Finals are over

Finals are over! (they were over last thursday but it took me this long to recover)

It was a really hard semester, which thinking back to the beginning of it I thought it was going to be easy...boy was I wrong.

It was 15 hrs of near H*ll because of two particular classes but I made an A in one and a B in the other, kind of frusterated about the B as it was my only one but overall glad about my GPA inching up (not that I have to worry too much, it is really good right now)

Still haven't heard back from the Graduate office if I was accepted or not and it is starting to make me frusterated. I am a planning...I want to KNOW.

Also I am starting to stress about student teaching next semester, that should be interesting. I am going to teach high schoolers for a semester...without any prior experience, hoping my teacher in the class is a good mentor.

So no new pictures, Christmas cards are going to be mailed today (cross your fingers? hopefully).

"Dead Week"

This week has been crazy, its "dead week" at school. My school doesn't recognize that though so I have had a lot of work to do. I can't believe finals are next week. They are coming up way to quick, and I have way too much studying to do.

Less then a week and a half and this semester will be over with Yea!! It has been a very hard semester and still has the potential to get harder but I am hoping it will not.

I still am waiting to hear back if I got accepted into the Graduate program, this is a little nerve racking, I want to know! so I can start preparing financially for it by applying for scholarships and saving. But I should know by Monday or Tuesday at the latest.

This is a really short post but I have to get back to studying.

School??

So I have been playing around with my blog a little. I'm still not sure if I want to go with someone who designs blog headers to change it. I have tried step-by-step DIY but I'm not very good at web designs (currently I am hoping to change that but it is going to be awhile). It will probably change again in the near future.

On to another note,

School starts up in three weeks! Where did the summer go?? I have a theory it goes like this: school gets out later and starts earlier so the summer is shorter, sounds good right? Yea, not so much I have had 3 months off pretty much so I know it is not true but it sure feels like it.

I got my work schedule for the fall, 20 hours a week, which is the max I can work on campus but it will work out great. I have to do observations in a local high school, all 20 hours in 6 weeks. Doesn't sound too bad until you figure in my classes and work and then work around the high school teacher's schedule. It looks to be an interesting semester.

My classes don't seem to be too difficult this semester, don't get me wrong they are by no means easy because they are all upper level but they are not like economics which I struggled to make a C in. Two History classes (U.S. Constitutional history and U.S. Diplomatic Relations history), with at least one 10 page paper to write for one of the classes if not both. One English class (Fiction and Fiction Writing) which from everything I have heard is going to be fun but hard. Then I have two Education classes both online so it will be interesting to see when they schedule web discussions.

College

College life (I use University and College interchangeably, both mean the 4 year public institute in which I am studying):

It is not all that it is cracked up to be. But I don’t have the typical experience either. I live at home with my parents and walk to school, as it is less then 10 minutes of walking distance. My freshman year I socialized a lot and I had a ton of fun but at the expense of my studies (which is the reason I am going to University isn’t it?). I ended up with good grades but I wasn’t happy with how much extra studying I had to do by finals to get the grades I did. My sophomore year I cut back on hanging out with friends (which they weren’t too happy about) but over compensated in the work area (Because I was doing a summer semester in Germany…SO worth it), so my grades again suffered actually ended up with 3 C’s that year (2 from the same History professor for different classes, He was a great teacher I just couldn’t pass his tests to save my life and in Economics, again great teacher but Economics is something I have resigned my self to never understanding). Germany summer classes were easy and I enjoyed the experience of a whole month in a different country. I was a little home sick by the end but totally worth it. That part of College I recommend if at all possible if it is offered. My Junior year of College was good, I worked and balanced out friends, but my Spiritual life suffered, I was working in my church’s nursery so often that I never got to go to a sermon, so having learned about balancing I changed up my schedule so in the Spring semester I at least got to go to body life (our small groups that meet Sunday evenings at church members homes). Going into my Senior semester of University I have learned that the stereotypical college experience isn’t all that great because most students grades suffer, which is fine if they don’t have personal and parental expectations of all A’s and B’s (from having a dad that did Undergrad and Graduate degree in 3.5 years at 4.0). But I don’t like have any C’s (even t though I do have 3 that I worked my tail off for), so my goals going into my senior year are to study hard early so by the time finals roll around I don’t have to worry as much but try and balance all three aspects of my life. I do have to worry about doing my GRE and applying to Grad school and applying for scholarships and student teaching in the Spring, but for now I’m just trying to focus on one thing at a time, right now studying for my GRE coming up in less then a month.

Summer

Summer is here in force, triple digits and all.

