Misadventure (n.) - an unfortunate incident, a mishap.
You could say I had a few misadventures tonight. But you know me, I'm one to turn a misadventure into an adventure. And that's exactly what my friends and I experienced tonight.
For those of you unaware of this weekend's reason for being excited, for including the weekend of Friday the 13th in my countdown, tonight was going to be my third annual WinterJam experience. But this wasn't going to be just any WinterJam--I was going to have the blessing of seeing Skillet live! This may not be a big deal to some of you, but to me, Skillet is the big time, someone I'd pay to see in concert apart from WinterJam. So two of my friends and I had plans to go to WinterJam. We left earlier than last year since we didn't want to sit behind the stage again.
The night's misadventures all started with a wrong turn. We didn't want to turn onto Pellissippi. We were going to Neyland. But somehow, we turned onto the wrong highway. By the time we got back on the right track, Thompson Bowling arena was filling to the max. An hour before the awaited concert, we arrived in one lane, standstill traffic. And waited...for another fifty minutes. By the time we got to the building and jumped out of the car, Thompson Bowling was filled to the max--no more concert go-ers permitted. No Skillet for me.
The idea was foreign, unexplainable...how could this arena, the arena used for Lady Vol basketball and so many other HUGE concerts...be full? Well, one thing's for sure. God's not dead, and his children wanted to sing his praises tonight...we just weren't one of the lucky thousands.
So, plan B) Bowling. I mean, I have tendinitis in my wrist and a bruised ankle, but hey...I'll learn to bowl with my left hand, right? Wrong. As we walked into the bowling arena from the full parking lot, we realized we weren't going to be bowling tonight. "Forty-five minute wait," the guy said. "We have lives to live," Olivia said. And we were out the door.
Plan C) Movie then dessert. Great plan--Kingsmen is playing in twenty minutes. Let's go. Again, we are dropped at the door. We wait in line, because come on, it's valentine's weekend. Get up to the counter. "Can I see your ID?" the girl asks my friend. She pulls out her wallet, and the girl shakes her head, looking at the other two of us. "All of your IDs." Well, me in my absent-minded ignorance, left my wallet at home. "You have to be 21." Since WHEN do you have to be 21 to see an R movie? Never! We wait for my friend's mom to come and buy the tickets, but the girl calls us back over. "It's going to be sold out--there's no way you're going to get seats together." I'm convinced she had a personal vendetta against us, despite the ridiculousness of the idea. And just to top it off, we ran into a rather unpleasant face from high school...perfect...just perfect.
Okay, plan D) get dessert then rent a movie for home. Good. We go to the Olive Garden in Turkey Creek, because who doesn't want a dessert from Olive Garden, right? "45-50 minute wait," the hostess says. We're out the door before she can finish. So we settle for the Olive Garden in good Ole Maryville, the Olive Garden with no wait, good service, and delicious desserts.
So on to Hastings we go, searching vigilantly for The Best of Me, because what else are we going to watch on Valentine's eve except Nicholas Sparks. Let's be honest here. Search and search....no Best of Me for rental. Okay, we'll buy it. Grab the movie and head out. Half way home, after removing the stickers, we realize something...we bought a blu-ray...we don't have a blu-ray player. I'm going to be honest, I'm about ready to cry as we turn back around. We CANNOT catch a break.
Fast forward another thirty minutes. We've finally made it home, curled up under blankets on pillows together, watching as James Marsden charms us all with his beautiful ruggedness and gorgeous smile. I know we're all thinking about the misadventures we've had tonight. People ask us what we did tonight. Better question: what didn't we do tonight? WinterJam, bowling, see the Kingsmen, wait 45 minutes for dessert, rent a movie. Now who can say they didn't do all that in a matter of five hours. Yes, we drove for nearly five hours tonight. Just think about that for a second: five hours in a car, and nearly nothing accomplished.
But it was an adventure. Yes there were mishaps--unfortunate mishaps. Doesn't matter. I got to spend the night with a few of my favorite people, watched a good yet predictable movie, and spent the first few moment of Galentine's day with my gal pals. What better way to spend Friday the 13th? I couldn't have asked for a better adventure of misadventures. I highly recommend a misadventure sometime--you never know what will come of it.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Friday, February 6, 2015
Weekend Countdown: #1
Happy 19th birthday to me! I'm in my last teen year--very strange to think about. There's four very important birthdays in a young woman's life:
1. 13--the year everything begins to change
2. 16--the year everything becomes better
3. 18--the year everything becomes real
4. 21--the year of infinite moments.
