Student Teaching

As I finish up my first semester in the education program, and realizing many of my collegues are student teaching in the fall, has made me think about my student teaching. Of course I am not doing mine until Spring of 2011. But non the less I'll get there! The traditional student goes back home and teaches in a district close to them. At first, I was so excited to go back home to finish off my student teaching, but the more I think about it, I feel like there is another better opportunity awaiting me. Another option for us student teachers is to go abroad! With my love of traveling, experiences new people, places and cultures, I feel like this is my best fit option. Traveling while in college can be an experience of a life time as well as more financially do able.

My good friend Thomas has just come back home after a semester in Africa and even though I have not heard his stories yet, but I know I will, just looking through his pictures has made me jealous! I have always wanted to study abroad and I think I just need to plunge in and like Nike says "just do it". I would be going to Germany as our program sends their students to Japan or Germany. I want to go to Germany because I have always wanted to go to Europe and there are so many countries there I want to visit. I would force myself to go to Sweden, which won't take much forcing, cause I've always wanted to go there. I want to see my ancestor's farm, the one that is named after Grandpa's name. Of course it's not named after Grandpa, but he got his name from teh ancestor's who lived at the farm long ago. I have seen pictures of Sweden and our farm, and I get excited just thinking of the possibility of seeing it for myself. My Swedish heritage is important to me and so what better time to learn more about it while in college doing my student teaching in Germany! While in Europe, I want to visit other countries as well. This will mean going out by myself and just seeing what I can see and learning what I can learn about their history and culture. This experience will force me to grow as a learner as well as a person.

In Germany, I will be living on a U.S. military base teaching American students who are stationed over there. So I won't be livining in a random town with a random family. I will be safe being protected by our men in uniform. Teaching over there will give me a new teaching experience as well. I feel like I have a good sense of how education is run over here in the U.S. So I want to get out and experience how we run our schools for our children who are stationed with families overseas. I also want to visit other schools in Europe and see how they run their schools. I believe that this will help me become a better teacher with the understanding that there is more than one way to teach. And even though it's different it can still be effective.

Financially, I pay WSU tuition and just need money for living over there and the airfare. It'll be about a semester long, so expensive, but well worth it. This experience will also help me grow as an individual as I will be in a foriegn place without family for six months! Anyways, just some recent thoughts, I still have to talk to my family about the possibilities. It's just been on my mind this week, so I thought I'd put my thoughts into words.

Apple Cup 2008

Like all Apple Cups, and all WSU games this year, I could not confidently say, "We're going to win!" The weather was decent, 40 degrees, sun off and on, no rain. It got chilly, but bareable. The game was intense. Always is against UW. Unfortunately UW made the first TD in the second quarter along with a field goal. We went into half time down 10-0. I didn't lose faith, but was worried. We came out 3rd quarter and made a TD, the crowd exploded! Fourth quarter we tie up the game with 2 seconds to go with a field goal. The last two min of the official game time were intense, everyone screaming to hurry up and make plays to get down the field. Well Cougs got to work to tie it up. Then we had the ball first in overtime and made a field goald. UW got the ball and made a field goal as well. This goes into the 2nd overtime, we're defense first. No score from UW. It was still intense, cause we still had to score to win! Luckily, we pulled through and made a field goal. The stadium errupted!!! Everyone screaming, jumping and going crazy. After about a 30 sec of jumping and screaming I yelled at my friend "Let's go rush the field!" So we grabbed our stuff and ran down with the pack. As soon as I was running down the stairs I lost Liz, but saw a friend of a friend and grabbed her so I at least knew someone to run down with me. We got to the bottom row, where we had to jump over the rail. It's kinda far, well for me who's short, so I climbed over the rail, then jumped. And once I was down I ran onto the field, and lost my friend again. So here I was on the field with no one I knew, just other Cougs, celebrating our win! It was so fun. I could feel the famous Cougar Pride, it's definetely a great feeling.

Even if we don't win any other game than Portland State, we at least beat the Damn Huskies!!!

We have a long road ahead of us to improve from this year, but hopefully we can produce more next year. Either way, I still love the game but ready for some great Cougar Basketball. Go Cougs!

