wait until Spring of 2011 to do this. :p

Anyone know where I can find scholarships?

469 days

So, sometimes I forget that I have a blog. I realize that I need a way to remind myself to update this every so often with something interesting that is going on in my life. Lord knows that there is plenty of interesting going around right now. :p

One of those interesting things right now is what is potentially happening in 469 days. And yes, I am actually counting already. There is a study abroad opportunity called Semester at Sea. The name says it all. It's a college semester...on a ship. Sailing around the world. 11 different countries. 3 months. Need I say more?

Originally I didn't think I was going to get to do this particular study abroad program solely because of how much it costs. Well, that misconception flew out the window in about 10 minutes at WKU's study abroad fair yesterday when I stopped by the SAS table (this was after I learned that all my loans from WKU could apply to the program, but even then I had my doubts about how I would come up with the rest of the money...). That's when I learned that there are scholarships that I qualify for already based on my GPA and the fact that I already have leadership experience. What really made me dance (and I mean literally dance...I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning) was the fact that since I am an RA on campus here, that I qualify to be a RA on the ship for work study, which knocks off some more off of the overall cost.

I can't even begin to describe how excited I am about this opportunity...I haven't even applied yet, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the way I act about this--you'd think I was already accepted and leaving this coming January instead of January 2011.

As of right now the voyage I am looking at sails from January 28, 2011, to May 12, 2011.

The itinerary:

Nassau, Bahamas

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Salvador, Brazil

Tema/Accra, Ghana

Cape Town, South Africa

Port Louis, Mauritius (does anyone know where that is? I sure don't)

Chennai, India

Singapore

Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

Hong Kong/Shanghai, China

Kobe/Yokohama, Japan

Honolulu/Hilo, Hawaii

San Diego, California

:D

Vacation's all I ever wanted...

I used to look forward to summer. Well, between like 4th grade and the end of high school I did. Before 4th grade I would get really upset when I would be out of school. Yes, I know, I'm a nerd. I've come to accept that.

But since I started college, summer has kind of lost its appeal. After about a month I was ready to go back to school.

*sigh* 2 and a half more weeks. Only 2 and a half more weeks. I am so ready to be back into the swing of things and be busy again...

La la la.

SO. Sunday my knee decided to start hurting. For no good reason. I mean, I tore a ligament in 5th grade and it occassionally bothers me now and then, but not like this. I am convinced that it hates me. Lucky me gets to go see an orthopedist in the morning.

In other news, I am officially sick of summer. Oh the woes of not having a summer job. *sigh* Good news is that I move in for RA training on August 14, and get paid for training and MASTER plan! Woo hoo! Bad news is that the check covering those 2 weeks wont get to me until like September. Oh well.

A year ago

A year ago was the beginning of my adventures in Europe. I really miss last summer. I really miss Europe. I am not exactly sure what my fascination is with Europe, but I absolutely love it, and I can't wait to go back. I really hope that I get to do my semester in England in 2011.

Europe=<3

This is Portnoy. We got her when I was 1 year old. She's old for a cat. 18 years doesn't seem like a long time, but for a cat it is. She was put down earlier today, sometime this afternoon. She was old. She had arthritis, kidney failure, an upper respiratory something that just wouldn't go away, and we THINK her eyesight was going. It wasn't really fair to keep her alive and make her suffer.

I keep telling myself that she feels better now, that she is back with Blondie (our cat who died when I was 7), that she can cuddle with my great aunt and my great grandma, just like she cuddled with me and my mom. I keep telling myself all of this, but I don't feel any better. We still have 2 cats, but I feel like there's a hole here at home. I guess that's because she's a part of our family, and that she has been there for as long as I can remember. I know I'll be okay in a day or two, but I just can't shake the knot that is in my stomach right now.

Woo hoo!

I got a job interview! Yay me! Granted, it's only for two months, and I might to come home like once a month to work like a day to KEEP said job, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

In other news, I started planning for my vacation post graduation. Yeah, it's 3 years away, but it's going to cost a pretty penny or two. Right now it looks like it's going to be New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, then home for a little bit before jetting to Greece for 2 weeks. Greece may happen earlier. But I'm stoked. I figure do something kind of big before I have to hit the real world and an 8 to 4 or 9 to 5 job. LOL. My ideal job would be something that would pay me to travel and have fun. But, if I can't find that, I'll settle for Washington DC. :-) But, like I said, I still have like 2 and a half or 3 years before I even have to start thinking about that kind of stuff. But there's nothing wrong with planning ahead....

I went to an Elvis Costello concert with my dad tonight. It was his fathers day present and we both enjoyed it. Not going to lie, it kind of surprised me to see people my age there, and a few younger kids. Granted, the younger kids were probably with their parents, but still they were there. It makes me happy knowing that kids have some taste in music and don't all listen to the garbled gook (rap)...

Okay, okay, I realize it's been a month since I wrote last, but in my defense, those last few weeks of school were a bit insane. Between studying and reading and cleaning and packing I don't think I thought much about anything outside of school. Now, I'm just looking left, right, up, down and every which way for a job. It's insane. Places that claim to be hiring aren't really hiring--they are just taking applications. The movie theater, which is always hiring, is on a hiring freeze. It's kind of starting to stress me out.

