I'm done with finals and heading home to the Golden State! Whoot! California here I come!
I'm currently waiting in SeaTac's B11 Gate area - I'm here so early, there's a flight leaving my gate before mine. Haha. They're all going to LA. Pfft. Bay Area ftw. Had no trouble at security and now just have to wait.
In the three months I've been living in Seattle, I've completely fallen in love with the city. I love the green foliage, the rain and frost, the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I love Seattle Pacific University and all the friends I've made. I loved my Jane Austen class and will miss it and the professor dearly. I love going to sleep bunked with my roomie Elayna, and waking up at 8 every morning. I even love the airport - SeaTac.
There's only one thing I love more: Mountain View, California!!! :D I'm so psyched to be coming home and getting to sleep in my bed for three weeks. I'm psyched to see my friends and stay out late doing crazy stuff until our stomaches hurt too much from laughing. I'm psyched to swing dance with my friends. I can't wait for Christmas with my grandma and brother and then New Year's Eve. I'm excited to hug my mom when she picks me up from SFO and to chat with my dad about what's going on at Google. So much excitement here!!
~~Transition~~
Recently I was with somebody (cough Tory cough) who told me I may be the only person she knows who would compliment a stranger out of the blue. I thought this was a strange observation because it seems so natural to me - and to the lovely girl at SeaTac who told me she liked my owl socks while I waited in line for security. Being nice to others is sorta self-serving because it makes me feel good, while making other feel good, so why pass up the chance to say something nice to stranger? Worst that can happen is they brush you off or give you a weird look. But it's worth it just to know you may make someone's day.
"No good deed goes unpunished
No act of charity goes unresented
No good deed goes unpunished
That's my new creed!!!" - Elphaba ("Wicked")
(but not really, cause good deeds are good)
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Dead Week
Hello folks. Yep, I'm still kickin', even after dead week!
For those who don't know (which included me until today) "Dead Week" is the week before finals. Not exactly sure why it is called that, but the week was extremely busy and stressful for me, so that's no fun.
I'd like to share an experience with you, so here we go:
I got an assignment a few weeks ago to do an individual presentation on a Jane Austen adaptation (I got Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel). I procrastinated a little, but the completion of the project wasn't what stressed me out - it was the actual presentation in class.
Each student was required to do a powerpoint presentation in under 10 minutes comparing and contrasting their novel and adaptation and critics' opinions. I wasn't the only one doing a presentation (the whole class of ~20 did this too), but I was the first to go on my day (today) and that really stressed me out.
The presentation was only supposed to be 10 minutes TOPS and the first time I practiced mine it took twenty-four minutes! I cut it down after practicing it again 4 times, but the fact that I might take too long freaked me out (my professor literally stopped people mid-sentence if they went over).
So morning comes (this morning) and I find myself shaking and nauseous in my room from anxiety. Now, I've always hated presentations, but this physical reaction was more intense than anything I've ever experienced. Looking back, I think it was a spiritual attack. Tears in my eyes, I'm thinking I can't go to class. I'm going to puke or faint or mess up or something.
This is where I realize that I'm not in this alone - God is with me and the power of prayer is infinite. I posted on Facebook asking for prayer for my presentation and almost instantly got encouraging comments promising intercession and peace. After taking a few deep breaths I decided to test a Psychological theory (yes, I'm done with that class for good, but hey, the topic is legit and usefull). Facial Feedback Effect: pretty much, if you smile when you're unhappy, you'll begin to think happy thoughts and then end up feeling happy. I was skeptical and felt pretty stupid smiling at my empty dorm room while blinking back tears, but it actually worked.
Almost instantly I felt better. I was praying, smiling, and wondering how the heck a stupid 10-minute presentation was getting me so down! (not that I was not still stressed, but I was no longer overwhelmed by it).
My presentation went well (I didn't even hit 9 minutes I think!) and it ended up being a blessing in disguise that I went first because then I couldn't psych myself out and I got a little more time to get my act together with my powerpoint. I'm surprised I didn't do a happy heel-click afterwards.
I know without God's peace (and gift of smiling) I wouldn't have gotten to class without breaking down (let alone give a ten-minute presentation!).
In other news: I'm 100% done with General Psych (WHOOOTTT!!). I didn't like that class, so I'm really happy it's over. Took a psych midterm on Monday and then our comprehensive final on Wednesday (lots of studying this week!), but I did well on both, so YAY! The only school work I have left is to edit an essay and take two finals (Tuesday and Wednesday)! WHOOT! I'm almost done! Then I can come home!
Also, I really want it to snow (someone on my hall said they saw it snowing, but I think she was mistaken...), so pray for that? :D
If you're ever stressed or just unhappy - try smiling. No, seriously. It sounds SUPER stupid, but it works.
"Fellow Ozians - as terrifying as terror is, let us put
aside our panic for this one day: and celebrate!
Oh what a celebration
We'll have today
Thank Goodness!" - Glinda ("Wicked")
For those who don't know (which included me until today) "Dead Week" is the week before finals. Not exactly sure why it is called that, but the week was extremely busy and stressful for me, so that's no fun.
I'd like to share an experience with you, so here we go:
I got an assignment a few weeks ago to do an individual presentation on a Jane Austen adaptation (I got Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel). I procrastinated a little, but the completion of the project wasn't what stressed me out - it was the actual presentation in class.
Each student was required to do a powerpoint presentation in under 10 minutes comparing and contrasting their novel and adaptation and critics' opinions. I wasn't the only one doing a presentation (the whole class of ~20 did this too), but I was the first to go on my day (today) and that really stressed me out.
The presentation was only supposed to be 10 minutes TOPS and the first time I practiced mine it took twenty-four minutes! I cut it down after practicing it again 4 times, but the fact that I might take too long freaked me out (my professor literally stopped people mid-sentence if they went over).
So morning comes (this morning) and I find myself shaking and nauseous in my room from anxiety. Now, I've always hated presentations, but this physical reaction was more intense than anything I've ever experienced. Looking back, I think it was a spiritual attack. Tears in my eyes, I'm thinking I can't go to class. I'm going to puke or faint or mess up or something.
This is where I realize that I'm not in this alone - God is with me and the power of prayer is infinite. I posted on Facebook asking for prayer for my presentation and almost instantly got encouraging comments promising intercession and peace. After taking a few deep breaths I decided to test a Psychological theory (yes, I'm done with that class for good, but hey, the topic is legit and usefull). Facial Feedback Effect: pretty much, if you smile when you're unhappy, you'll begin to think happy thoughts and then end up feeling happy. I was skeptical and felt pretty stupid smiling at my empty dorm room while blinking back tears, but it actually worked.
Almost instantly I felt better. I was praying, smiling, and wondering how the heck a stupid 10-minute presentation was getting me so down! (not that I was not still stressed, but I was no longer overwhelmed by it).
My presentation went well (I didn't even hit 9 minutes I think!) and it ended up being a blessing in disguise that I went first because then I couldn't psych myself out and I got a little more time to get my act together with my powerpoint. I'm surprised I didn't do a happy heel-click afterwards.
I know without God's peace (and gift of smiling) I wouldn't have gotten to class without breaking down (let alone give a ten-minute presentation!).
In other news: I'm 100% done with General Psych (WHOOOTTT!!). I didn't like that class, so I'm really happy it's over. Took a psych midterm on Monday and then our comprehensive final on Wednesday (lots of studying this week!), but I did well on both, so YAY! The only school work I have left is to edit an essay and take two finals (Tuesday and Wednesday)! WHOOT! I'm almost done! Then I can come home!
Also, I really want it to snow (someone on my hall said they saw it snowing, but I think she was mistaken...), so pray for that? :D
If you're ever stressed or just unhappy - try smiling. No, seriously. It sounds SUPER stupid, but it works.
"Fellow Ozians - as terrifying as terror is, let us put
aside our panic for this one day: and celebrate!
Oh what a celebration
We'll have today
Thank Goodness!" - Glinda ("Wicked")
Monday, November 25, 2013
Friends
Friends.
Family you choose.
I have many friends. Most of them are extraverts.
I am an introvert.
This causes problems when I move to a place 1,135.1 miles from most of my friends and have to begin making new ones.
I've had some difficulty making friends here, and actually (stupidly) blamed others on my hall for excluding me when in fact my introverted tendencies were getting in the way of people coming to socialize with me. As an introvert, at the end of a people-filled day at college I like to close my door, curl up with my homework, and recharge my drained social batteries. I usually close my door, not because I don't want anyone to come in, but because I don't want EVERYONE to come in (which is actually a problem sometimes on a [wonderful] hall like mine where everyone is so extraverted and wants to be with me/you all the time). But people see a closed door as "I'm busy/sleeping, leave me alone," so them leaving me alone is really my fault. Duh.