I am so glad from the break from school, just wished they hadn't raised tuition once again. Uhh, three more years before finishing with school forever, wonder how much more they can raise it (sarcasm intended).

Job one is going great, I love my co-workers and bosses, we are always playing pranks on one another. This week we are plotting what to do to my boss that is away, changing her background is something that is expected so we are trying to think outside the box. I should take pictures...maybe, not the best at doing that...

Starting tomorrow (I keep pushing it off but I will begin tomorrow) I am starting to studying for my GRE, not looking forward to it. I am horrible at math, but I need a good grade so I can apply for scholarships, time to suck it up and study.

I promise (E and GP) that I will be posting pictures from my B.C. within 2 weeks. (Just email/nag me to...)

Finals

Well, finals are next week. It has been a crazy semester (or more like whole of junior year). I’m going to write a reflection next week about all of 2009 and 2010 so far (I know I should have written about 2009 in January but hey this is my blog). Looks like a mostly B semester which is a downer because I like to keep my grades at A’s to keep my GPA up. But after this semester I will only have one more year before I graduate with my Bachelors degree. I am still debating on if I want to go straight to a Master’s and get school over with or to wait. I am going to study for the GRE just in case I do decide to go because I need it to be accepted into the graduate program and to get scholarships.

Work has been great! Love the people I work with. I know people who gripe about their bosses but I have to say I have the world’s GREATEST bosses. S.C. is just amazing. S.S. is who I mainly work for and she is GREAT. We are friends outside of work also so that has been great. I love working at the archive. Some of the time can be boring but meeting all the older folks that have stories to tell is just amazing. The other day I got to meet a WWII veteran. We are currently working on looking up the medal of honor recipients and honoring them.

I love history which spills over into my job because it is all about history. There is a display up about the history of the town and it is REALLY interesting to learn about how it came to be. It started because of the fort that was here, but the first business was a combined Saloon and Grocery store. And where there is a saloon you have soiled doves (a.k.a. prostitutes). S.A. also had a significantly high divorce rate then you typically think up during the 1800’s.

I am currently a little obsessed with Amazon’s Kindle E-reader. I want one soooo bad, I love to read but I just don’t have enough space to by anymore books and I think the library is tired of seeing me. I have read through, ohh, probably a good 1/3 of the libraries books. I am saving up for it but I am also saving up for a sewing machine…I know odd choices but I love to sew and the Machine F. has is just archaic and HATES me, not kidding. Fran can use the same thread and everything will work fine, I can use the machine literally seconds after her with everything the way she left it and the thread will break and the bobbin will do some crazy thing. It is really weird.

I can’t wait to go to Canada, I miss it A LOT! I am extremely sad about grandma but miss her like crazy. I wish I would have been able to be with her during her last days. It is going to be hard to go through her things, but I am glad I am going to be able to bring about some of her things to remember her by. I am also glad that I will be able to see people (most of the people who read this blog…) that I haven’t seen in like two years.

Well, this post was a little all over the place but that’s how life is like right now. I know, no new pictures, but I haven’t seen Sam in a few days as he is working 2 weeks on 1 weekend off. I will try to take some new ones this weekend. I am babysitting on Saturday and then I think celebrating my birthday on Saturday evening because Sunday is Mother’s Day, and even its my actual b-day it will harder to celebrate it.

Another Update sans pictures...

I know I keep promising pictures…but it’s just not happening currently. I AM going to be taking some pictures of my neighborhood and campus, tomorrow, truly…I AM.

Sam is doing well. He is working two weeks on and one weekend off currently. He is at a different site right now so he is staying in a hotel and living on ramen noodles and Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches. He seems to like what he is doing so I am happy for him. He is already starting to tan again from working outside…I wish I could tan like he does, he does brown almost. I stay pasty white or look sick when I have a tan.

Me, hmm, there is 2 weeks left in school and I can’t wait. I do have a 5 page paper to write and a presentation to do next week but then there is dead week and finals. The running joke around where I work is that I should go get drunk on my birthday because I will be 21 but there are three things wrong with that scenario, 1) I don’t normally drink (I did a little while in Germany, where I sipped others beers and had ONE shot of something, but from that I found out I HATE beer and I am not much of a drinker), and 2) I have finals starting Monday no way I am going to be partying when I will be studying 3) My birthday falls on Mother’s Day this year so Yeah, going to be a crazy busy day anyway.

We are coming up to Canada, and I cannot wait. Sam will be there for a week and me, 2 weeks. Then I come back and work in my church’s nursery the rest of the summer.

I am so excited about June and July….it’s the FIFA 2010 Soccer Cup in South America. I am going to be watching as many matches as I can around my work schedule.