I need a vacation. It's been almost a year since I went to Europe. That's kind of crazy to me. Where did the time go? I want to go back. As of right now, that wont be until 2011 when I do my study abroad in England...*sigh*

Here's to the nights that became mornings, and to the friends who became family

Last night got me thinking. Specifically, our last floor meeting about close down and packing up my room has gotten me to thinking. I am almost done with my first year of college. As cliche as this is going to sound, it HONESTLY feels like it was only yesterday that I was moving in before H4 and totally freaking out. It feels like only yesterday that I was going through MASTER plan and freaking out and wanting to go home. That first weekend before school I wanted nothing more than to go home, back to what I knew, back to where I was comfortable. All that has changed now. I go home, and after a day I am ready to be back at school

As much as I LOVE the comforts of home, and as badly as I want to go home and enjoy my summer (I use the term enjoy lightly...), part of me yearns to stay behind. My friends have become my family when my biological family can't be with me. WKU has become my home away from home. I can guarantee you that in 2 weeks I'll be having a really bad case of "I miss my friends!!!!" I won't necessarily miss going to classes. I won't miss the massive amounts of reading and homework. I won't miss having to make it up the hill on time. But I will miss late night Steak and Shake and Waffle House runs. I will miss staying up ridiculously late just because I can. I'll miss homework parties in the hall. I'll miss my friends. Part of me will even miss the insanity that the 5th floor always seemed to cause.

But at the same time, I am kind of scared for next year. I wont be in Minton. I wont be in Bates. I wont be with the honors kids. I'll be a Resident Assistant in PFT. Don't get me wrong, I am VERY excited about it (I practically skipped out of the new staff meeting Wednesday night because I am so excited). I'm freaking out because I don't know what it's like down there. For right now, I am going off of what people have said. So from what I have heard it's not going to be too bad.

As I pack up my room, I remember DREADING living in a room with someone that I barely knew, fearing that my roommate wasn't going to like me. Now, I'm kind of sad to have to leave it. To leave the community that is the 10th floor. To leave room 1006.

In high school I thought that those were the people who were going to make my life, the people that would be there forever. While a small handful of them might be in my life forever, most of them wont be. I can guarantee I wont talk to some people again until our 10 year reunion...not because I don't want to talk to them, but just because it probably wont work out like that. College gives people a new life, new friends, and a new family. THESE are the people that I am going to be friends with years on down the road after graduation. I don't even want to THINK about that yet...you think I'm sentimental now, wait until my graduation day. I'll lose it.

Okay. I'm done. For now at least. It'll all hit me again when I have to start saying goodbye to people next week. :(

Ugh.

Can I stop being sick now? Pretty please? My throat hurt so bad last night and this morning that I could barely swallow without it hurting, let alone talk.

Also, what's with this weather? I was wiggin' out yesterday when there were tornado warnings left and right. And now it's freezing outside. Well, not literally, but it is cold. Call me crazy, but I think I prefer earthquakes...

Blaaaah

Is it summer yet? I feel like it's forever away. And even summer wont be much of a break since I will be working. Blah.

I'm sick right now. Like stuffy, head cold sick. Blah.

I might be going to Australia and New Zealand this coming January to study abroad for a month. Key word there being MIGHT. I have to scrounge up the money for it. This also would mean giving up an entire semester in Europe. But I can go to Europe anytime. It's easier and cheaper to go there, than to the southern hemisphere. I hope it works out. I am going to be a RA next year, and there's training in January...I don't know specific details of the trip yet. Guess I will wait and see.

I'm watching The Fox and the Hound. I <3 Tod! =)

STAND UP AND CHEER

Sooo WKu played in the first round of the NCAA tournament tonight against Illinois...and a lot of people thought we would lose. Well, guess what.
WE WON!!! WOOO! BRING ON THE ZAGS!
Take that you haters. :p

I've got sunshine...

OMG today was so nice. So so nice. I love sunny, clear blue skies. <3 I love sitting outside to do homework. I love walkign around campus, seeing everything FINALLY in bloom. Love love love it.

To Rugby or not to Rugby

Sooooo my friend Christina wants me to play rugby next year. Part of me wants to play, but the other part doesn't. Not because I don't think I'd have fun, but because HOPEFULLY I will be an RA next year.

So next year would look like this
RA-which is pretty much 24/7 (INCOME!!! Yay $$$)
Classes/homework- 15 credit hours
IABC- meetings once a month ($46/a semester member dues)
Rugby- practices once or twice a week...plus whatever I have to pay to get the stuff I would need.

I don't know. I don't think Mom is to thrilled with the idea.

On another note, I am SO ready for summer already. Even though I just got back from spring break. But summer means a break from school and some solid work, which means good income. WOO!

Back to the grind...

Spring Break is over. Tiana is making her way home. And I am back at school in my oh so stuffy room. Classes start up again tomorrow. Yippee. Not. I'm already looking forward to summer, even if that does mean 3 months away from my friends, and 3 months of work work work work. But hey, work equals money. And I like money. Money means gas, and car maintenance, and car insurance, and food, and saving for study abroad. Woo hoo!

On the brightside, MARCH MADNESS IS HERE! So, I wasn't a very big basketball fan before college. But now is a TOTALLY different story. WKU plays Illinois on Thursday in Portland. The Tops are a dancin'!

I suppose I should go do something productive....like homework...

What the crap Mother Nature.

Snow? Really? In the middle of March?
Okay, so yeah it was fun to play in while Tiana and I were in Bowling Green.
But honestly, I am sick of the cold. I want sun. Blue skies. White clouds.
Is that so much to ask?

Vacation's all I ever wanted...

SPRING BREAK!
Sadly, this is the only break that I get for the whole semester. But it's okay because Tiana is here! :-D
But, as always, my brain is off somewhere else. Overseas. Mmmm...Europe. I personally can't wait until summer...even though the only "vacation" I get is a Memorial Day weekend Road trip to Charlotte, NC. No European escapades for me this summer...WOW. It's been almost a year since I went. Doesn't seem so long ago. :(

School starts back again on Monday. Blech. And I find out if I got an RA position sometime around March 20. That's a whole nother week that I have to wait. No fun.