I've made connections with a handful of girls on my floor, but the lack of creation of what I like to call "true friends" or "life-friends" has left me pretty disappointed. But let's look at my expectations:
1. As I am on the quarter system, I got the lovely privilege (complete sarcasm) of seeing my friends leave for their first semester, make a bunch of friends, constantly post photos of their new lives on Facebook, and seem to leave their "real" friends in their pasts. Because of this, I assumed that I would immediately make lots of friends at college and not even think of my other friends once I got to college.
That has not happened for me at all. Something encouraging for me to hear was this: "Most of the people you become 'friends' with the first couple months at college won't be the people you hang out with a year later - they are just friends of convenience to fill the void while you search for real friends". Someone else told me that they didn't find their real friends until midway through their sophomore year. Why was I expecting to make insta-friends? Oh, right, because it LOOKED like my friends were on Facebook. Well, I can't say whether or not those friendships are "real" or whatever, but part of me thinks "Well, they're throwing all of their energy into people they may get to know and decide they don't really want to be friends with, while I take my time looking for the RIGHT people". Sounds sorta arrogant. Probably is.
2. I expected that my hall would be the number one place where I would make my friends and we would all be the best of friends and all would be happy and family-like. Why did I think that? Dunno. It's idealistic I guess. In the end I'm a realist, so I figured I would make my friends in clubs I went to and classes I was in.
Nope. Well, lemme say more than that. I joined Newspaper thinking that I would find people like me there (like me being... vague, yes), but the "community" at the paper is nonexistent and I quickly filed away that hope. I attended a "nerd" club, because at heart I'm a total nerd, but the level of nerdiness there was a huge turn off. Haha. That sounds terrible, but my flavor of nerd is.. normal people who are nerdy inside, not utterly nerdy people who are defined that way and go to "nerd" club.... In the first week of classes, I thought the people in my USEM (a general-ed class) would become my friends because of our shared interest of Jane Austen, but it's hard to get to know people in a classroom and I've realized that lots of different KINDS of people like Austen, so I struck out again.
So where AM I finding people to befriend? Good question.
There's a group of kids from one USEM (the U-Scholars to be exact), that always have lunch with each other right after class ends (10:50). One of my closer hall friends is a U-Scholar and invited me to sit with them one day (I also go to lunch right after my USEM, but usually sit alone). Ever since, I've been completely welcome to sit with them, and I'd like to say that some day, I will be good friends with a good number of them.
Another person I've connected with and hope to become friends with is my USEM TA (who is a senior). As an over-achiever, I've gone to her many times to have her look over my essays and every time we get together we end up having really good conversations. Just last night she reserved a study room in the Library from 8-11pm so that students from the USEM could come to have her edit their essays (due wednesday). I came promptly at 8 and when nobody else came, I just sat there talking to her and doing homework (reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel, heh heh), for a good 2.5 hours. Actually, one other student showed up, and when she was done with her editing she stayed as well, and the three of us just talked and talked and it was so fun. As freshmen, the other student and I talked about how hard it was to find good friends and since our TA loves us, she suggested us all going out to coffee sometime, which evolved into a plan to bake a cake and watch Becoming Jane some time in the future. I sincerely hope this happens, because both of them are so sweet and I would love for them to become my close friends, even life-friends :)
Another gate-way to friendship has been music. A girl on my hall (the U-Scholar) plays the piano and sings and, as I love to sing and she loves musical numbers (mainly Wicked :D), we have gotten together multiple times just to play and sing and have fun. We actually tentatively planned to perform at a talent show-like thing in our dorm, but that didn't happen in the end. However, it still gave us an excuse to hang out and sing "Into the West" and other songs in preparation. I really like her - she is a beautiful soul that I would love to get to know better.
Honestly, the biggest reason I'm having a hard time making friends with even the people I've specifically mentioned is my own shy nature. "SHY?!" You say? "Annie, you are NOT shy!" Haha. Thanks? Well, actually I am. When I'm with people I know, I am loud and boisterous and crazy, but when I'm around people I don't know as well I have a very hard time being open and inviting.
So really, it's my own fault I'm not making friends as quickly as I want to. Will I change my ways to make friends more quickly? Probably not. I made friends without changing myself before, why should it be necessary now? And in the end I need God more than I need friends, so if I rely on/lean on Him, I know He will provide.
PS. I love my roommate (we are definitely friends with potential for greatness), and many of the girls on my hall I consider my friends. I just need to invest more to make those 'friends' 'REAL' friends. :)
Thanks for reading my rambling.
"I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return." - Glinda ("Wicked")
Family you choose.
I have many friends. Most of them are extraverts.
I am an introvert.
This causes problems when I move to a place 1,135.1 miles from most of my friends and have to begin making new ones.
I've had some difficulty making friends here, and actually (stupidly) blamed others on my hall for excluding me when in fact my introverted tendencies were getting in the way of people coming to socialize with me. As an introvert, at the end of a people-filled day at college I like to close my door, curl up with my homework, and recharge my drained social batteries. I usually close my door, not because I don't want anyone to come in, but because I don't want EVERYONE to come in (which is actually a problem sometimes on a [wonderful] hall like mine where everyone is so extraverted and wants to be with me/you all the time). But people see a closed door as "I'm busy/sleeping, leave me alone," so them leaving me alone is really my fault. Duh.
I've made connections with a handful of girls on my floor, but the lack of creation of what I like to call "true friends" or "life-friends" has left me pretty disappointed. But let's look at my expectations:
1. As I am on the quarter system, I got the lovely privilege (complete sarcasm) of seeing my friends leave for their first semester, make a bunch of friends, constantly post photos of their new lives on Facebook, and seem to leave their "real" friends in their pasts. Because of this, I assumed that I would immediately make lots of friends at college and not even think of my other friends once I got to college.
That has not happened for me at all. Something encouraging for me to hear was this: "Most of the people you become 'friends' with the first couple months at college won't be the people you hang out with a year later - they are just friends of convenience to fill the void while you search for real friends". Someone else told me that they didn't find their real friends until midway through their sophomore year. Why was I expecting to make insta-friends? Oh, right, because it LOOKED like my friends were on Facebook. Well, I can't say whether or not those friendships are "real" or whatever, but part of me thinks "Well, they're throwing all of their energy into people they may get to know and decide they don't really want to be friends with, while I take my time looking for the RIGHT people". Sounds sorta arrogant. Probably is.
2. I expected that my hall would be the number one place where I would make my friends and we would all be the best of friends and all would be happy and family-like. Why did I think that? Dunno. It's idealistic I guess. In the end I'm a realist, so I figured I would make my friends in clubs I went to and classes I was in.
Nope. Well, lemme say more than that. I joined Newspaper thinking that I would find people like me there (like me being... vague, yes), but the "community" at the paper is nonexistent and I quickly filed away that hope. I attended a "nerd" club, because at heart I'm a total nerd, but the level of nerdiness there was a huge turn off. Haha. That sounds terrible, but my flavor of nerd is.. normal people who are nerdy inside, not utterly nerdy people who are defined that way and go to "nerd" club.... In the first week of classes, I thought the people in my USEM (a general-ed class) would become my friends because of our shared interest of Jane Austen, but it's hard to get to know people in a classroom and I've realized that lots of different KINDS of people like Austen, so I struck out again.
So where AM I finding people to befriend? Good question.
There's a group of kids from one USEM (the U-Scholars to be exact), that always have lunch with each other right after class ends (10:50). One of my closer hall friends is a U-Scholar and invited me to sit with them one day (I also go to lunch right after my USEM, but usually sit alone). Ever since, I've been completely welcome to sit with them, and I'd like to say that some day, I will be good friends with a good number of them.
Another person I've connected with and hope to become friends with is my USEM TA (who is a senior). As an over-achiever, I've gone to her many times to have her look over my essays and every time we get together we end up having really good conversations. Just last night she reserved a study room in the Library from 8-11pm so that students from the USEM could come to have her edit their essays (due wednesday). I came promptly at 8 and when nobody else came, I just sat there talking to her and doing homework (reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel, heh heh), for a good 2.5 hours. Actually, one other student showed up, and when she was done with her editing she stayed as well, and the three of us just talked and talked and it was so fun. As freshmen, the other student and I talked about how hard it was to find good friends and since our TA loves us, she suggested us all going out to coffee sometime, which evolved into a plan to bake a cake and watch Becoming Jane some time in the future. I sincerely hope this happens, because both of them are so sweet and I would love for them to become my close friends, even life-friends :)
Another gate-way to friendship has been music. A girl on my hall (the U-Scholar) plays the piano and sings and, as I love to sing and she loves musical numbers (mainly Wicked :D), we have gotten together multiple times just to play and sing and have fun. We actually tentatively planned to perform at a talent show-like thing in our dorm, but that didn't happen in the end. However, it still gave us an excuse to hang out and sing "Into the West" and other songs in preparation. I really like her - she is a beautiful soul that I would love to get to know better.