Election 2008

Last night, was one of the most historic nights in our Nation's history. It has taken us forty plus years, but we now have a colored leader of our country, Mr. Barack Obama. On the news this morning, they showed clips of a church down in GA, a black church specifically, and the reactions that they had gave me goosebumps. One mother stated something to the point of "my daughter will live knowing that it is possible to be black and become president!" What an amazing statement. While all elections are about the political side, I feel like this election is more than just pure politics. It is a move forward in our fight of segregation, that yes, still exists.

I have never been one to stay on top of politics and the news. But starting today, with a new presidential election just completed, my first to partake in, I am going to make a conscious effort to stay informed. It's hard to do with being so busy with school, work and life. But I know that with some effort, I can find 20 minutes in my day to read the paper. I hate not knowing what's going on in our world, and I can only blame myself for not staying on top of it. With all the media and technology there is no excuse to NOT know! So starting today, I will do my best to be an informed and active US citizen.

This Holiday Season

The holiday season upon us, as it is already November, and the holiday season makes me think about family. I know I have written how blessed I am to have a family. Having a family at all is a blessing. Having a family who loves me unconditionally and supports me in all I do, is more than I could ask for. I love my family unconditionally as well, no matter what they are going through. I know while I am at school I don't always realize just how much I miss them. That is until I talk to my lil Logan on the phone, or hear a song that reminds me of my dad. Or like today when I got a picture text from Kell of Logan. He is so grown up, I can't wait to see him! Lil Kylie Mae is also growing, now crawling. It makes me sad that I'm missing it, but realize that I have my own life now. I am not only a daughter, auntie, and sister, i'm also a college student. While I am not physically there to be a daughter, auntie or sister, I am always with them in thought and prayer. Technology also helps me stay "connected"!

This holiday season, my goal is to not necessarily "buy" my family the "Best gift", but to "give" them the best gift. I feel that gift is by giving and showing the love and appreciation I have for them. To show them how much they mean to me. I also want to spread this gift to my friends and to people in general. Today's society gets so caught up in the "buying of gifts" and not of the "giving". Giving love and appreciation can mean more than any monetary gift ever can. I plan to give this gift my doing small little deeds everyday, as well as actually telling the people I care about how I feel. Since my time at home is short, I also want to spend as much time with my family and friends as I can. This can be just playing with Logan for the day, but to me, and I know to him, it can mean the world! Nothin can replace quality time with family and friends, especially during the holiday season.

So with this new holiday season upon us, I challenge all of us to stay positive, be gracious, do not take advantage of what and who you have in your life. Appreciate everyone around you, tell them how you feel, and spend time with them! As I've said before, cause in the end, it's my family who will always be there for me. What better way to say thank you than spending time with them and appreciating all I have.

Growing up

Last Saturday night I went out and met up with my friend Jeff and his 2 buddies. I'd never met these guys before so were new friends! We were driving around trying to find something to do, somewhere to go. After not finding anything Joe and Miles, Jeff's friends, had the genius idea of going to Mike's bar. I asked them, "so how is this going to work?" and they reply "well you're going to take off your shirt!". I said "no way!" So we go in and know that Jeff isn't going ot get in, its only 930 and was empty. Joe, Miles and I go in and they order drinks, I don't, just chill. Jeff then gets a call from a friend who wants him to go pick her up and hang out. So I ask him if he'll be back and he said, "not immediately". I said that "I'll stay". I wasnt' about to go with him while he hangs out with some girl I don't know. So there I was with 2 guys I just met, with no one else I knew around. This is so unlike me, yet I was comfortale and having fun. Joe and Miles' friends met up with us there, it was her birthday and the guys had to buy her a round. I then met 3 more people, Katie, Houla(Katie's best friend from Seattle) and Freeman. The girls were great, so fun and again comfortable to be around!

It was so refreshing to hang out with a group who are a lil older and who are over the "whoo hoo" of being in college. We went downstairs and danced, even though I was sober the whole night, I actually danced, and I don't usually dance! There I was sober, only 2 beers in me, in the cage and dancin! It was so fun though. Katie and Houla got up in the cage and then Mile's was like "well we gotta get you up there too!" Me-"really?!" He was ready to give me a boost up, but I don't like help, and being my independent self, I grabbed the two poles, and hoisted myself up. Then Miles got up there and we were all dancin like crazy. Good time!

