Freshman Year, I'm halfway through with you!

My very first semester of college has come to a close. Wait, what? Really though, where have the last 4 months of my life gone? Probably to way too many Starbucks vanilla soy lattes, a bag of milky ways, one re-arranged dorm room, a TON of laundry loads, more-than-I-can-count trips to Target, a few trips to the mall, about four movies at the campus movie theater, endless amounts of One Tree Hill episodes on Netflix, letters from my mama, and of course some homework here and there. I can't believe I am moving into my second semester of college in just under a month. January 8th to be exact, my dad's 44th birthday!

I do have a few successes to report so far. I have not changed my major and do not plan to, something a lot of Freshmen can't say. I still like all of my roommates, three great girls who I am blessed to know. One awesomely successful semester of volunteering for an elementary school, which I'm going to miss doing every Friday morning. Five classes that I can say I passed with no worries about them! Really though, my schedule was great this semester. I probably just jinxed myself for saying that. And lastly, the support of my family through everything that has happened here so far.

A lot of people put the teaching profession down because of the extremely low pay, but I have not heard one negative thing from my family about it. All positives. Sure, the pay sucks, but looking at the negatives won't get you anywhere. We look at the bright side of things, something a lot of people don't know how to do. The pay isn't stupendous in North Carolina, so why not find somewhere that it's better? We can change the situation we're in if we're willing. We can choose to be happy. We can be great in any circumstance that we're put in, you just gotta do it. End of my little rant.

Another exciting thing that I get to do soon is GO HOME! Tomorrow to be exact. I love going home. I'm not going to lie. No shame. I love seeing my parents and brother. It's great this time of year because of Christmas! I love everything that my family does before Christmas comes. This year we get to go to a few light shows, we already put our tree up, but we get to enjoy that view, and family time! My parents are the greatest people I know and I just love to be around them. I also enjoy watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas about 107 times before Christmas, too. That movie never gets old.

Anyway, that was just to sum up what has been going on lately. Hopefully the 3 1/2 hour ride won't be too taxing tomorrow. Of course not! There's Christmas music on the radio! AHHH, I love it!

Back to Reality for a Bit

Thanksgiving break is over and I am currently sitting in the library back at school. Finals are this week and next week. I honestly don't have it tough this semester, but I probably just jinxed myself. My Education class has almost come to a close, we had our last day at the elementary school last week. That was so bittersweet. Those sweet babies will stay with me forever!

Thanksgiving was great! I was so happy to be home. I went Black Friday shopping with my parents and brother, that was a success! But, my favorite thing that we always do is put the Christmas tree up! We do it every year, the day after Thanksgiving. It's a tradition. We have a different theme every year. It's so fun to mix it up! This year it is beach themed. We put starfish and seashells all over it! The presents are wrapped in brown paper, tied in twine and blue ribbon, it looks so sandy! I love it!



There are about two weeks left in my first semester of college! It has gone by SO fast, I almost can't believe it. I swear I just moved in yesterday. I'll be so happy and relieved to go home for the holidays, though. I love my family. Here are some more pictures from break.

On the way to Myrtle Beach with my mama!

Saying goodbye to ML at Jumpin' Java, our favorite coffee hangout back home.

Seeing Catching Fire with a bunch of great friends!

Now, I should probably stop procrastinating and get back to actual school work. Those essays won't write themselves, unfortunately. Happy Holidays!



The Holiday's are Upon Us

I just got back to my dorm room from seeing a movie, Stuck In Love, with two of my roommates. I'm sitting at my desk, reflecting on this first semester of college as it slowly, but gradually comes to an end. I was lucky enough to not to have any exhausting mid-terms and that has been a stress-reliever. It is almost indescribable that I have nearly completed my first semester of college.

When you are little, you always dream of "one day," but that one day is now! Like, what is that? I'm having my "college experience" fold out right in front of me and I'm tackling it head on - sort of. I'm not as social as I would like to be and sometimes I feel like I'm held back, but I'm fending for myself in a way, this is what it's like to be an adult! Whoa.

I'm going to the Gravedigger's Ball this weekend. It's supposed to be a really awesome Halloween party uptown, so I'm excited for that. I plan to be a pirate. How "arrrrrrrignal," or cliché, which ever you prefer.

Speaking of holidays, I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving, it's sooner then we all think. Being away from family for the first "real" time has been an eye-opener. I can't wait to get home to my family. I'm looking forward to decorating, too. We always put up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. We can't forget the Black Friday shopping, too! What about the Christmas music on the radio? It's a must. Speaking of Christmas music, I'm listening to the Mariah Carey Pandora station right now, hold the judgment.