Honestly, the biggest reason I'm having a hard time making friends with even the people I've specifically mentioned is my own shy nature. "SHY?!" You say? "Annie, you are NOT shy!" Haha. Thanks? Well, actually I am. When I'm with people I know, I am loud and boisterous and crazy, but when I'm around people I don't know as well I have a very hard time being open and inviting.
So really, it's my own fault I'm not making friends as quickly as I want to. Will I change my ways to make friends more quickly? Probably not. I made friends without changing myself before, why should it be necessary now? And in the end I need God more than I need friends, so if I rely on/lean on Him, I know He will provide.
PS. I love my roommate (we are definitely friends with potential for greatness), and many of the girls on my hall I consider my friends. I just need to invest more to make those 'friends' 'REAL' friends. :)
Thanks for reading my rambling.
"I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return." - Glinda ("Wicked")
Monday, November 11, 2013
Ballroom Dance
This past Friday, I had a newspaper assignment to photograph an on-campus event called "Noche de Salsa". I mistakenly thought this was a performance, so I didn't plan on having any fun, but it turned out to be a beginners lesson sort of thing! I took my pictures, but also refreshed my Salsa moves on the side. It was fun relearning Salsa, but it really made me homesick for my friends. I actually got super emotional and almost cried because I missed dancing with my friends so much. Aren't I pitiful? ;)
After hugs (which I really miss...), I think ballroom dancing is the biggest thing I miss from home (not counting people).
So, how did I deal with this nostalgic sadness? I tracked down the best ballroom in town and petitioned everyone I knew to go with me on Sunday night. Alas, nobody I actually knew wanted to go - "$8 is too much" "I have church/homework/ect" "I don't know how to dance". Pfft. Come on people. $8 isn't that much, it's a three-day weekend, and there's a free lesson 30 minutes before the floor opens.
So, I posted on the SPU Class of 2017 page and asked if anyone would want to go with me! Only two people responded that they were interested, neither of which I knew, so my excitement for going took a serious hit. But I was still in the mood, so I planned a time and met the two other girls in Hill's lobby - only to discover that a lot of random SPU people were going and it wasn't the sad little party of three that I had imagined! I took the bus with four other girls, none of whom I had met before (excepting Leah, who I met one during the Spring for NSA). We planned on catching the 11:00 bus home (last bus of the night) (the dancing started at 9:00), but ended up finding someone who could give us a ride home at the end of the night, so I scored a seat in a car home at 12:30! Whoot!
Now for the dancing. Not sure what style they were teaching, but it definitely threw me off for a bit. I'm pretty sure it was East Coast Swing, but I'm used to starting with the "triple-step" and they taught that you began with the "rock-step"... for some reason that really threw me off. I danced with a different guy almost every dance (for THREE hours!), although I think I danced twice with one guy (who I elbowed in the face when he was trying to dip me... twice), three times with a guy that looked really shy/lonely, twice with a guy who seemed to only know the basic - and was totally groovin' with it, and three or four times with a new friend from SPU. I noticed a great improvement in all of their dancing as the hours wore on - I heard that there were a LOT of n00bs there because it was a long weekend, so lots were complete beginners. I also think I asked more guys to dance than asked me... Haha...
The ballroom itself (Century Ballroom) was really pretty. It had a balcony and lots of wonderful open windows. Prettily lit too. Google it. Here's a picture I took from the balcony:
I didn't have any experiences with rude/creepy partners, so for that I'm glad! :D Everyone was either a beginner or gracious, so I didn't feel to bad when I messed up (which happened a lot).
I had a ton of fun and am going to try to get my floor-mates to go with me next time!!! I still miss my friends from home with a burning passion, but I'm still having fun dancing my feet off in Seattle with new people!!
"Dancing through life
Skimming the surface
Gliding where turf is smooth" - Fiyero ("Wicked")
After hugs (which I really miss...), I think ballroom dancing is the biggest thing I miss from home (not counting people).
So, how did I deal with this nostalgic sadness? I tracked down the best ballroom in town and petitioned everyone I knew to go with me on Sunday night. Alas, nobody I actually knew wanted to go - "$8 is too much" "I have church/homework/ect" "I don't know how to dance". Pfft. Come on people. $8 isn't that much, it's a three-day weekend, and there's a free lesson 30 minutes before the floor opens.
So, I posted on the SPU Class of 2017 page and asked if anyone would want to go with me! Only two people responded that they were interested, neither of which I knew, so my excitement for going took a serious hit. But I was still in the mood, so I planned a time and met the two other girls in Hill's lobby - only to discover that a lot of random SPU people were going and it wasn't the sad little party of three that I had imagined! I took the bus with four other girls, none of whom I had met before (excepting Leah, who I met one during the Spring for NSA). We planned on catching the 11:00 bus home (last bus of the night) (the dancing started at 9:00), but ended up finding someone who could give us a ride home at the end of the night, so I scored a seat in a car home at 12:30! Whoot!
Now for the dancing. Not sure what style they were teaching, but it definitely threw me off for a bit. I'm pretty sure it was East Coast Swing, but I'm used to starting with the "triple-step" and they taught that you began with the "rock-step"... for some reason that really threw me off. I danced with a different guy almost every dance (for THREE hours!), although I think I danced twice with one guy (who I elbowed in the face when he was trying to dip me... twice), three times with a guy that looked really shy/lonely, twice with a guy who seemed to only know the basic - and was totally groovin' with it, and three or four times with a new friend from SPU. I noticed a great improvement in all of their dancing as the hours wore on - I heard that there were a LOT of n00bs there because it was a long weekend, so lots were complete beginners. I also think I asked more guys to dance than asked me... Haha...
The ballroom itself (Century Ballroom) was really pretty. It had a balcony and lots of wonderful open windows. Prettily lit too. Google it. Here's a picture I took from the balcony:
I didn't have any experiences with rude/creepy partners, so for that I'm glad! :D Everyone was either a beginner or gracious, so I didn't feel to bad when I messed up (which happened a lot).
I had a ton of fun and am going to try to get my floor-mates to go with me next time!!! I still miss my friends from home with a burning passion, but I'm still having fun dancing my feet off in Seattle with new people!!
"Dancing through life
Skimming the surface
Gliding where turf is smooth" - Fiyero ("Wicked")
Monday, November 4, 2013
Clueless
Tonight I had a very King's experience:
My Jane Austen professor invited our whole class of 19 to her house to watch Clueless and eat a home-cooked meal! Only ten or so of us showed up (we took the bus in two packs), but the whole night was just so fun! I love that my prof opened her home to us and even fed us! For free! Cause she loves us! (or something). I felt entirely at home in her house and after the movie we all chatted like the bunch of girls we are (no boys in my Jane Austen class) about the funny quotes, great parallels to Emma, and (randomly) trips to Europe!
I feel like this is a very unusual thing for a college professor to do, but at the same time, it seemed so natural to me because of my background with King's (my high school where teacher-student relationships are highly encouraged outside of the classroom as mentors and friends). Specifically, I recall going with a friend to one of our teachers' apartments and watching Gilmore Girls and The West Wing with her and another young female teacher. Stuff like that was so commonplace at King's, I'm glad it happens at college too!
On Clueless: wow, what a funny movie. I had never seen it before, so it was a new experience and I think reading Emma right before seeing the movie made it all the more enjoyable. I did dislike Cher's stupidity (as contrasted with Emma's well-educated background), but it worked with the movie, so I forgive that digression.
On another note: my mother visited me this past weekend for mom's weekend and we had such a good time together! She stayed in my room (my roommate was staying in a hotel with her mom who had also come for mom's weekend) and we somehow managed to do a lot, but also be really kicked-back and just hang out. It was a happy medium. We baked her famous chocolate cake (she taught me each step so I can do it again), and invited my floor to eat it with us! I was so delighted to share our home-made cake with everyone! EVERYONE loved it! We ate out a lot and had extremely good luck with restaurants - I have a lot of yummy left overs! I miss her so much already! But I'm coming home for Thanksgiving, so I only have to wait a little more than 3 weeks!
Three big midterms this week - please pray for me!
That is all I suppose!!
"The trouble with school is
They always try to teach the wrong lesson~" - Fiyero ("Wicked")
My Jane Austen professor invited our whole class of 19 to her house to watch Clueless and eat a home-cooked meal! Only ten or so of us showed up (we took the bus in two packs), but the whole night was just so fun! I love that my prof opened her home to us and even fed us! For free! Cause she loves us! (or something). I felt entirely at home in her house and after the movie we all chatted like the bunch of girls we are (no boys in my Jane Austen class) about the funny quotes, great parallels to Emma, and (randomly) trips to Europe!