Saturday night I kept thinking "wow, I never do things like this". "This" being hanging out with people I don't know, with nobody else that I know, dancing, let alone dancing in the cage, and overall, being comfortable with it all and having a blast. I am glad I was able to experience all of it. I proved to myself that I can branch out, on my own, have fun, be myself and be comfortable even when I don't have anyone else I know, or a someone to turn to to rely on to talk to. All in all it was a good time! I'm looking forward to going out again, havin fun, and meeting new people.

College is like traveling

One of my friends and I, Jessica, were talking about how we both want a break from work, school work, office work, all work! We both love to travel and we were talking about how we want to go on a vacation. I started thinking about it, and I came up with an analogy for college. College is like traveling. By no means is it a vacation, well I guess it could be in a way. I'll start with traveling... to go on a trip, you need to plan where you're going, what you want to do while you're there, where you're going to stay, how you're going to pay for it, and how you are going to get there.

This preliminary work is the same process I needed to go through to get here in college. I had to plan what school I wanted to go to, try to have some idea of what to study (that has changed many times!), how to pay for it (thank goodness for the RA job), and how to transport myself to college, (thanks Mom and Dad for my car!!!).

While traveling, I also get stressed out (I am my father's daughter) because of all of the people, all the paperwork that needs to be done, is my ticket in my purse, lost luggage, and oh, do I have all my kids, family, and/or group? While I don't have kids of my own, I have traveled and flown with children in tow. Once with my sister, dad, niece and nephew. Logan was 4 and Kylie was still a babe. The other time was with Jessica and Robb when their girls were 2 and an infant. Even though none of these kids are my own, I feel like they are, and feel the need to always keep an eye on them. That's also the type of person I am, I always like to keep track of the group i'm with. I have also traveled with a big group, again with Jessica ;). Keeping track of 15 teenagers is almost impossible but can be done! But once I hit my destination, my stress, if not gone, is less. Even if I am still stressed about the people I'm with, at least the initial stress of traveling is gone.

Anyways.... so you have the stress of traveling. This stress can be related to college. Stress is always in my life, whether it's stressing about a test, or how I am going to get everything done in 24 hours, or oh crap, I still need to call my family and let them know I'm alive!! Stress never totally goes away as there is always something to worry about. However, I try to relieve that stress my either workingout (my favorite), journaling, reading a magazine, or praying. This helps me relieve the stress of daily life.

While on a trip, or traveling, I always meet new people, have new adventures and experiences, and see new places. Even if it is somewhere I've been before I am bound to see something new, experience something different or meet a new person during my trip. College is no different! I sometimes think, man Pullman, there's nothing here. But in reality, I just need to go outside, walk around campus, or go hang out with friends, and I will see new places, try new things, have new adventures. All of this will happen without being fully planned out. I have realized that what may seem as a fun night of hanging out wiht an old friend, can turn into a night full of new places, people, and adventures. I will elaborate more about this in my next blog.

So that is my analogy of traveling and college. College is like traveling, I pack to go to school or on vacation, transport myself to the location, stress out while getting there or while there, unpack at school or vacation location, experience new things, meet new people, and then pack back up for home-either at the end of the vacation or end of the school year.

Hmmm

Lately I have thought about getting a tattoo. I know it's not something people would imagine me having, but I've been contemplating the idea. Now, the action of me actually going through with this, I'm not sure yet. I first have to research the tattooing process, prices, and what I want. I am thinking of having the words strength, family, and love stacked on top of each other in Hebrew on the outer side of my upper thigh. Family is my core and they provide me both strength and love. I also think I want the words courage and faith in Hebrew on the inside of my wrists. They are two words that I try to live by and I believe they are why I am here today. I would want to get the tattoo on my thigh first because it shouldn't hurt as much and it can be hidden a lot easier. Both of these tattoos would mean something to me and be reminders of how I want to live my life. I want it in Hebrew because it's different than the popular Chinese tattoos and Hebrew is a more religious language, and Christ is my reason for living. I know tattoos are expensive, so I'd have to start saving now. I am also thinking that if I actually do it, I want to do it in San Diego when down there with Jessica and Robb.

In May, I hope to go meet Jessica and Robb down in San Diego over Memorial Day weekend. I've never been there and it'd be a vacation weekend for me. I'm staying in Pullman all summer for summer school. I'm going to get the equivalent of a semester done in a summer, 12 credits. I'll also be working at the REC and also plan to study for my personal training certification during the summer. So Memorial weekend would be a nice break, even if for only 2 days! I have to start saving for that now!! Man glad I have a job with money coming in.