But everyone seems to forget about 19--the in between year. This year does not mark me as a voter or a legal cigarette buyer (not that I want to buy cigarettes, it's just legal now). I cannot buy alcohol yet or rent a car. I'm just nineteen. And I feel like this is supposed to mean something, but as of right now, it really doesn't. Today was just a day of celebration, a day that reminded how amazing my friends and family are. I am so very blessed to have so many people who care about me, or at least acknowledge me. And that's all that matters at this point in my life.
Normally, I would be writing this entry in my journal--the next year in the line of successive years that are to come. However, my slightly unforgiving wrist issues are impeding me from writing vast amounts. Yes, these two measly paragraphs constitute as vast for my wrist.
However, here I am sharing my birthday thoughts with the internet. It's not like I have extremely deep thoughts. In fact, my thoughts are very commonplace. I am surrounded by friends and family who astound me with the thoughts that pop into their minds on a daily basis. I wish my mind would think like that--be funny, or witty, or just inventive all the time. But then again, that sounds very exhausting.
I understand that these paragraphs seem very choppy and disconnected. They are. I could go back in and edit them, but then I would not succeed in being honest to my train of thought. My own thoughts are exhausting enough, I don't need to be funny, witty or inventive all the time. I have my own mind to deal with.
Anyway, back to birthday thoughts, since that is what this entry is about, correct? I haven't lost you have I? It's okay if I have. I lose myself occasionally.
So this weekend--the 19th birthday weekend--is the kickoff of my five weekends of thrill. I can't tell you what the next four weekends have in store. You're just going to have to find out for yourself. A grueling practice, I'm sure. I've loved this weekend so far--I've spent time with my family, had some pretty excellent food, seen my older "sister" (you know who you are), gotten to lounge with my dogs, and this is just the first day. Tomorrow--more family, friends, and PAINTING! I may or may not post pictures depending on how horribly my picture turns out to be. Sunday I'll be back on the road to Chatt for a joint-birthday celebration! The weekend is just starting, but it's going to be great.
I always expect the world for my birthday, which I know is a detrimental practice. But I love birthdays, and I always have this silly notion that something magical is going to happen, though it rarely does. Normally, when I build my sights so high, I'm torn to shreds when my fantasy doesn't become reality. But for my birthdays, I've learned that my fantasies can stay fantasies. Reality proves just as great (for the most part).
I don't really have anything else wise to say--I'm not even sure that I've said a wise word in my entire life. Maybe nineteen will prove this to be a new experience. Who knows? Skies the limit, right?
1. 13--the year everything begins to change
2. 16--the year everything becomes better
3. 18--the year everything becomes real
4. 21--the year of infinite moments.
But everyone seems to forget about 19--the in between year. This year does not mark me as a voter or a legal cigarette buyer (not that I want to buy cigarettes, it's just legal now). I cannot buy alcohol yet or rent a car. I'm just nineteen. And I feel like this is supposed to mean something, but as of right now, it really doesn't. Today was just a day of celebration, a day that reminded how amazing my friends and family are. I am so very blessed to have so many people who care about me, or at least acknowledge me. And that's all that matters at this point in my life.
Normally, I would be writing this entry in my journal--the next year in the line of successive years that are to come. However, my slightly unforgiving wrist issues are impeding me from writing vast amounts. Yes, these two measly paragraphs constitute as vast for my wrist.
However, here I am sharing my birthday thoughts with the internet. It's not like I have extremely deep thoughts. In fact, my thoughts are very commonplace. I am surrounded by friends and family who astound me with the thoughts that pop into their minds on a daily basis. I wish my mind would think like that--be funny, or witty, or just inventive all the time. But then again, that sounds very exhausting.
I understand that these paragraphs seem very choppy and disconnected. They are. I could go back in and edit them, but then I would not succeed in being honest to my train of thought. My own thoughts are exhausting enough, I don't need to be funny, witty or inventive all the time. I have my own mind to deal with.
Anyway, back to birthday thoughts, since that is what this entry is about, correct? I haven't lost you have I? It's okay if I have. I lose myself occasionally.