I feel like this is a very unusual thing for a college professor to do, but at the same time, it seemed so natural to me because of my background with King's (my high school where teacher-student relationships are highly encouraged outside of the classroom as mentors and friends). Specifically, I recall going with a friend to one of our teachers' apartments and watching Gilmore Girls and The West Wing with her and another young female teacher. Stuff like that was so commonplace at King's, I'm glad it happens at college too!
On Clueless: wow, what a funny movie. I had never seen it before, so it was a new experience and I think reading Emma right before seeing the movie made it all the more enjoyable. I did dislike Cher's stupidity (as contrasted with Emma's well-educated background), but it worked with the movie, so I forgive that digression.
On another note: my mother visited me this past weekend for mom's weekend and we had such a good time together! She stayed in my room (my roommate was staying in a hotel with her mom who had also come for mom's weekend) and we somehow managed to do a lot, but also be really kicked-back and just hang out. It was a happy medium. We baked her famous chocolate cake (she taught me each step so I can do it again), and invited my floor to eat it with us! I was so delighted to share our home-made cake with everyone! EVERYONE loved it! We ate out a lot and had extremely good luck with restaurants - I have a lot of yummy left overs! I miss her so much already! But I'm coming home for Thanksgiving, so I only have to wait a little more than 3 weeks!
Three big midterms this week - please pray for me!
That is all I suppose!!
"The trouble with school is
They always try to teach the wrong lesson~" - Fiyero ("Wicked")
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
I'm Alive
Hello y'all!
Yes, it's been a long time, no, I haven't given up on blogging, I've just had a tough/busy last week and a half. I have successfully taken my first two college exams and lived the tell the tale. I have struggled through a week of mourning. I turned in and got my grade back for my first paper (a B+!). I cried myself to sleep twice. I missed my friends and family. I laughed really hard with my roommate about stupid things "late at night" (we both go to sleep before 11 on average). I missed hugs and definitely hugged a couple people who did not want to hug (shout out to my hall-mate Anna who is a common hug-target despite her dislike of physical contact). I've skyped/facetimed with two of my friends and both of my parents. I'm still alive. I'm just glad this past week and a half is over and I can move on at least a bit.
Here are some random updates about my life:
I have successfully made off with THREE pineapples from Gwinn, our campus cafeteria, and have thoroughly enjoyed cutting them up and eating them in my room at my leisure.
One of my photos for the school newspaper The Falcon was on the front page (albeit under the fold). Yay for that, even though the photo was pretty much boring and posed. Whatever! Front page!
I sent out some weird postcards and a thank-you note a few days ago. I really like that I'm still writing and sending snail-mail. I was worried that perhaps it would lose its novelty (as it may still!), but so far it has continued being worth my time and effort and money, so there we go.
I have ruined three pints of ice cream in my stupid freezer that doesn't freeze things. I am bummed about the waste of so much of my money!! Ben & Jerry's!!!
It hasn't rained in two weeks and I'm starting to worry. I want rain. This week is foggy. If I wanted fog I would have stayed in San Francisco!! Seattle=RAIN!
I'm still not enjoying my Sociology class, but we did get one interesting assignment which required us to break a social norm and record peoples' reactions to it. So I sat in our hall's elevator for forty minutes and had some interesting interactions. I guess people don't sit in the elevator eating chocolate and singing along with their iPods very often. Huh.
I may or may not participate in a low-key talent show in my dorm called "Coffee House". My friend Tory plays the piano and we may perform "Into The West" (which you may recall is from LOTR:ROTK). I have a strange feeling that I might not have the guts to do it in the end, but it's an entertaining thought at least...
I have watched a LOT of Veronica Mars. I love it. I can't stop. Don't try to help me.
I went on our hall retreat this weekend and had a horrible time. Yeah, you read that correctly. Despite the really fun-filled looking pictures, I did not enjoy myself. I was dealing with feeling really lonely, not having my two closest college friends there to hang out with, and the tragic loss of somebody I knew and all of those things combined with PMS sorta made the entire trip horrible for me. Enjoy the pictures and pretend I had a good time (I've done a pretty good job of it myself).
Doesn't all that look fun?! (undecided about how much sarcasm is there...) We were at Camp Casey which has some very beautiful concrete bunkers that we built in the 1890s for some war or another. I am obviously an expert on the subject.
Wow, this has been a pretty negative post, sorry about that. I just had a tough week and I'm shifting the blame for my negativity to that. Convenient, right? Right.
I would like some prayer for some things if you wouldn't mind: My roommate is dealing with something tough right now, so for her to lean on God through that. I'm still church-searching and since I wasn't around last weekend, I feel pretty unsuccessful in that. I guess prayer that God will lead me where He wants me, sooner rather than later? Am I allowed to ask for that? Friend-making; I'm turning out to be a bit of a hermit and because I'm so socially exhausted after a day of classes I usually retreat into my room and don't spend time with anyone unless they come to me. I don't even know where to begin with making friends because I'm so unmotivated right now... Le sigh.
"There's a kind of a sort of... cost
There's a couple of things get... lost
There are bridges you cross
You didn't know you crossed
Until you've crossed" - Glinda ("Wicked")
Yes, it's been a long time, no, I haven't given up on blogging, I've just had a tough/busy last week and a half. I have successfully taken my first two college exams and lived the tell the tale. I have struggled through a week of mourning. I turned in and got my grade back for my first paper (a B+!). I cried myself to sleep twice. I missed my friends and family. I laughed really hard with my roommate about stupid things "late at night" (we both go to sleep before 11 on average). I missed hugs and definitely hugged a couple people who did not want to hug (shout out to my hall-mate Anna who is a common hug-target despite her dislike of physical contact). I've skyped/facetimed with two of my friends and both of my parents. I'm still alive. I'm just glad this past week and a half is over and I can move on at least a bit.
Here are some random updates about my life:
I have successfully made off with THREE pineapples from Gwinn, our campus cafeteria, and have thoroughly enjoyed cutting them up and eating them in my room at my leisure.
One of my photos for the school newspaper The Falcon was on the front page (albeit under the fold). Yay for that, even though the photo was pretty much boring and posed. Whatever! Front page!
I sent out some weird postcards and a thank-you note a few days ago. I really like that I'm still writing and sending snail-mail. I was worried that perhaps it would lose its novelty (as it may still!), but so far it has continued being worth my time and effort and money, so there we go.
I have ruined three pints of ice cream in my stupid freezer that doesn't freeze things. I am bummed about the waste of so much of my money!! Ben & Jerry's!!!
It hasn't rained in two weeks and I'm starting to worry. I want rain. This week is foggy. If I wanted fog I would have stayed in San Francisco!! Seattle=RAIN!
I'm still not enjoying my Sociology class, but we did get one interesting assignment which required us to break a social norm and record peoples' reactions to it. So I sat in our hall's elevator for forty minutes and had some interesting interactions. I guess people don't sit in the elevator eating chocolate and singing along with their iPods very often. Huh.
I may or may not participate in a low-key talent show in my dorm called "Coffee House". My friend Tory plays the piano and we may perform "Into The West" (which you may recall is from LOTR:ROTK). I have a strange feeling that I might not have the guts to do it in the end, but it's an entertaining thought at least...
I have watched a LOT of Veronica Mars. I love it. I can't stop. Don't try to help me.
I went on our hall retreat this weekend and had a horrible time. Yeah, you read that correctly. Despite the really fun-filled looking pictures, I did not enjoy myself. I was dealing with feeling really lonely, not having my two closest college friends there to hang out with, and the tragic loss of somebody I knew and all of those things combined with PMS sorta made the entire trip horrible for me. Enjoy the pictures and pretend I had a good time (I've done a pretty good job of it myself).
Doesn't all that look fun?! (undecided about how much sarcasm is there...) We were at Camp Casey which has some very beautiful concrete bunkers that we built in the 1890s for some war or another. I am obviously an expert on the subject.
Wow, this has been a pretty negative post, sorry about that. I just had a tough week and I'm shifting the blame for my negativity to that. Convenient, right? Right.
I would like some prayer for some things if you wouldn't mind: My roommate is dealing with something tough right now, so for her to lean on God through that. I'm still church-searching and since I wasn't around last weekend, I feel pretty unsuccessful in that. I guess prayer that God will lead me where He wants me, sooner rather than later? Am I allowed to ask for that? Friend-making; I'm turning out to be a bit of a hermit and because I'm so socially exhausted after a day of classes I usually retreat into my room and don't spend time with anyone unless they come to me. I don't even know where to begin with making friends because I'm so unmotivated right now... Le sigh.
"There's a kind of a sort of... cost
There's a couple of things get... lost
There are bridges you cross
You didn't know you crossed
Until you've crossed" - Glinda ("Wicked")
Thursday, October 10, 2013
This & That
So, this post is pretty much just a bunch of random things/stories that I wanna share and it may be a reoccurring type of thing, we'll see. Here we go~
Today I made off with an entire pineapple from Gwinn.