I've done some more thinking about grad school and I have added UIdaho to my list. I love it out here and they offer the exercise program too. They also offer a minor in coaching, something that the other schools don't offer. I really want to get that minor because I want to get into coaching and having that background would be great to have. Especially if I really do the strength and conditioning coach career. But it'll come down to what school is more affordable in the end.

I just want to get submerged into the fitness arena and so I just finished a training to become a fitness instructor. I start shadowing/observing a step and cardio kickboxing class. I get to participate it in too. If I am able to get the class down well enough, then I can start teaching kickboxing as early as November. I guess the current teacher is only able to teach till Nov and so they'll need another teacher. Since I'm the one shadowing I get first chances at teaching it. It's going to be hard to learn though, takes a lot of work and practice I know. At the training all of us just did a 5 min thing of leading the groupe through a couple muscle conditioning exercises using the microphone. It's a lot harder than it looks. I need to explain what we're doing, how to do it, count the reps in my head and explain other variations of the exercise as well as keep them motivated. It's a lot to do all at once, oh and I have to be doing the exercises. But with practice I know I'll be able to do it. It'll also help my fitness level and controlling my breathing because along with breathing I need to be able to talk at the same time. Being a fitness instructor, I get paid more and it's what I really wanna do, more than just working at the front desk of the REC as I do now. Then as I mentioned earlier, I want to get my personal training cert hopefully this summer so I can start training in the fall. It's all a part of getting involved in the career field that I see myself in!

Yeah, I guess these are the most recent things I've been thinking about. Other than that I've been staying busy with school and RA, mainly school. Chem is annoying and time consuming, getting hard too. I am ready for the weekend. After tomorrow, I'll be better. Speaking of chem though, I better go and get back to it!

Education

My dad always told me that "school is your job". This is so true. While students don't get paid with money, they get paid with knowledge. Yea, this can sound cheesy but it's true. The knowledge and experiences that a student gains at school, helps mold them into the person who will become our presidents, CEO's, doctors, plumbers, engineers, teachers, lawyers, the list is never ending.

It has been said, and I'll say it again, education is a privilage. Ever think about those in a 3rd world country who have to work 16 hours a day their whole life never knowing what school really is? Shoot, think about those students who live here in the U.S. who need to work and go to school? How do they do it all? Then there are the "slacker" kids who are always complaining about this that and the other. They have nothing to complain about. They are in school to better themselves, and they don't even realize it. I realize that the education system is not perfect by any means. But it sure beats sitting on your ass all day doing nothing.

I don't understand those people who are able to sit and do nothing all day, day in and day out. God has given you this gift of life and so to not use it is in lack of better words dumb. Engaging yourself with other people, environments, and situations makes you grow into a more rounded person. When a student is at school, they encounter all of this and more. A student not only learns the textbook information, or as we're learning in class, the information that allows them to meet the ridiculous testing standards, they learn real life skills, probably without even knowing it.

I know this blog has gone a different direction, I don't really know my point, just random I guess. But to sum my thouhgts up in a general statement...

We only live once, so we need to make it worthwhile! We need to keep ourselves engaged-intellectually, emotionally, and physically, don't take this for granted, like education, help each other out, do our best, and never give up!

Family

I was on my Myspace checking out an old blog I wrote right after my Papaw passed away. While reading it I realized how much I miss him. It reminds me just how important family is to me. They are the ones who helped me shape me into the person who I am. My family is also what keeps me going when I'm unmotivated or going through a rough time. When I don't want to continue with my homework, like right now, I always think of Papaw, Memaw, my cousins-Bill, Mike and Rob, and of course my parents, and Logan, but especially Papaw and Memaw, and know that they're watching me. I don't want to disappoint them, so I know that I must keep truckin on. We, they're grandchildren, were their pride and joy and the last thing in the world I want to do is to disappoint my family.

