June Favorites

Yes.  I do realized we’re only halfway through June, but I want to let you know that the favorite things that I have now will be the same in two more weeks.  So let’s take a look at my 5 favorite things of June 2014!

1. Chicken and cheese quesadillas.  They’re so quick and easy to make and they are beyond delicious.  As a poor college student, these are perfect.  I’ve been eating them so often this month!

2. The Fault in Our Stars.  Let me just say that the movie may be my new favorite.  I’ve been dying to see it again since I saw it opening weekend just so I can openly sob and not hold my breath to keep me from crying out loud in the theater.  I also want to reread the book sometime this summer, but…this brings me to my next favorite:

3. Goodreads.  Goodreads is a website for booklovers.  It’s so good I can’t even explain.  It’s free to sign up and you get to keep track of every book you read and give reviews andddd enter giveaways.  I’ve won quite a few giveaways, which leaves me with piles of books to read and not enough time to do it.  But does this stop me from buying more books?  Of course not.

4. Scentzy.  I just moved out of my parents home into a house with a few other girls and I have been obsessed with my warmer (granted I buy the cheap wax melts at Walmart).  My room smells AMAZING and the smells help me relax after a long day with…

5. Animal Humane Society!  I’m working as a summer camp counselor with AHS, an organization in Minnesota.  AHS is an amazing organization that adopts out so many animals to forever homes.  If my house allowed pets, I would have already adopted a cat.  So…it’s probably a good thing that I can’t have pets.  Here’s our website if you want to check out some of the pets we have up for adoption!! http://www.animalhumanesociety.org  (shameless plug).

Those are the things I’ve been loving this month.  I’ve been very busy with work and family things this month that I’ve had little free time, which clearly is the reason for my current favorites. 😉

Enjoy the rest of June!!

 

Finals Week

I made this video a while ago, but I thought it goes along nicely as I’m finishing up my finals week and doing a whole lot of procrastination. I hope you guys enjoy.

Final Project Procrastination

Here at UW-River Falls, finals week is the week before Christmas.  Because of this, in all but one of my classes, I’ve been assigned massive projects to fill up my time.  If I survive to next Friday, I’ll be okay.

I have two group projects and three individual projects to complete by various days next week.  You’d think that because I have less than a week for some of these presentations, I’d be scrambling now to get them done, but no.  Here I am, doing everything to get out of studying.

I tell myself it’s okay because I live a pretty antisocial life, only associating with people in my classes and every couple days eating dinner with actual people instead of my lonely Instagram account.  I don’t have a job either so at 11am tomorrow, my weekend starts so on weekdays, it’s hard for me to focus knowing I have so much time over my weekends.

I spend my “free time” on Pinterest, YouTube, SnapChat, Facebook, and Netflix watching The Office.  Once my eyes start hurting from all the glare, I turn to my lovely books.  And then I decide to something somewhat productive and start writing.

A couple days ago, I didn’t want to study so much that I started googling the fluffiest bunnies in the world.  There’s some pretty fluffy ones out there. Just sayin’.

Despite the fact that I stay on top of my homework, there are times where it’s really hard for me to study.  As the semester draws to a close, I’m finding it even harder because I’m so excited for Christmas.  If I make it to next Friday, I’ll be okay. Everything will be prepared for finals week and it’ll be a breeze.  The question is, will I make it that far?

13 Days

As an American, Thanksgiving is an important family tradition.  I am looking forward to the wonderful day of Thanksgiving for two reasons. 

1. Food. I’m so sick of college food. I’ve been craving real corn and real mashed potatoes since I moved on campus.  Turkey’s always good too, but I need those mashed potatoes. All of them. Just give me the pot.

2. Bath. It’ll be my first long weekend home and after my Thanksgiving meal and my family tradition of going to see a movie at the theater with my mum and sister, I am going to take the most amazing bath ever and relax.

Thanksgiving also has its perks while being a college student:

1. Long weekend meaning time to cram in visiting hours with all your friends and quality time with the boyfriend.

2. Long weekend meaning more time to procrastinate all those papers before the first week of December.

3. Black Friday shopping when you get to compete with other poor people to get the best deals for cheap presents. And screw all you who start shopping on Thursday. It’s called Black Friday for a reason. I swear pretty soon Thanksgiving is gonna be moved to Wednesday to compete with holiday shopping.

4. Long weekend to eat as much food at home as possible. You ain’t coming home til Christmas, better start stashing all the good food in your stomach now.