Now, I'm not sure about the "legality" of this action, but lemme explain: All around the cafeteria there are these wire or wooden baskets full of fruits and vegetables, presumably for decoration. On my first round through the food area, a delicious pineapple caught my eye. It was in a large wire basket and looked like it used to have company, but that its fruit friends had all left it. Then the thought entered my head: Can I have this pineapple? I had never seen anyone walk out of Gwinn with fruit larger than an apple or banana, but the idea of me partaking of a pineapple wasn't too far-fetched right? So, I went back to my table and posed the question: "Can I take one of the pineapples?" The unanimous decision was that, yes, I could take the pineapple, but that I shouldn't do so loud and proud, but instead surreptitiously. Nobody actually knew if we were allowed to/if that was against some unspoken cafeteria rule.
I went back and grabbed Shawn (what else would I name a PINEAPPLE?!) and swaddled him in my scarf like a baby. Then, after clearing my table, I walked straight out of Gwinn with my pineapple in my arms like a baby. Yes, I made off with an entire pineapple. I even think it may be ripe. I'm very excited to cut into Shawn tomorrow morning for breakfast. See, that's another thing: I am paying for a 21-meals-a-week meal plan, but I never go in for breakfast, so I feel like stealing(?) a pineapple every once in a while to eat for breakfast isn't such a bad idea!
Thoughts on my pineapple thievery? Thoughts on pineapples? Thoughts on Psych?
Okay, another thing:
My photo-editor for The Falcon (the SPU newspaper) has thus far made the photography team some sort of home-baked dessert treat for each of our team meetings (which, I will admit, we've only had two of). He has seemed exceedingly proud of his accomplishments both evenings and has done his best to talk up his baking skillz as to convince us to eat his potentially-delicious, but completely hideous, cookies/cupcakes. I haven't eaten either of his offerings because I'm a dessert snob and because the cookies looked like albino poops and the cupcakes were tres-leches with a whipped vanilla frosting which didn't sound appealing to me (esp. with mint gum in my mouth). He seemed pretty put-out both times I refused and asked me WHAT I would eat, to which I responded: ganache or chocolate mousse (aka, anything decadent and chocolatey). He said he would make me that for next week. I am very excited. I hope he doesn't let me down (or make it look like *normal* poops).
One last thing:
Being that I'm on the photographic journalism section of the SPU newspaper, and that the first edition came out yesterday, one would assume that I had a photo in the newspaper! That is a SADLY false assumption!!! The article that I photographed for didn't end up being published this week (I'm really hoping that it will be published next week!), but as it turns out I am okay with that. Apparently the first issue of The Falcon of the year always kinda sucks, so I'm okay that my debut wasn't on the pages of a failure. I have two photography jobs this week, so IDEALLY I'll have three pictures in next week's edition. Fingers crossed!
So, those are my three stories today. Hope you enjoyed that tidbit of my life.
"It's just for the first time,
I feel ... wicked" - Elphaba ("Wicked")
...Because I stole a pineapple? I had a hard time coming up with a quote for this one....
Today I made off with an entire pineapple from Gwinn.
Now, I'm not sure about the "legality" of this action, but lemme explain: All around the cafeteria there are these wire or wooden baskets full of fruits and vegetables, presumably for decoration. On my first round through the food area, a delicious pineapple caught my eye. It was in a large wire basket and looked like it used to have company, but that its fruit friends had all left it. Then the thought entered my head: Can I have this pineapple? I had never seen anyone walk out of Gwinn with fruit larger than an apple or banana, but the idea of me partaking of a pineapple wasn't too far-fetched right? So, I went back to my table and posed the question: "Can I take one of the pineapples?" The unanimous decision was that, yes, I could take the pineapple, but that I shouldn't do so loud and proud, but instead surreptitiously. Nobody actually knew if we were allowed to/if that was against some unspoken cafeteria rule.
I went back and grabbed Shawn (what else would I name a PINEAPPLE?!) and swaddled him in my scarf like a baby. Then, after clearing my table, I walked straight out of Gwinn with my pineapple in my arms like a baby. Yes, I made off with an entire pineapple. I even think it may be ripe. I'm very excited to cut into Shawn tomorrow morning for breakfast. See, that's another thing: I am paying for a 21-meals-a-week meal plan, but I never go in for breakfast, so I feel like stealing(?) a pineapple every once in a while to eat for breakfast isn't such a bad idea!
Thoughts on my pineapple thievery? Thoughts on pineapples? Thoughts on Psych?
Okay, another thing:
My photo-editor for The Falcon (the SPU newspaper) has thus far made the photography team some sort of home-baked dessert treat for each of our team meetings (which, I will admit, we've only had two of). He has seemed exceedingly proud of his accomplishments both evenings and has done his best to talk up his baking skillz as to convince us to eat his potentially-delicious, but completely hideous, cookies/cupcakes. I haven't eaten either of his offerings because I'm a dessert snob and because the cookies looked like albino poops and the cupcakes were tres-leches with a whipped vanilla frosting which didn't sound appealing to me (esp. with mint gum in my mouth). He seemed pretty put-out both times I refused and asked me WHAT I would eat, to which I responded: ganache or chocolate mousse (aka, anything decadent and chocolatey). He said he would make me that for next week. I am very excited. I hope he doesn't let me down (or make it look like *normal* poops).
One last thing:
Being that I'm on the photographic journalism section of the SPU newspaper, and that the first edition came out yesterday, one would assume that I had a photo in the newspaper! That is a SADLY false assumption!!! The article that I photographed for didn't end up being published this week (I'm really hoping that it will be published next week!), but as it turns out I am okay with that. Apparently the first issue of The Falcon of the year always kinda sucks, so I'm okay that my debut wasn't on the pages of a failure. I have two photography jobs this week, so IDEALLY I'll have three pictures in next week's edition. Fingers crossed!
So, those are my three stories today. Hope you enjoyed that tidbit of my life.
"It's just for the first time,
I feel ... wicked" - Elphaba ("Wicked")
...Because I stole a pineapple? I had a hard time coming up with a quote for this one....
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Things That Surprise Me About College (so far)
So, I've been here for about two weeks and I have been surprised over and over about different things. Here we go:
1. People you hardly know hit on you one day, then barely acknowledge your existence the next.
2. Almost everything in Gwinn contains soy. SO MUCH SOY INTAKE DAILY!!! The only things that don't have soy are the ones in the specifically labeled "Non-gluten and Non-soy" area...
3. I am much much much less inclined to enjoy a lecture when I know what is being taught is not going to be on the test - OR when I already seen it in the homework reading and thus have no incentive to pay attention.
4. More people remember my name/face than I remember other peoples'. All the time I nod hello in return to someone saying hello or addressing me by name... Even my little black book of people isn't helping enough!!!
5. Apparently my written papers for one of my classes are "f*&%ing superior" to everyone else's... Well, at least that's what the TA told me (her words, not mine). I guess I have Miss. Doyle to thank for that!
6. My roommate goes to bed before me. I have never heard of a person who does that before... O.o During high school I went to bed at 10pm every night...
7. I cannot resist Gwinn cookies once I have seen them. And they're always the first thing one sees when they walk into the Cafeteria.. I am DOOMED to gain the freshman 15 if things continue as they are!!!
8. Apparently Vera Bardley is a brand that a TON of girls use for their backpacks, purses, and identification/card holders. I had a ID card holder from VB before coming to college only because someone gave it to my mom and I inherited it from her when she didn't want it, but I always thought VB was kinda an old-lady brand... I've seen about 10 VB items since I've been here and I actually ended up ordering a new ID card holder because the size and shape is so convenient! I still think it's an old-lady brand though...
9. The teachers really do want you to do well/keep you interested (in general). My Sociology teacher is very very boring and confusing. Otherwise, they are great.
10. I'm not always cold. Perhaps I will be when winter sets in - but so far, Seattle has done well by me.
11. It is not always raining. This goes along with the one above, but it's true! We have had a couple downpours, but otherwise it's either been cloudy/lightly sprinkling, or completely sunny.
12. I honestly have less time to fill with fun stuff than I thought I would. I thought I would have tons of time to fill with all of my TV shows and blogging, but I have a TON of time-taking work!!! So many long, dense chapters to read, notes to take, notecards to make... O.o I have just begun work on my first essay and I feel really good so far because of what my TA said :3 I hope I don't get too self-confident!!
13. I'm not homesick at all. I mean, I miss my home (home = house + parents + friends), but not THAT much, not to the point of getting sad or lonely. My great roommate and hall have probably really helped with that. And phone calls and FaceTime/Skype.
14. There is a LOT of night time chanting that goes on around campus. I have learned to just tune it out (esp at 9:55 right before quiet hours).
So, those are some things that have surprised me about college so far.