At the end of the day, no matter how bad my day was, or who I'm unhappy with, I always know that I have my family there for me. Of course I have friends too, don't get me wrong. But it is my family who has been there from the start, and for me that start was rough. Three months in the hospital and a hard first few years couldn't have been possible without the support and love of my family, especially my parents. As I write this Mom and Dad are in London, as Dad had to go for work. Mom, obviously didn't have to go. But who wouldn't turn down a trip to London! They also deserve a trip across the world together. They never did go on vacations just the 2 of them when raising our family. And now that Kell and I are out of the house, it is definetly their time to enjoy life for all its worth! They deserve it, 24 years of raising a family is hard work, especially between Kell and I (for different reasons :)).

While my family is small, 5 cousins in all, no step-siblings, I wouldn't ask for it any other way. It is all I've known and it's great. I feel close to my parents, sister, nephew, niece, all my cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles. I don't think everyone can say that about their family. Now after writing this, I realize that I fall short of keeping in touch with all of my family. So starting now, i am going to try to keep in touch better. Even if it's a short email or call, it's worth it. Because all in all, no one knows when it will be our last day!

Yea, that's all. I'm just thankful for a wonderful family who I know i can always call on! I love you!

George Carlin's Words of Wisdom

Today I had to present a Cultural piece in my T&L Cultural and Context class. This cultural piece had to be meaningful to me and somehow represents who I am. I chose to present an email forward I've received. It's George Carlin and what I think of his Words of Wisdom. I like this piece because it's not only a great message but it's a great reminder for all of us. It helps me keep things in perspective and reminds me of why we are all here. So often I find myself running around with my head chopped off, not realizing that it's not the business that matters, but it's the people who you have given time to and who you personally touch taht matters. I haven't watched George Carlin before, but I am not intrigued to go on the wonderful site of youtube and look him up. I've heard he's great! So here is his standup piece:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller bulidings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees, but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too litttle, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced out values. We talk to much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new nighbor. We conquered outerspace but not innerspace.
We've done larger thing, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one nightstands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose to either share this insight or ignore it.
Remember: Spend some time wtih your lobed ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to teh one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measure by the number of breath we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Round 3

I am in my second week of school and am realizing how I am going to survive and enjoy this year. This may be more of a lecture for myself as for what I need to do to stay sane. One thing for me is to make sure I actually get up to workout. To some this may seem like a petty little "thing" to do, but for me it can be a lifeline. It helps me relieve stress and helps me function emotionally, physically, and mentally. The hardest part for me is just turning off the alarm and getting my more than able body OUT of bed. Once I'm out, I'm ok. Weird how just a little action is so hard to do, like getting out of bed is. Anyways... another thing I need to do this semester, is make sure I am ORGANIZED. While I am naturally an organized person, I get stressed out if I feel I don't know when or where I am suppose to be or when things are due. So this weekend, I plan to make sure I plan out my semester with all projects and tests including time to study or work on those classes. Once I do these two things and continue to, I feel like this semester, while busy, will go smoothly. Well as smoothly as it can for 2 jobs and school. I'm also going to need to make sure I make time for friends.

Already this year I have made new friends. I've met these friends through a mutual friend. I love meeting new people and having more friends. It's nice to have another group of fun peopel to hang out with. This group of guys is fun and I'm excited to hang out with them more and get to know them better. It doesn't mean that I don't want to grow apart from my old friends, not at all, but I am branching out more. By branching out more, I have realized that I'll need to make more of an effort to keep in touch and hang out with my old friends! This is hard as we all grow and go in different directions, even if we are on the same college campus.

The more people I meet and hang out with the more I realize what traits are important for friends, or that potential "someone" to have. I understand that drinking is fun, but I need to have people who seem to have more interests than just drinking and events that revolve around drinking. I also like to see people involved, whether in the school, community, or work. This shows me that they have more interests and that being involved is important to them. Usually this means that the person cares about making a difference in some shape or form. For me, this trait is important, especially because I am all about trying to make a difference in whatever way that may be, and to always be helping others. There are plenty of other things that I look for when thinking of a potential "someone", but I don't like to think of a person who fits my "checklist", but rather one who has traits that I like and others that I can deal with. Of course some traits and personality characteristics are more important than others such as what I previously mentioned.

I'm not sure where this all came from, but it's something that I've been thinking about as I am now 21, 3rd year in college, and am realizing just how different each person can be.

As of now, there is no "someone", but I am keeping my options open and just focusing on meeting more people and making more friends. And from there, I'll see what God has in store for me!