5. Long weekend to give you time to read a book. (I know, not very relevant to Thanksgiving, but reading makes you smarter)

6. Long weekend to immerse yourself in Christmas music. 

 

T-break starts in13 Days

Bring on the turkey. (And mashed potatoes)

 

Harmonica

I was walking from the car, backpack slung over my shoulders.  I took a breath of the fresh air and smiled.  I looked over at him, “fall weather always makes me feel like writing. I don’t know if it’s the crisp air or the trees or what, but it always inspires me.” I was home for the weekend, my backpack weighed me down and it reminded me of the homework I’d eventually have to do.  I sighed and brought my attention back to him and the yard.  I didn’t want to think about college now.  I wanted to hold onto this feeling of inspiration and need to write. 

It’s been months since I had the urge to write and as I began typing I realized how much I missed getting wrapped up in the words and losing myself in the process. Writing allows my mind to escape from my own problems should I choose. 

We’re in the house now, alone for the time being.  There’s a piano there.  Music is his as writing is to me although it seems like he makes more time for it than I do.  I envy that dedication and I doubt he realizes the talent he possesses, others long for.  I’ve come to believe we are ill minded when we think of ourselves, undermining the little qualities that make us unique and valuable to the world.  If only we had more time for the things that truly mattered.  On the contrast, I do believe we have the time.  We’ve been distracted, not just he and I, but the world as a whole: distracted and obsessed with things unworthy of our effort and time.  How I wish I could detach from social media, but I am consumed by the scrolling and clicking. 

He makes me laugh. He sees the world in a different way and I long for him to show me it through his eyes.  To me, the world is almost a matter of conquest of dreams, but to him, it’s much more simpler than that.  Sometimes I long for my mind to see things easier, but then my mind might be quieter.  I have to admit, I secretly adore the thoughts in my head as I observe the tallest branches and the voices through the trees.  I admire my inner self and the way I see things.  I know I see things differently and sometimes that fact alone scares me, as I am alone with my thoughts.  But he makes me laugh.  And that sound, that sound before a laugh that two share, is enough to know that I am not alone. 

I am with him in the chair now, pressed against his shoulder.  I don’t think he realizes that when we’re quiet I listen to his slow breaths.  “Once upon a time,” I think.  I’m content for now and as I fall into a slumber, I know that that’s all I need.

Halloween

It’s been one full year since I decided whole-heartedly that I was to become a teacher.  Since then, I’ve become a more confident and happier person knowing where I’m going with my life.  My future is no longer a raincloud in the distance, but the rising sun on the horizon.  Sure, there are still things that scare me like passing critical exams and excelling with student teaching, but I know that I’m meant to be a teacher and it will all work out.

Since this time last year, I’d like to think I’m more mature.  Yes, I’m nineteen yet and am going to fulfill my last teenage year gracefully, but I think I’m more grown up.  I care more about getting an apartment this summer than doing crazy things with my friends.  I focus more on my studies than my friends and if that makes me a bit of a loner, I’m okay with that.  I’m confident that I’ll make a great teacher and in turn a great person as I age and as this Halloween passes, I’ll remember who I was last year.  I’ll remember, not in sadness or bliss, but in happiness and understanding that I’ve made memories and realizations that have bettered my life and myself.

Halloween to others may mean trick or treating, but to me, it’s so much more meaningful.  It’s the day that I stepped onto the right path and I haven’t regretted it since.

Exciting Moments

I’m a sophomore college student this year and let me tell you, there are days when I don’t feel like doing diddily squat.  There are days when I push through my homework without enthusiasm and watch hours upon hours of Netflix.  There are days when I just throw on a sweatshirt and put my hair up because I’m too lazy to shower and don’t bother figuring out what to wear.  There are moments when I sprawl on my futon and don’t do anything but count down the hours until I get to go home because I get bored here on campus.

But then there are the exciting moments.  

The exciting moments are in class when a lightbulb flashes in my brain and I realize why I’m learning this.  The exciting moments are when I’m working with my preschooler at the Childcare center on campus and he makes me laugh.  The exciting moments are when I am able to tie a concept from my class into my homework assignment and suddenly everything makes sense.

That’s what happened a few minutes ago.  I was reading The Report Card by Andrew Clements for my Children’s Lit class.  I had chosen Andrew Clements as my author to focus on for a paper only because my boyfriend’s sister had a whole stash of his books.  I had first read Frindle and didn’t know how I was going to make a paper out of his books.  But then I got it!  I reached the point in The Report Card where the characters start a “school rebellion” just like Frindle had and then I got excited for my paper! I can’t wait to start researching!