"Unusually and exceedingly peculiar
And altogether quite impossible to describe" - Glinda ("Wicked")
1. People you hardly know hit on you one day, then barely acknowledge your existence the next.
2. Almost everything in Gwinn contains soy. SO MUCH SOY INTAKE DAILY!!! The only things that don't have soy are the ones in the specifically labeled "Non-gluten and Non-soy" area...
3. I am much much much less inclined to enjoy a lecture when I know what is being taught is not going to be on the test - OR when I already seen it in the homework reading and thus have no incentive to pay attention.
4. More people remember my name/face than I remember other peoples'. All the time I nod hello in return to someone saying hello or addressing me by name... Even my little black book of people isn't helping enough!!!
5. Apparently my written papers for one of my classes are "f*&%ing superior" to everyone else's... Well, at least that's what the TA told me (her words, not mine). I guess I have Miss. Doyle to thank for that!
6. My roommate goes to bed before me. I have never heard of a person who does that before... O.o During high school I went to bed at 10pm every night...
7. I cannot resist Gwinn cookies once I have seen them. And they're always the first thing one sees when they walk into the Cafeteria.. I am DOOMED to gain the freshman 15 if things continue as they are!!!
8. Apparently Vera Bardley is a brand that a TON of girls use for their backpacks, purses, and identification/card holders. I had a ID card holder from VB before coming to college only because someone gave it to my mom and I inherited it from her when she didn't want it, but I always thought VB was kinda an old-lady brand... I've seen about 10 VB items since I've been here and I actually ended up ordering a new ID card holder because the size and shape is so convenient! I still think it's an old-lady brand though...
9. The teachers really do want you to do well/keep you interested (in general). My Sociology teacher is very very boring and confusing. Otherwise, they are great.
10. I'm not always cold. Perhaps I will be when winter sets in - but so far, Seattle has done well by me.
11. It is not always raining. This goes along with the one above, but it's true! We have had a couple downpours, but otherwise it's either been cloudy/lightly sprinkling, or completely sunny.
12. I honestly have less time to fill with fun stuff than I thought I would. I thought I would have tons of time to fill with all of my TV shows and blogging, but I have a TON of time-taking work!!! So many long, dense chapters to read, notes to take, notecards to make... O.o I have just begun work on my first essay and I feel really good so far because of what my TA said :3 I hope I don't get too self-confident!!
13. I'm not homesick at all. I mean, I miss my home (home = house + parents + friends), but not THAT much, not to the point of getting sad or lonely. My great roommate and hall have probably really helped with that. And phone calls and FaceTime/Skype.
14. There is a LOT of night time chanting that goes on around campus. I have learned to just tune it out (esp at 9:55 right before quiet hours).
So, those are some things that have surprised me about college so far.
"Unusually and exceedingly peculiar
And altogether quite impossible to describe" - Glinda ("Wicked")
Saturday, October 5, 2013
One Week Down
I have now officially loved through my first week of college classes and I'm proud to announce that I am still happy and alive. Whoopiee!!
My friend Erin came to visit Mari and me at SPU today (we all went to the same high school, but Erin is going to University of Washington). Her visit was only 2.5 hours, but it was a lot of fun and really nice to talk to someone else who is equally new to college as I am. She's having a few roommate troubles, but seems to be making the best of her circumstances, so that's good. We had dinner in Gwinn (SPU's cafeteria) and then took a picture together. First we took a selfie cause nobody was around to take our picture, but then we got someone, so here are the two pictures:
Tonight I took part in my floor's initiation (shout out to 4th East's Sexy Beasts!!!) which was.. I want to say fun, but in all honesty it was painful. Each suite was given a scavenger hunt paper from their "big sisters" on the floor and we all had to complete three tasks before coming back to Emerson, our dorm, to meet our big sisters who had previously been secret. My "suite" group only had two people because both Amber and my roommates were unable to attend, so we had to complete all of the tasks with just the two of us. The first was to take a picture of us making a star with our fingers in the secret garden in Emerson, which was awkward because you need at least three people to make a good star - esp since one hand had to be taking the picture. Our star was hideous to say the least. The second was to run around Weter Hall (one of the non-dorm buildings) three times and then take a picture with the barista in the Starbucks inside. This is what killed me. So many stairs, so little athleticism... I walked/hardly jogged the last two. The last one was to sing "happy birthday" to some shopping in the C-store and video record it, which was really. After that, we got to go back to Emerson and meet our big sisters and then were forced into a cramped dorm room with the lights off and a strobe light and were expected to dance. That did not align with what my body was telling me - find a place to curl up and die from running around. Oh right, I forgot, throughout all of this we were all dressed in the most ridiculous clothing we could find. I didn't have anything remotely crazy, so I borrowed some strange pants and a funky shirt from my neighbor Madi :) I thought it was all over at this point, but how wrong I was!!!
After all that, we went as a group down to the Loop, all the way chanting (very loudly) "4th East Sexy Beasts!!!". Haley and Lauren (our PA and SMC <- just look it up, I'm lazy) were waiting for us there and had us all say the 4th East pledge. Then we marched back up to Emerson and signed a poster with the pledge on it. We also took individual pictures of us with a big pink boa and cat ears for our bio wall (sexy beast, get it? whatever ;). After all that, we HAD to be done right?! NO. We were given the choice of staying back and pretty much being labeled "lame" or walking up Queen Anne to get ice cream at Molly Moon's with everyone. I was SO tempted to stay back in the dorm and just relax, but I knew I would be missing out on some serious bonding time, so I gave in and joined everyone else. Unfortunately, before deciding to go, I had taken off my boots and socks, as as the split second decision to go occurred, all I grabbed were some flip flops and a light jacket. Two very bad ideas, I would soon learn. The walk is only ~1.5 miles, but since it's uphill, it felt like 3 or 4. Apparently the change in elevation was 61 meters. I nearly died. At least I got ice cream out of it.
I got "Earl Grey" ice cream. It was great tasting, but the combination of exercise, fatigue, and complete and utter coldness didn't make the ice cream experience very enjoyable.
After ice cream, I was like, YESSS WE GET TO GO HOME!! But no. We went to a park that had a very cool view of the Space Needle and were there for about 30 minutes. EVERYONE was freezing. We took a group picture (which I do not have yet) and then were finally allowed to head back. Longest walk ever. Haha.
"Everyone's gonna watch a movie now!!" No. I took a bath and sat down to FaceTime my friend Kristina and then write this blog. I'm sure everyone else enjoyed the movie though. There's only so much socializing an introvert can do!!!
On another note: Today I realized that God works in very mysterious ways. I think I just began to understand that as I was describing something that happened to me today to Kristina and she said something to the effect of: "I wonder if God had you ______ back in the winter/spring of last year so that you have knowledge about that sort of thing and be able to discern stuff like that better in the future." (I totally paraphrased here). But it really made me appreciate my bad experience because I know now that I need to avoid things like that in the future. Yay for vagueness.
So, one week down.
"I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you..." -Glinda ("Wicked")
My friend Erin came to visit Mari and me at SPU today (we all went to the same high school, but Erin is going to University of Washington). Her visit was only 2.5 hours, but it was a lot of fun and really nice to talk to someone else who is equally new to college as I am. She's having a few roommate troubles, but seems to be making the best of her circumstances, so that's good. We had dinner in Gwinn (SPU's cafeteria) and then took a picture together. First we took a selfie cause nobody was around to take our picture, but then we got someone, so here are the two pictures:
Tonight I took part in my floor's initiation (shout out to 4th East's Sexy Beasts!!!) which was.. I want to say fun, but in all honesty it was painful. Each suite was given a scavenger hunt paper from their "big sisters" on the floor and we all had to complete three tasks before coming back to Emerson, our dorm, to meet our big sisters who had previously been secret. My "suite" group only had two people because both Amber and my roommates were unable to attend, so we had to complete all of the tasks with just the two of us. The first was to take a picture of us making a star with our fingers in the secret garden in Emerson, which was awkward because you need at least three people to make a good star - esp since one hand had to be taking the picture. Our star was hideous to say the least. The second was to run around Weter Hall (one of the non-dorm buildings) three times and then take a picture with the barista in the Starbucks inside. This is what killed me. So many stairs, so little athleticism... I walked/hardly jogged the last two. The last one was to sing "happy birthday" to some shopping in the C-store and video record it, which was really. After that, we got to go back to Emerson and meet our big sisters and then were forced into a cramped dorm room with the lights off and a strobe light and were expected to dance. That did not align with what my body was telling me - find a place to curl up and die from running around. Oh right, I forgot, throughout all of this we were all dressed in the most ridiculous clothing we could find. I didn't have anything remotely crazy, so I borrowed some strange pants and a funky shirt from my neighbor Madi :) I thought it was all over at this point, but how wrong I was!!!