So this weekend--the 19th birthday weekend--is the kickoff of my five weekends of thrill. I can't tell you what the next four weekends have in store. You're just going to have to find out for yourself. A grueling practice, I'm sure. I've loved this weekend so far--I've spent time with my family, had some pretty excellent food, seen my older "sister" (you know who you are), gotten to lounge with my dogs, and this is just the first day. Tomorrow--more family, friends, and PAINTING! I may or may not post pictures depending on how horribly my picture turns out to be. Sunday I'll be back on the road to Chatt for a joint-birthday celebration! The weekend is just starting, but it's going to be great.
I always expect the world for my birthday, which I know is a detrimental practice. But I love birthdays, and I always have this silly notion that something magical is going to happen, though it rarely does. Normally, when I build my sights so high, I'm torn to shreds when my fantasy doesn't become reality. But for my birthdays, I've learned that my fantasies can stay fantasies. Reality proves just as great (for the most part).
I don't really have anything else wise to say--I'm not even sure that I've said a wise word in my entire life. Maybe nineteen will prove this to be a new experience. Who knows? Skies the limit, right?
Friday, December 26, 2014
Happy Day After Christmas!
At the beginning of the Holiday season, I decided that I was going to bake up a storm--oreo balls, haystacks, ginger bread cookies, and, most exciting of all, my grandmother's French crackers. French Crackers are very similar to sugar cookies except better. These were my mother's favorite cookies as a child. She would sneak down to the basement to steal a cookie, or two, or three. I do not remember her every baking them for me, but I found them while I was searching for the ginger bread recipe.When I made them at the start of Christmas week, Mom nearly cried at her first bite. She was immediately taken back to her childhood in her mother's kitchen. They were gone within the next three days. Glad that I could provide such a memory for my mom, I decided to make them again, this time to send to my grandma and great aunt, with the hope of taking them back to their younger years. Naturally, mom stole one...or two or three cookies before I could pack them away.
Now, I'd like to share this recipe with you to share with your family! Happy Holidays and enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 cup of crisco (I use the stick)
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in hot water
- 2 cups of flour
- Cinnamon sugar or colored sugar
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Mix the sugar and crisco together with your hands.
- Mix in the egg yolks--I use a mixer for this step.
- Hand mix in the flour and baking soda solution.
- **The dough might seem crumbly, but when you start packing it into a ball, it packs together well.
- Flour your counter, rolling pin, and cookie cutters.
- Split the dough in half (I find that you lose less batter to over-flouring if you split it), and pack one half into a ball.
- Roll it out and cut your dough.
- Cover the cookies with your choice (color or cinnamon) and bake for five minutes. Don't let it go past the five minutes or they will burn.
- Let cool and enjoy!!
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
All We Wanted Was A Cup of Hot Cocoa...
I live in a relatively small, progressively growing town with lots of charming people. There's a small private college here and several public and private high schools within driving distance. However, it seems, nothing is open in this town past ten o'clock...a new discovery of mine.
My friend and I were driving home from Mannheim Steamroller's concert last night and decided that we were in dire need of a nice cup of hot chocolate...but where to go? By the time we got back into town, it was ten fifteen. We tried Panera: closed. My favorite coffee shop: closed. An ice cream shop: closed. Starbucks: closed. Four places! Basically the only places in this town--CLOSED! Ridiculous! We just wanted a cup of hot chocolate. So I suggested IHop, open 24/7, of that, I was sure. We pull a full circle and drive to IHop, sit down, and look at the beautiful pictures of delicious looking hot chocolate. Our waitress approaches the table, asking for our order, and I think you can finish for us...HOT CHOCOLATE!
Plot Twist: IHop had JUST run out of hot chocolate. I'm sorry, let me repeat that in plain terms. The only place in this town opened past ten o'clock with the hope of having hot chocolate was OUT OF hot chocolate. Both of us just looked up at the waitress, dumbfounded, ordered water, then broke out into a fit of giggles at the pure irony of the situation. I thought about ordering apple cider, but when your tongue is ready for hot chocolate, apple cider just won't do it.
As bitter as we are about not every getting that greatly-desired cup of hot cocoa, I kind of loved being at IHop. A friend that I haven't seen since college started sat with me for over an hour just catching up, eating breakfast food at eleven o'clock. We giggled, laughed, got somber, and then laughed again. It was a good night. I love nights like these, especially now that I'm in school. You don't really understand reconnecting until you get to college and you come home to see your high school friend. It's a great, kind of sad, nostalgic feeling. And it's great right now because it's so easy to just pick up where we left off. I don't know if it will be that way come college graduation, but as of right now, it's wonderful. And I'm going to treasure it.