Gosh, can you tell I’m going to be a teacher?

I Will Make an Exceptional Teacher Because…

I will make an exceptional teacher because I have the desire to inspire those around me and the best way to accomplish my goal is to become a teacher.  I look up to so many previous teachers, friends, and family members that I can only dream of having a classroom of students looking up to me.  I honestly will probably tear up on my first day from joy of having those faces looking to me for guidance.

I will make an exceptional teacher because I have a strong work ethic that will only build me up as I strive for my teaching career.  I’ve been managing my stress levels since I was twelve and I’ve only gotten better at it.  I’ll be thanking myself as I progress to the next steps of becoming a teacher and as the stress levels rise. As I’ve grown, I’ve learned the value of respect and honesty as well as the skill of critiquing and learning from others.  Through my experiences of representing my hometown as a student ambassador, I took care of my image because I felt it was very important to represent my town in a positive way.  I will make my future school district proud in my representation of them because I know what it means to be a good role model.

I will make an exceptional teacher because I love learning more than anything.  Ever since I could remember, I’ve been constantly trying to figure out new information by reading, watching films, and surfing the Internet.  Granted, I’ve learned many things that will never be of any use, but most of what I have learned has made me a better student and therefore, a better teacher.  I’ve learned to play ukulele and how to create a website and video editing skills from these experiences, which will all come in handy in my journey with teaching.

I will make an exceptional teacher because I have an open and creative mind.  I’m very passionate about the arts and extracurricular activities because they bring out so many amazing qualities in students.  If extracurricular activities hadn’t been there for me as I grew up, I would’ve been a completely different person and I believe each individual should have opportunities to get involved in the school and community.  I feel my mindset will be an amazing addition to any school district to advocate the arts and extracurriculars and help students enjoy and feel belonged at school.

I will make an exceptional teacher because I love being happy.  I feel happiness starts from within and when I am truly happy, joy flows out of me and onto my peers.  I feel that with my happiness and enthusiasm, I will make my classroom one of the best learning environments for students and until that happens I will use my enthusiasm to get involved and take part in opportunities that will make me a better person and therefore a better teacher.

Week Two of Sophomore Year

Hello Everybody!

I have been super busy since I spoke to you all.  First things first, I got a job.  On campus.  In the school cafeteria.  It’s definitely not my dream job, but as a college student and future teacher, I need the money.  I’m supposed to receive a phone call sometime next week about when I go in for training and such and once that starts, I’m sure my stress level will go up about ten notches because I’ll be dealing with nasty food and nasty freshman.  Wonderful.  But no, I’m super excited about it and as long as I’ll be working with cool people, I’ll be a-okay.

My lit class this week was interesting as we talked about implied readers and what we look for in a text.  It may sound boring, but it completely changed how I look at books.  There are so many specifics teachers have to look into before assigning the class reading.  Totally mind blowing.

My geography class is proving to be the biggest disappointment in my life.  I love science.  I decided that if I were to be a high school teacher, I’d be a science teacher.  Because it’s that cool!  But yes.  My professor has so many opportunities to make this subject interesting, but she’s choosing lifeless lectures and repeating concepts until we can’t breathe.  It’s only week two.

My art class is going alright.  Since it’s a gen ed., I understand why the main focus is informational content.  I’ll just be happy once the projects start.  I did my first “sketch” and I enjoyed that.  I’ve been having the urge to color ever since.  My two art buddies, Cynthia and Dominic are pretty cool.  They’re both so funny that we’ve gotten “shushed” by the professor a few times.  Whoops.

Music for Educators is proving to be an interesting class.  The homework hasn’t been too heavy yet, but I’m afraid she’s really going to pile it on us in a few weeks.  On Tuesday, a table she was moving around collapsed and she said to us with the snottiest voice “Uh…can somebody help me? Usually when something happens, people help.” There just could’ve been a better way to ask for help than snapping at us.  We played with finger paint and made collages of images that describe us.  Like I said, it’s interesting.  We’ll see how next week goes.

My child development class is going well.  Nothing exciting ever happens in that class so I’ll spare you the details.  My tech class is going great too.  I have lots of homework that I’ll be doing this weekend, but it’s good.  I enjoy that class a lot, despite the two hour length.

This week I officially joined two organizations: Tomorrow’s Educators and Early Years Enthusiasts.  It’ll be nice being involved this year. I also have started taking yoga classes two days a week and I absolutely love it.  It’s making me stronger and I love it.  I would kiss yoga if I could. I’ve also been hanging out with Sierra a bit more.  RF has this meal called “Late Night” where they serve quesadillas and burritos between 9 and 11pm so we’ve been doing that more often than we should be, but it’s all in good fun.  All in all, I’m trying to keep myself busy.