After all that, we went as a group down to the Loop, all the way chanting (very loudly) "4th East Sexy Beasts!!!". Haley and Lauren (our PA and SMC <- just look it up, I'm lazy) were waiting for us there and had us all say the 4th East pledge. Then we marched back up to Emerson and signed a poster with the pledge on it. We also took individual pictures of us with a big pink boa and cat ears for our bio wall (sexy beast, get it? whatever ;). After all that, we HAD to be done right?! NO. We were given the choice of staying back and pretty much being labeled "lame" or walking up Queen Anne to get ice cream at Molly Moon's with everyone. I was SO tempted to stay back in the dorm and just relax, but I knew I would be missing out on some serious bonding time, so I gave in and joined everyone else. Unfortunately, before deciding to go, I had taken off my boots and socks, as as the split second decision to go occurred, all I grabbed were some flip flops and a light jacket. Two very bad ideas, I would soon learn. The walk is only ~1.5 miles, but since it's uphill, it felt like 3 or 4. Apparently the change in elevation was 61 meters. I nearly died. At least I got ice cream out of it.
I got "Earl Grey" ice cream. It was great tasting, but the combination of exercise, fatigue, and complete and utter coldness didn't make the ice cream experience very enjoyable.
After ice cream, I was like, YESSS WE GET TO GO HOME!! But no. We went to a park that had a very cool view of the Space Needle and were there for about 30 minutes. EVERYONE was freezing. We took a group picture (which I do not have yet) and then were finally allowed to head back. Longest walk ever. Haha.
"Everyone's gonna watch a movie now!!" No. I took a bath and sat down to FaceTime my friend Kristina and then write this blog. I'm sure everyone else enjoyed the movie though. There's only so much socializing an introvert can do!!!
On another note: Today I realized that God works in very mysterious ways. I think I just began to understand that as I was describing something that happened to me today to Kristina and she said something to the effect of: "I wonder if God had you ______ back in the winter/spring of last year so that you have knowledge about that sort of thing and be able to discern stuff like that better in the future." (I totally paraphrased here). But it really made me appreciate my bad experience because I know now that I need to avoid things like that in the future. Yay for vagueness.
So, one week down.
"I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you..." -Glinda ("Wicked")
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
First Impressions
Okay, so, Monday and today were my first two days of class and as of tonight I have attended each of my four courses once. Mondays have Jane Austen and Psych. Tuesdays have Sociology. This Tuesday I also attended a Newspaper meeting as an intro-to-Newspaper sort of thing (usually the "class" meets Thursdays at 9pm).
First impressions:
I am going to love my USEM (University Seminar) "Jane Austen: Then and Now". I love Jane Austen's work, her wit and characters, my professor is really cool and chill, and my class is full of girls I have known for five days in all, so I'm already beginning to love them. The homework load doesn't look like it's gonna be too much and since we're reading Pride and Prejudice right now it's rather enjoyable. (a big high-five to anyone who knew that P&P was originally called "First Impressions" but was changed after Sense and Sensibility's title was so well-received).
I am also going to love my Psych class. The professor's teaching philosophy is that the students should be teaching themselves from the book for the test and that class-time/lectures should be devoted to educating us personally, beyond what is in the book. I actually like this idea (as of now), because it gives me the space I need to read the textbook and make my notecards on my own time without the added pressure of assignments (he doesn't give any homework). He is really sarcastic and his humor is dry, but I really enjoy it and the way he talks about things.
I am going to struggle a lot with my Sociology professor's style. She will also not be covering everything that is on the test IN CLASS, but unlike my Psych prof, she is adding to the test things she will be lecturing on in class, so I have to add that to my work load. She assigns a lot of homework (not TOO much, but still a bunch) and seems to be really anal about due dates and has a very strict no make-up work rule. She also has a VERY VERY heavy accent and I have a hard time understanding her (she said Karl Marx in class and NOBODY understood her until I asked, ".... Karl Marx?" and then everyone was like, "oooohhhhhh~"). Also, her homework is mostly things we have to download and print out ourselves and the website she uses is not very user-friendly, so that's a pain.
I think I will enjoy Newspaper even if it is a tiny time-suck. Newspaper was sorta just a chill meeting and the overseeing professor wasn't even there. All of the department heads did a little spiel on their topic and then we split up and talked to the group that we were most interested in joining. I joined the photography group whose editor was very charismatic and friendly, but very down to Earth and warned us that he would be taking our commitments very seriously. Kelli (my friend from middle school) was also at the meeting and in the photography group, so perhaps we will be working together on the newspaper this quarter! :)
So those are my first impressions of my four courses. I'm happy to have the stress of my first classes over!
On a different note: I'm keeping a little black (it's actually dark grey..) book of all the people I've met who I think I will see again (people on my floor, in my classes, ect.). Now, that does sound a little creepy, but I'm really bad at remembering names and am doing this at the counsel of an alumni from King's (my high school) who was also bad with names and discovered that keeping a book with a name and a short description really helped him remember people. So that's coming along nicely and I'm proud of it.
I'm really liking SPU so far and am very much in danger of the freshman fifteen with Gwinn's (the cafeteria) dessert display case being the first and last thing you see when you enter and leave... O.o I seriously must regulate how many desserts I have per week. Maybe one every two days. We'll see.
So, there you have my first impressions after 6 days on campus and 2 days of classes. :D
"What is this feeling?
So sudden and new?
I felt it the moment
I laid eyes on you:
My pulse is rushing:
My head is reeling:
My face is flushing:
Oh, what is this feeling?" - Galinda and Elpheba ("Wicked")
First impressions:
I am going to love my USEM (University Seminar) "Jane Austen: Then and Now". I love Jane Austen's work, her wit and characters, my professor is really cool and chill, and my class is full of girls I have known for five days in all, so I'm already beginning to love them. The homework load doesn't look like it's gonna be too much and since we're reading Pride and Prejudice right now it's rather enjoyable. (a big high-five to anyone who knew that P&P was originally called "First Impressions" but was changed after Sense and Sensibility's title was so well-received).
I am also going to love my Psych class. The professor's teaching philosophy is that the students should be teaching themselves from the book for the test and that class-time/lectures should be devoted to educating us personally, beyond what is in the book. I actually like this idea (as of now), because it gives me the space I need to read the textbook and make my notecards on my own time without the added pressure of assignments (he doesn't give any homework). He is really sarcastic and his humor is dry, but I really enjoy it and the way he talks about things.
I am going to struggle a lot with my Sociology professor's style. She will also not be covering everything that is on the test IN CLASS, but unlike my Psych prof, she is adding to the test things she will be lecturing on in class, so I have to add that to my work load. She assigns a lot of homework (not TOO much, but still a bunch) and seems to be really anal about due dates and has a very strict no make-up work rule. She also has a VERY VERY heavy accent and I have a hard time understanding her (she said Karl Marx in class and NOBODY understood her until I asked, ".... Karl Marx?" and then everyone was like, "oooohhhhhh~"). Also, her homework is mostly things we have to download and print out ourselves and the website she uses is not very user-friendly, so that's a pain.
I think I will enjoy Newspaper even if it is a tiny time-suck. Newspaper was sorta just a chill meeting and the overseeing professor wasn't even there. All of the department heads did a little spiel on their topic and then we split up and talked to the group that we were most interested in joining. I joined the photography group whose editor was very charismatic and friendly, but very down to Earth and warned us that he would be taking our commitments very seriously. Kelli (my friend from middle school) was also at the meeting and in the photography group, so perhaps we will be working together on the newspaper this quarter! :)
So those are my first impressions of my four courses. I'm happy to have the stress of my first classes over!
On a different note: I'm keeping a little black (it's actually dark grey..) book of all the people I've met who I think I will see again (people on my floor, in my classes, ect.). Now, that does sound a little creepy, but I'm really bad at remembering names and am doing this at the counsel of an alumni from King's (my high school) who was also bad with names and discovered that keeping a book with a name and a short description really helped him remember people. So that's coming along nicely and I'm proud of it.
I'm really liking SPU so far and am very much in danger of the freshman fifteen with Gwinn's (the cafeteria) dessert display case being the first and last thing you see when you enter and leave... O.o I seriously must regulate how many desserts I have per week. Maybe one every two days. We'll see.
So, there you have my first impressions after 6 days on campus and 2 days of classes. :D
"What is this feeling?
So sudden and new?
I felt it the moment
I laid eyes on you:
My pulse is rushing:
My head is reeling:
My face is flushing:
Oh, what is this feeling?" - Galinda and Elpheba ("Wicked")
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Selfie
Yesterday I (and my friend) took a selfie picture with SPU's president:
We had some sort of "New Student Convocation" where all the professors came in in their robes and then gave really boring speeches about students moving on to the next part of their lives and their parents letting go. And it wasn't just me who thought they were boring, everyone around me and everyone I talked to later did too. Hahaa.