So Merry Christmas! Go make yourself a cup of hot cocoa...or go to IHop with the hope that they aren't out.
My friend and I were driving home from Mannheim Steamroller's concert last night and decided that we were in dire need of a nice cup of hot chocolate...but where to go? By the time we got back into town, it was ten fifteen. We tried Panera: closed. My favorite coffee shop: closed. An ice cream shop: closed. Starbucks: closed. Four places! Basically the only places in this town--CLOSED! Ridiculous! We just wanted a cup of hot chocolate. So I suggested IHop, open 24/7, of that, I was sure. We pull a full circle and drive to IHop, sit down, and look at the beautiful pictures of delicious looking hot chocolate. Our waitress approaches the table, asking for our order, and I think you can finish for us...HOT CHOCOLATE!
Plot Twist: IHop had JUST run out of hot chocolate. I'm sorry, let me repeat that in plain terms. The only place in this town opened past ten o'clock with the hope of having hot chocolate was OUT OF hot chocolate. Both of us just looked up at the waitress, dumbfounded, ordered water, then broke out into a fit of giggles at the pure irony of the situation. I thought about ordering apple cider, but when your tongue is ready for hot chocolate, apple cider just won't do it.
As bitter as we are about not every getting that greatly-desired cup of hot cocoa, I kind of loved being at IHop. A friend that I haven't seen since college started sat with me for over an hour just catching up, eating breakfast food at eleven o'clock. We giggled, laughed, got somber, and then laughed again. It was a good night. I love nights like these, especially now that I'm in school. You don't really understand reconnecting until you get to college and you come home to see your high school friend. It's a great, kind of sad, nostalgic feeling. And it's great right now because it's so easy to just pick up where we left off. I don't know if it will be that way come college graduation, but as of right now, it's wonderful. And I'm going to treasure it.
So Merry Christmas! Go make yourself a cup of hot cocoa...or go to IHop with the hope that they aren't out.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Happy Christmas!
Hello! Yes, I am one of those terribly annoying souls who begins to celebrate Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. Don't you worry--I give my thanks. I help with the food, the clean up, and the giving of thanks because I have plenty of things to be thankful for. I do not play Christmas tunes or begin to pull up my decorations...until the day AFTER Thanksgiving.
Believe me, I understand those of you who roll their eyes at people like me. I empathize--let us at least get through the month of November, right? Why rush Christmas; it just means that the end of the year is inching up on us as fast as the Bullet Train? But I have good reasons for beginning to celebrate the season as soon as possible. Not that I need to justify my actions, but I'd like to...just so you know.
1. My Christmas decorations are heavy, as I'm sure many of yours are. We have several boxes and lots of stairs on which I must pull these several boxes up. I dedicate the majority of my day to lugging boxes up and down the stairs, which are not a straight shot by the way. Turning and maneuvering is involved. And it takes a while to set up everything after that. In fact, set up is sometimes a two day process, depending on the schedule of the day and if I'm still in a turkey coma from Thanksgiving. This year is a two-day set up. All decorations except the tree and the garland are finished. The tree is up, just not fluffed to its fullest or decorated. (I bet money that fake trees are more of a hassle than real ones, and real ones don't smell like musty basement). So, since I complain of the hassle of set up day, I like to appreciate my decorations for as long as possible because my mother and I work hard to get them up. We might as well revel in them for a full month.
2. I see no error in getting in to the Christmas spirit early, especially if your spirit is about giving, not merely the commercial aspects of the holiday. With the decorations set up, I'm ready to pick my angel tree, I'm ready to wrap presents for Habitat for Humanity, and I'm ready to make people smile by saying "Merry Christmas" as I pass by. Come on--tell me that doesn't bring a smile to your face.
3. I never allow myself to forget the reason for the season. God gave his son to us, and his son then gave so much to us. This is a time to remember every blessing that we have and a time to in turn give to those who are not as blessed as some of us--a time to share god's love. This should be all year round, but Christmas is a special time to show God's word and love through our actions and spirit. I'm not saying "Ho Ho Ho!" spirit, but "God Bless you" spirit. Let the Spirit flow through you into your society.