This weekend I’m planning on doing homework, watch a few movies, and play some ukulele.  You have no idea how much I’m looking forward to this.  I hope you all had a fantastic week and have a wonderful weekend.

Cheers.

First Week On Campus

Hello all!  I hope you had a wonderful summer.  It feels like just yesterday it was June and now I’m sitting in my new dorm and it’s like WHAT HAPPENED!?

Because I haven’t talked to you, in forever, I’ll give you a brief overview of my summer:  Worked at a retail/discount store and fell in love with all my coworkers again, went to my sister’s student ambassador events, went to an all-day concert deal called Warped Tour, and spent days watching television shows on Netflix, the most notable being BBC’s Sherlock Holmes.  I highly recommend it despite the fact that each episode is an hour and a half.  It’s worth it.

Back to School.  I moved in last Saturday night.  My family and I ate at a family restaurant in River Falls before unloading my junk.  My roommate, Zoey, didn’t move in until Sunday so I had the evening to unpack all my belongings.  I met my fellow transfer student on my floor, Christine, and we hung out for a bit that night.  Sunday was spent walking around campus, familiarizing myself with the buildings.  Sunday night I went to a piano comedy act that was going on at the university center.  I enjoyed myself thoroughly.

Tuesday my old friend Jimmy showed up on campus.  Turns out we live in the same hall, which is awesome.  We went to the university’s academic day which included an outdoor meeting with all the other participating freshman and transfers and an indoor meeting with our specific majors.  I also had orientation for the Student Support Services, which is a program for kids from low-income families or first-generation college students.  With this program, I get a second advisor to help me “stay on track to graduation,” opportunities to get involved on campus (I’ll be serving lasagna at a church dinner in October), and if I do everything asked of me, a chance to get a grant at the end of the school year written out to me.  Yay for being poor!

Wednesday was our first day of classes.  My Children’s Literature class is going to be difficult, but very interesting.  Hopefully this will be the last class where I’ll have to over-analyze every detail and bs my way through papers.  My professor is amazing though.  I love when as soon as they start teaching, you can tell they’re passionate about their subject.  She’s one of those teachers.  My geography class is going to be my least favorite class because the professor is terrible.  She over-explains and drags out everything.  She also says “Um” about um… every five words.  This is her 9^th year teaching and she still seems unsure.  Ugh.  My tech ed class will be fun.  The professor is very enthusiastic.  Lots of projects spaced out throughout the semester and in class activities.  Jump on the participation bus!

Thursdays I start with Art 100.  Not going to lie, I’m super excited for this class.  I got two art buddies because we were the three who didn’t read our schedules right and showed up 40 minutes early for class.  They’re both really funny so I think it’ll be a fun semester with those two.  Next I have Music for Educators.  This class is going to be very hard because the professor expects perfection.  We sit in half-oval rows and sing songs while she accompanies us.  We will be teaching each other and doing lesson plans all year.  YAYYYYY! After that, I have my children development class, which is mostly going to be review from my psych and early childhood class last semester, but we have a huge project that will take the whole semester to complete.  We get to actually sit down with a kid every couple weeks and keep track of their development.  It’ll be interesting to watch these kids grow.

Oofta. Now for fun stuff.  My roommate is alright.  We’re able to live together fine, she just has her own group of friends and that’s fine with me.  One of my floormate’s names is Sierra.  She’s from my area actually, and she’s really cool.  We’ve made plans to go ice skating and rock climbing (both an option to do here on campus!) later this year.  I can’t wait.  Earlier this week, Jimmy and I walked downtown to check out a music shop and a used book shop on Main Street.  Both were very cool and I’ll be back to check them out again.

It’s been a pretty great week here.  I’m enjoying this campus and I feel like this is where I’m supposed to be.  I’m happy with who I am and what I’m doing and I don’t think things could be better right now…well, maybe a few more friends, but I’m not worried about that;)

This year I’m looking forward to getting involved on campus while keeping up a high GPA.  You all know me, I like good grades.  I also want to make stronger connections with my advisors, professors, and classmates.  I feel like I’ll be seeing a lot of my advisor this next few months to figure out the educational requirements here at UWRF.  I’m going to learn a lot this year and I’m excited.  It’s going to be a great year and I’m happy to know I got you all to share it with.

Cheers!