Well, after the speeches they had all of the professors make a big circle on the floor of the gymnasium and told the students to go into the middle. I had made contact via text with my friend from middle school (Kelli) who was on the other side of the gym during the speeches and so I met with her halfway and we coincidentally ended up standing right in front of the president. He was taking pictures of the crowd with his cellphone and I thought I might be in the picture, so I smiled and gave a thumbs-up. He noticed that I was posing and took a picture of me and Kelli smiling for the camera. I can't believe there is a picture of us on the president's cellphone. That's so strange!! But cool at the same time.
The guy with the microphone then told all of the students to get a SPU pin from one of the teachers (all of whom had a handful). Obviously Kelli and I made sure to get our pins from the president, who we then asked to take a picture with us. The results are above for your enjoyment. Haha, another professor walked up and was like, "I saw you two hamming it up with the president - good job!" or something like that, which cracked me up.
Then my mom sent me this text: "I see you got your pin from the main man!! :) Well done!!!" That cracked me up too.
So, that was an experience. After that whole ceremony I went to dinner with my parents and we said our last goodbyes. I'll skip the gory details.... Just kidding, it was a good goodbye and now my parents are heading to Canada for a short vacation. I'll miss them...
Well, that's all I have for you on that front. Yes, I do seem to be posting a lot, but I think that's just cause I'm trying to take a lot of breaks from all of the huge group activities because I get overwhelmed.
This is my roommate Elayna:
"And I'll stand there with the Wizard,/Feeling things I've never felt/And though I'd never show it,/I'd be so happy, I could melt!" - Elphaba ("Wicked", the musical)
We had some sort of "New Student Convocation" where all the professors came in in their robes and then gave really boring speeches about students moving on to the next part of their lives and their parents letting go. And it wasn't just me who thought they were boring, everyone around me and everyone I talked to later did too. Hahaa.
Well, after the speeches they had all of the professors make a big circle on the floor of the gymnasium and told the students to go into the middle. I had made contact via text with my friend from middle school (Kelli) who was on the other side of the gym during the speeches and so I met with her halfway and we coincidentally ended up standing right in front of the president. He was taking pictures of the crowd with his cellphone and I thought I might be in the picture, so I smiled and gave a thumbs-up. He noticed that I was posing and took a picture of me and Kelli smiling for the camera. I can't believe there is a picture of us on the president's cellphone. That's so strange!! But cool at the same time.
The guy with the microphone then told all of the students to get a SPU pin from one of the teachers (all of whom had a handful). Obviously Kelli and I made sure to get our pins from the president, who we then asked to take a picture with us. The results are above for your enjoyment. Haha, another professor walked up and was like, "I saw you two hamming it up with the president - good job!" or something like that, which cracked me up.
Then my mom sent me this text: "I see you got your pin from the main man!! :) Well done!!!" That cracked me up too.
So, that was an experience. After that whole ceremony I went to dinner with my parents and we said our last goodbyes. I'll skip the gory details.... Just kidding, it was a good goodbye and now my parents are heading to Canada for a short vacation. I'll miss them...
Well, that's all I have for you on that front. Yes, I do seem to be posting a lot, but I think that's just cause I'm trying to take a lot of breaks from all of the huge group activities because I get overwhelmed.
This is my roommate Elayna:
"And I'll stand there with the Wizard,/Feeling things I've never felt/And though I'd never show it,/I'd be so happy, I could melt!" - Elphaba ("Wicked", the musical)
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Move In Day!
Heyo hoi polloi!
Today I moved into my beloved dorm at SPU - Emerson. I live on 4th East and I already love it. Luckily we have an elevator, so I don't have to take the stairs EVERY time, but I want to do them at least a couple times a day. Move-in went smoothly because we had a lot of current students helping us and I took the rest of the morning/afternoon to unpack all of my things alongside my roommate Elayna. Now, I thought *I* had a lot of stuff. She easily had three times as much stuff as I did. Like, her clothes alone took up about four LARGE cardboard boxes O.o But that's fine, we have TONS of space. It's really awesome. I'm on the bottom bunk and with the left desk~
I think Elayna and I will get along really well. We're both really organized and we just have that necessary chemistry to make a roommate situation work, you know?
After the many welcome speeches, activities, and meals I am beginning to feel VERY tired. I appreciate the effort they're putting into trying to keep us busy, but as an introvert I NEED MY SPACE!! To my great joy they let us go at 11pm, so I'm just about ready to crawl into my neatly made bed and go to sleep.
I really like SPU and I'm very happy that I chose it over Willamette right now. I feel so welcome and loved here - there's no pressure to be someone who I am not. My PA (like an RA) is really fun and very very very excited to have us on her floor, so I'm grateful for that. Prayers are always appreciated for a continued smooth transition! Danke!!
"O hallowed halls and vine-draped walls/The proudliest sight there is!" - Chorus ("Wicked", the musical)
Today I moved into my beloved dorm at SPU - Emerson. I live on 4th East and I already love it. Luckily we have an elevator, so I don't have to take the stairs EVERY time, but I want to do them at least a couple times a day. Move-in went smoothly because we had a lot of current students helping us and I took the rest of the morning/afternoon to unpack all of my things alongside my roommate Elayna. Now, I thought *I* had a lot of stuff. She easily had three times as much stuff as I did. Like, her clothes alone took up about four LARGE cardboard boxes O.o But that's fine, we have TONS of space. It's really awesome. I'm on the bottom bunk and with the left desk~
I think Elayna and I will get along really well. We're both really organized and we just have that necessary chemistry to make a roommate situation work, you know?
After the many welcome speeches, activities, and meals I am beginning to feel VERY tired. I appreciate the effort they're putting into trying to keep us busy, but as an introvert I NEED MY SPACE!! To my great joy they let us go at 11pm, so I'm just about ready to crawl into my neatly made bed and go to sleep.
I really like SPU and I'm very happy that I chose it over Willamette right now. I feel so welcome and loved here - there's no pressure to be someone who I am not. My PA (like an RA) is really fun and very very very excited to have us on her floor, so I'm grateful for that. Prayers are always appreciated for a continued smooth transition! Danke!!
"O hallowed halls and vine-draped walls/The proudliest sight there is!" - Chorus ("Wicked", the musical)
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Why "Emerald City"?
Hello hoi polloi!
This is my new blog for the school year and, as you can see, I've named it "Emerald City". Now you may be asking, "Why 'Emerald City'? Isn't that the weird green capital of the Land of Oz?" Why yes indeed it IS the capital of Oz, but it is ALSO a nickname for Seattle - as Seattle is green year-round. My college, Seattle Pacific University (SPU), is located in - get this - Seattle, Washington, and I wanted a title for my blog that sorta went with where I was.
This past summer I challenged myself to blog every day, no matter how busy or tired I was. I'm happy to say that I have succeeded (with the concession that on three small trips I had no internet access and had to post those days' blogs when I got home)!! Now, that was fun and all, but also a serious commitment and took a lot of effort sometimes (especially when I didn't have anything to write about...). Here is the link to my old blog, "One Hundred and Eighteen Days of Summer": http://onehundredandeighteendaysofsummer.blogspot.com/
I hope that Emerald City will have new posts two or three times a week accounting some of my adventures, thoughts, discoveries, and just day to day musings for your (but mostly my) enjoyment! No promises, because I know the first one or two weeks of college may be hectic, but I do WANT to post that often. :)
While not blogging, I will be exploring SPU and Seattle as a whole! Whoot! I move in tomorrow!!!
From the City by the Bay to the Emerald City - this girl is ready to join the hoi polloi of Seattle!
"There's no place like home." - Elphaba ("Wicked", the musical)
This is my new blog for the school year and, as you can see, I've named it "Emerald City". Now you may be asking, "Why 'Emerald City'? Isn't that the weird green capital of the Land of Oz?" Why yes indeed it IS the capital of Oz, but it is ALSO a nickname for Seattle - as Seattle is green year-round. My college, Seattle Pacific University (SPU), is located in - get this - Seattle, Washington, and I wanted a title for my blog that sorta went with where I was.
This past summer I challenged myself to blog every day, no matter how busy or tired I was. I'm happy to say that I have succeeded (with the concession that on three small trips I had no internet access and had to post those days' blogs when I got home)!! Now, that was fun and all, but also a serious commitment and took a lot of effort sometimes (especially when I didn't have anything to write about...). Here is the link to my old blog, "One Hundred and Eighteen Days of Summer": http://onehundredandeighteendaysofsummer.blogspot.com/
I hope that Emerald City will have new posts two or three times a week accounting some of my adventures, thoughts, discoveries, and just day to day musings for your (but mostly my) enjoyment! No promises, because I know the first one or two weeks of college may be hectic, but I do WANT to post that often. :)
While not blogging, I will be exploring SPU and Seattle as a whole! Whoot! I move in tomorrow!!!
From the City by the Bay to the Emerald City - this girl is ready to join the hoi polloi of Seattle!
"There's no place like home." - Elphaba ("Wicked", the musical)
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