P.S. I have taken pictures I now just have to get them from my camera to here...

School and other

So no pictures this time either.

School has been insane! Why did I think it was going to be easier after spring break?

Oh and about spring break, it was okay. I worked most of the time. I did hand out with Kim and J, B, and N. that was a great afternoon and evening. I enjoyed helping J. with his reading and B. with his spelling. I did get sick on Wednesday of that week which was not fun. I thought I was getting the Flu again but it turned out to be just a cold (praise God, if it had been the flu I would have wished to perish because I did not want it a second time).

This past weekend, I got to see my G.P. and D. It was a great weekend. Playing domino’s and resting and reading. The drive to Kerrville was good. I did find that my little car and the West Texas wind do not go to well together, but I made it there and back in one piece.

School is insane (I say again). Two papers (5 + pages each) due in the next two weeks. I have a test in Texas History next week plus another paper…just too much to think about right now. I cannot wait till summer. I will be working more but I at least will not be going to school. I can enjoy the summer!

I am planning on going to Canada from May 24-June 5 and Sam from May 24 –May 29 (if he will get his act together and ask for the time off work).

That’s all for now.

Spring Break

I cannot wait till next week. School this week has been incredibly stressful. I did make decent grades on the paper and tests that I know of this week.

I made a 92 on my Texas History paper. Which a great accomplishment, lots of apparently of people have told me that Dr. D, is really hard and boring but I have not found that. He is very entertaining and yeah some of his jokes are corny but at least he has a sense of humor. I enjoy his class which is a good thing because I have to take another course he teaches in the fall semester.

In geography I made a 92 on the second test of the semester (88 on the first one). I don’t feel that I really earned it though. I haven’t really put much effort into studying for his class as I should, but it comes easy for me. I can memorize places on a map or geological features with ease. The cultural part of it is becoming interesting at least.

I do have a French IV test tomorrow that I don’t feel at ease about. Even if I study I can’t seem to do well in her class, it is very frustrating.

Spring break is next week though. I cannot wait. I will be working at the WTC and the church nursery plus I will be house sitting but it will still be a change. I won’t have to worry about going to class or over sleeping because my bosses at the WTC don’t expect any of us student workers in before 9 or 10 am. Which is a great change after having 8am classes all week.

I am going to start a paper for English class and possible start on my other history book but mostly just trying to relax and breathe. And work through all the emotions I have been keeping inside because there is too much else going on in my life to deal with them too.

Feelings

I'm really tired of people asking me if I’m okay, need to talk etc, etc.
I'm also tired of the remarks that “your acting weird” or “why aren't you crying”.
After crying more than I have in the last six months in a 4 day period I can't seem to cry anymore. I FEEL like crying but I don't seem to have anymore tears to cry with. I Love my Grandma, just because I am not falling apart now that is gone doesn't mean I don't care. I’m trying to compartmentalize my feelings right now till spring break (another week...) because I have way to much school work going on this week and next. I am so stressed out right now with everything that has been going on, part of it is because I have been slacking on my daily quiet time with God. I’m trying to handle everything on my own and I am soo not good at it. This week has been horrible because I can’t bring myself to care about anything school related even though I have so much of it due. I have been forcing myself to go through the motions and write a 5 page History paper, study for 3 exams next week (possibly for depending on how the teacher feels) and 2-4 page English paper.

To try and relax (is that even possible while in university?) I have been organizing all my Germany pictures I took last July and picking my favorite to make a book on shutterfly.com. It takes my mind off stuff I should be doing….I know, I know studying should come first. Not really concerned with that right now. My dad is though, I know he is trying to think of my future but right now a failed assignment will not affect my grade too bad in 2 out of 5 classes. One class has a lot of extra credit 1 page papers I could do I could pass the coarse alone if I did all of them.

I am just so worn out this week it makes me wonder if I really want to do Graduate school. I have another year till I finish my bachelors and it would add 2 more years on. Lots to think about after this coming week.

Soo,
Life has been very intense lately, with school, work and well trying to have a social life.
I love working at both places (an archive, cataloging collections and meeting really neat people), and at my church’s nursery. I love all the children, they are all soo cute and children have some of the craziest things come out of their mouths so it keeps things fresh. But the last couple of weeks of going from one job to the next, trying to manage school work (and failing miserably) along with trying to hang out with friends has been very difficult. I am really ready for school to be over with, one a year and a half left (but it feels like forever).

I haven’t had much time to blog and I don’t see that changing anytime soon, once a week is turning into once a month…but I will try and post pictures more often, probably on wordless Wednesday so at least something is going on here.