It's been a while!

We're in our last full week of classes! I cannot believe it , this semester has zoomed by! I mean, don't get me wrong...it was the hardest semester I've had yet academically. But it was so chalk-full of events and homework that time just flew! I'm really proud of myself this semester. I've dedicated so much time to my studies, and I know it's going to really show when I get my grade report. It feels good to know that I worked hard. Now all that's left is the last little push through finals, and then I get to go home, spend LOTS of time with friends and family, travel, and make money!

The past couple of days I've also been thinking about how to pack all my things to move out! Am I going to have enough boxes? How many trips do I need to make to get all of my things home? Will I need to store anything here over the summer? It's such a weird experience, moving out. I've made my room my home for an entire year, and I'll never be back inside of it again. Unless, of course, I wind up being friends with the people who live there next semester. Taking down pictures and memories makes the room feel empty, and I guess it is without all of the cozy things my roomate and I decorated with! Next year, I'll put up different pictures and posters and I'll make a new room my home. College is so WEIRD!

Here are a couple of formal photos I promised weeks ago!

Me, my Big sister Megan, and my Grandma

JoAnn, Kailey and me

Easter weekend and such.

Easter is this Sunday, and a lot of students are heading home to spend the weekend with family...and I'm one of them! I'm bringing my roomate, Sara, with me. She lives in California, so she couldn't go home for the weekend. Plus, I thought it would be nice to show her Racine. After all, we've lived together for nearly two years now. It's about time she came home with me! I love giving tours...she's in for a treat! Hopefully she really doesn't want to do anything too exciting. All I can think about right now is sleep...ohh my gosh, how I miss it!

Last night Sara Wimmer got initiated into ADPi, and I didn't end up getting back to my room until around 12:30. I know that doesn't seem late, and I guess its really not. But when you have to wake up at 7:00 every day, and when you're definitely not a morning person (like me), then it really takes a lot out of you. I'm not looking forward to the car drive home today, I always get even more tired when I'm driving. I wish I could just snap my fingers and be home!...at least Sara will be there to keep me company!

I've gotten a good leg up on that to-do list I have on my last post. I started my American Public Address topic, I finished research for my Speakers Bureau in-class, and I'm starting research for my poetry and contemporary lit. presentations today. I think as long as I continue to stay on top of things, the last three weeks of class should go fairly smoothly.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend!

It's a beautiful day...and I'm getting old!

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and it's slightly....WARM! Yes, I said it!

I'm so happy because I finished a poetry paper I've been trying to get through for weeks. I've never had such bad writer's block. Every time I sat down to write that paper, I couldn't think of ideas....at least not good ones. I talked to my professor several times, and each time I realized what I shotty idea I was bringing to him. But, alas! It is finished...and I think it's good. We'll see when I get my grade back. Speaking of grades, I also received my second American Public Address exam back today...another 100%! I felt awesome after that.

Tonight I don't think I'll be doing much, or at least I hope not. I want to just relax and hang out with friends. It's been a stressful couple of days, especially since I made a list today of all the big projects I have before the semester ends in four weeks...this is scary, take a look:

1. Write a 6 page Contemporary Literature paper.

2. Write a 7 page American Public Address paper in which I define and justify criteria for the greatest piece of American rhetoric, and select a speech that fits my critieria. Any contraditions within the paper result in an "F"...P.S. this is worth 15% of my overall semester grade.

3. Write a 5 page philosophy paper.

4. 25-minute group presentation for Contemporary Literature.

5. 25-minute group presentation for Poetry Aloud.

6. Speaker's Bureau in-class speech.

7. Speakers Bureau presentation about cyber-bullying to the local Kiwanis group.

8. 4 page reflection of the semester for Speakers Bureau.

That list doesn't include thing I have to do for finals...three of which are final papers and one of which is an exam. YIKES! I just want to play outside forever! It's truly scary how fast the end of this semester crept up on me. I have no idea where the time went. In fact, I still feel like I'm 16 and only have my learner's permit. When did I trun 20?

Well, enough reflection for the day. I need to go soak up some of the nice weather!

Admission Possible and Weather

Today I'm speaking to a group called Admission Possible at 4:15. I'm really excited about it! Last year, I talked to the same group (of about 25 students?) and they were amazing...so smart, diverse, such good questions, and just fun all around. I'm giving a talk about the student experience at Ripon for about 45 minutes with Q and A. I'm looking forward to the kinds of questions the students ask this year. It should be a good time!

Other than that, I had a really good weekend and did absolutely everything I planned on. Also, the weathermen keep saying it going to snow (yes, snow...in April...it's Wisconsin), and it hasn't yet. So I'm crossing my fingers that it stays this way! I just want spring to hurry up and bring me summer!

Weekend Weekend Weekend!

I got a call from my mom on Wednesday night saying that she got pick-pocketed in New Orleans. She's down there for the week for a convention for special school programs. Anyway, the guy who robbed her stole $300, which really sucks. But at leats she didn't get mugged and her credit/debit cards didn't get stolen. That would've been way worse! So always remember that downtown New Orleans can be a dangerous place...and don't carry a purse on you.

Thank God it's almost the weekend. Not only have I had a pretty stressful week (I've written three papers this week, one for philosophy and two for English, had two exam days, spoke at an event once, and have two more papers to write before the end of next week...the joys of the end of the semester), but I think this weekend is going to be a lot of fun. Mark's sister, Bridget, is coming home from UW-Madison today. She's a year younger than Mark and a year older than me, and we get along famously. Tonight, we're all going to go to a hockey game and then out to eat afterwards. Then Saturday, I'm hoping we're not doing anything...except relaxing allllllll day!

Sunday I'm coming back to Ripon early in the morning because I have ADPi meetings/events pretty much all day. They should all be a lot of fun!

Other than that, I have an exam today which I need to study for right after I leave the admission office...and at some point in the day I'm hoping to spend some time with my first love: naps. That sounds wonderful right now! Haha, I literally just woke up an hour ago and want to go back to bed. I think my love of napping is just too intense!