This blog is all over the place today.

Here are a few things I recommend trying for the Thanksgiving-Christmas season (Compliments of Pinterest, ever girl's best friend):

The first thing is using brown craft paper as wrapping paper. You can save some mullah by grabbing this up at the dollar store and investing a little extra in some super cute bows! This is such a modern twist on a classic tradition.

 

 

The second is the quick and easy must do! Forget paying $40 or $50 dollars, how about $10 or $15?! You can buy all of the necessary materials at a local Hobby Lobby or Michael's craft store, the ornaments from Dollar Tree. This is such an awesome way to welcome the holiday into your home. All you really need is a little time, hot glue, and a big bow! Personalize it with your own initial and it is ready to hang.

 

 

Last, but definitely not least, this little number is for the Thanksgiving dinner table. How precious! If you are having a family get together, this is perfect for a little down-time while you're getting the food ready. When everyone is seated, you can go around the table saying what you listed, and it eliminates the awkward put-on-the-spot feeling we all get when we're asked those simple questions that make get us tongue tied. This can be created with plain printer paper, or the cute brown craft paper you're saving for Christmas wrapping!

 

 

P.S.

Don't forget to add your favorite holiday stations to your Pandora! They put a little happiness into your work day.

 

Happy Decorating!

 

 

 



 

Learn to Teach.

I am officially a volunteer at a local elementary school! I am doing this with a class I'm taking for my gen. ed. courses for college. I'm so excited! I go every Friday with my class and we help out and teacher assist when it is needed.

The children are SO precious! They are hilarious and so inquisitive, always asking questions. I cannot wait to become a teacher...can I just skip over all of these required classes and get to it?! Not likely...

I'm currently with a first grade class, but this Friday we switch gears and get moved around to have a broad experience while we are there. It is so cool watching them interact with each other and it's you they are looking up to, that's a really great feeling and a big deal. I hate it when people say teaching is not a good job, or there's no money there. Sure, there might not be a six figure salary, but you impact the lives of so many people a day.

I know I still say, "I remember that from third grade," or "I learned that from my first grade teacher." Elementary school years, to me, are the years of our lives! I only wish I could go back. No worries, no problems.

Volunteering has been such an awesome time so far. I can't wait to have my own Pinterest-perfect classroom and impact the lives of "my children," as my third grade teacher would say, everyday! Yay, teaching!

Opportunity strikes when you least expect it.

As I sit here in my dorm room, of course thinking about all the things I could be doing besides this, I start to reflect on everything that has happened in the past couple of days. Today, in particular, I thought was one of the looooongest days of my life.

I have a Western History & Culture class that is three hours long, believe me when I say I'm not complaining about the time, because I could be taking a lab and that would be awful. But, I don't agree with anything the teacher says. I think it's because she wants to be some sort of therapist and college kids are the last people that want to listen to someone on "changing your life."

She gave us a big project today, that actually got my attention. We have to visit an organization committed to "the good life." One of the options she gave us was to go to a Buddhist temple or mosque. That sounded really different to me while I was sitting at the horrible swivel desk.

Isn't this what college is all about?

I started to think of how great this opportunity would be for me. I have grown up in the South and have attended many Baptist churches, but nothing like a Buddhist temple. I have heard stories of how beautifully crafted they are and how calm and welcoming they are too, but I've never put myself out there and visited one. How cool would that be?!

That was really the only thing I got out of the whole three hour period, but it was something to think about. On a more filling note, I got Chinese food for dinner. Oh!, how many ethnicities and religions impact our lives everyday that we never really pay attention to? Probably more than you'd think.

Back to Blogging!

I recently have been more into blogging and what better time to document my life then while I'm in college? For the past few weeks here, everything has been so exciting. I moved from a little beach town on the coast of NC to Charlotte! What a culture shock if I do say so myself. UNCC has been quite welcoming. I joined a youth group called Young Life and over the past weekend we went on the Great American Camp Out retreat. It was so fun!

We hiked to this beautiful waterfall and it was one of the coolest things I have ever gotten to experience. I'm so thankful that a poster on campus led me to this amazing group of people.

I'm going to continue with this blog in hopes of seeing my life change over the next four years. I really cannot stress enough how excited I am to see everything pan out. I definitely want teaching in my future. I feel like everything is right on track to where it's supposed to be and that's an awesome feeling to have as a freshman in college.