Careers

Throughout my time here at WSU I have always been thinking of the grand ol' question, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" To be honest, this answer is always changing. I'll get an idea and for a lil while, maybe only a day or month, I "swear" it's what I want to do. Fortunately, I have been able to get into some fields and have practical experience of some of those careers. One of my greatest experiences was working in the Athletic Training program here at WSU. When I first got into the program, I was stoked, confident that I had found my career path for good. Once I got into it and after some serious thinking and evaluating, I learned that Athletic Training is not the career path for me. It was nothing personal, I just realized I wanted more interaction with kids, fitness, and helping people better themselves by staying active for life.

So I have determined myself a health and fitness education major and minoring in Spanish and psychology. This will allow me to become a PE teacher. I have been able to do a 6 week teaching practicum observing middle school PE with my mom last May. This experience has taught me that while I want to teach and I have a passion for students and teaching them about health and wellness, I also want a different beginning career while I'm still young. They will always need teachers, so I want to explore what else is out there first. This brings me to some of my most recent epiphanies/ life plans.

I have always wanted to study abroad but because of expenses and time, I have not had the chance to do it. But it came to my attention last semester that I am able to do my student teaching abroad. I want to go to a Spanish speaking country, as I am minoring in Spanish. I was talking to my cousin who is in the Army, and he knows of a Navy base in Spain that he might be able to connect me with. I would go to the country, live on a US military base and teach American students. This experience would fulfill my passion to travel and experience new cultures. I am excited to learn more about this opportunity this semester.

As for my careers, I have been thinking about it this summer/ this past week and this is what I've come up with: since I love kids, staying fit and active, and having an active job, I think that working at a Parks and Rec place would be fun. I think it'd be great to head up sport clubs and fitness activities for kids in the communities. I want to be able to also teach/coach them as well. So what I am looking into a masters degree in Parks and Rec. This idea has come about on my own but also has been confirmed with my time working at the UREC. Granted I have only worked there a couple times, I have realized how much I like the environment. I want to get certified in Personal Training and as an Aerobic Instructor. The nice thing is that the UREC offers grants to pay for the classes and training.

So yeah, that's what I've come up in the last few months. Another job that I think I'd really like would be working with the Forest service repairing trails and such. This job would be during the summer. Nature and being outside in the woods, is another passion of mine. But I've heard that some of the WA state forest services are closing down, unfortunately. Nevertheless, it's something that I want to look into!

I know that some of these ideas seem random, but they're all related to my interests and passions. So we'll see what God has planned for me!

Round 3 at WSU

My close friend Jessica made me start thinking that I should start a blog. I have never done one of these before, but I have tried journaling. I am good at doing daily entries for a few days, and then I quit, so I'll see how well I stay up with this.

I have just finished RA training, for the 2nd year in a row. It's annoying to do the same training, but it's the rules. Today the halls officially open for the year. I already am anticipating a crazy week, but we'll get through it. This year is WSU's largest incoming Freshmen class in the history of the university. While this sounds all grand and great for publicity and the University, it also has caused it's own complications. This includes rooming freshmen with their RA's temporarily. Yes some of you may think, "well, that'll keep em in line". Such may be true, but come on, I'd rather have to write up more resis than LIVE with em. Oh well, we have been told this is a "opportunity" and yes it is, just not one I think I would choose. I haven't had a roommate since my first semester freshman year and have liked being able to get dressed in my room, not in the closet, stay up as late as I want, play my music whenever, the list goes on. But I'm a positive person, and this situation is only be temporary so I just always keep that in mind. Oh and here's the kicker... to compenstate the RA's who have a roommate, we get the highest meal plan. Since as an RA our room and board is paid for, the department thought they should just give us more food. Seriously? I could barley use my $1000 last year, now I have like $1200 or something. Are they trying to make us fat in this already obese country? Whatever, I guess it allows me to feed my friends who live off campus.

As far as this school year, mius the roommate situation, it should be a great and extremely busy year. I am doing RA again this year, in Stephenson North 13th floor (Penthouse), as well as working at the UREC. Yes, I may be crazy, but I am excited to stay busy and connect with more people. My goal this year is to get more connected with my residents as I feel I can really make an impact if I make the connections in the beginning of the year. I also want to just enjoy college for what it is.

I hope to keep this blog up to date with my college experiences that I will encounter this year. I am excited for all that this year is to bring!