So there you go. See, I have good reason to start celebrating as early as possible. Be thankful that I don't set up before Thanksgiving--even I might become annoyed with myself if I started doing that.
So...Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noel! Frohe Weihnachten! Buon Natale! God Jul! C рождеством! Nollaig Shona! Vrolijk kerstfeest! Happy Holidays--whatever you celebrate, remember the reason for your season!
Believe me, I understand those of you who roll their eyes at people like me. I empathize--let us at least get through the month of November, right? Why rush Christmas; it just means that the end of the year is inching up on us as fast as the Bullet Train? But I have good reasons for beginning to celebrate the season as soon as possible. Not that I need to justify my actions, but I'd like to...just so you know.
1. My Christmas decorations are heavy, as I'm sure many of yours are. We have several boxes and lots of stairs on which I must pull these several boxes up. I dedicate the majority of my day to lugging boxes up and down the stairs, which are not a straight shot by the way. Turning and maneuvering is involved. And it takes a while to set up everything after that. In fact, set up is sometimes a two day process, depending on the schedule of the day and if I'm still in a turkey coma from Thanksgiving. This year is a two-day set up. All decorations except the tree and the garland are finished. The tree is up, just not fluffed to its fullest or decorated. (I bet money that fake trees are more of a hassle than real ones, and real ones don't smell like musty basement). So, since I complain of the hassle of set up day, I like to appreciate my decorations for as long as possible because my mother and I work hard to get them up. We might as well revel in them for a full month.
2. I see no error in getting in to the Christmas spirit early, especially if your spirit is about giving, not merely the commercial aspects of the holiday. With the decorations set up, I'm ready to pick my angel tree, I'm ready to wrap presents for Habitat for Humanity, and I'm ready to make people smile by saying "Merry Christmas" as I pass by. Come on--tell me that doesn't bring a smile to your face.
3. I never allow myself to forget the reason for the season. God gave his son to us, and his son then gave so much to us. This is a time to remember every blessing that we have and a time to in turn give to those who are not as blessed as some of us--a time to share god's love. This should be all year round, but Christmas is a special time to show God's word and love through our actions and spirit. I'm not saying "Ho Ho Ho!" spirit, but "God Bless you" spirit. Let the Spirit flow through you into your society.
So there you go. See, I have good reason to start celebrating as early as possible. Be thankful that I don't set up before Thanksgiving--even I might become annoyed with myself if I started doing that.
So...Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noel! Frohe Weihnachten! Buon Natale! God Jul! C рождеством! Nollaig Shona! Vrolijk kerstfeest! Happy Holidays--whatever you celebrate, remember the reason for your season!
Friday, November 21, 2014
HAMily Thanksgiving
Happy early Thanksgiving, dear readers! I just had an amazing out-of-family experience with my HAMily. You would think having a thanksgiving dinner with people that aren't your family or don't have some relationship with a member of family. But that's what is so cool about my very unique college experience. With my freshman introduction to college, I have been adopted into this new, revolutionary family called the HAMily. I have my awesome roommate Rachael--the weirdest, nicest person every! But then there's these tons of amazing people that have become brothers and sisters. They are all amazing people who have come together and become a family. We don't all get along. We argue and scream, then we hug and laugh. It's great. They drive me crazy, and I need my alone time. But at the end of the day, I love and respect each one of them.
Tonight was an amazing night that showed just how much of a family we are. We put together this WONDERFUL dinner, decorations. We sat at a long table, ate together, conversed, took pictures, pictures, and more pictures. The food was wonderful, and the company even better. I'm so lucky to have gotten to know all of these fabulously interesting people that I'm blessed to call my family. Thank you, friends, family, for making my college experience the best it can possibly be. I am so, so thankful!
Tonight was an amazing night that showed just how much of a family we are. We put together this WONDERFUL dinner, decorations. We sat at a long table, ate together, conversed, took pictures, pictures, and more pictures. The food was wonderful, and the company even better. I'm so lucky to have gotten to know all of these fabulously interesting people that I'm blessed to call my family. Thank you, friends, family, for making my college experience the best it can possibly be. I am so, so thankful!
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Hey, Hey, Hey!
Hey, Hey, Hey, it's college girl Hannah here to give you a brief outlook on college life as I now know it to be in my infinite wisdom that amounts to a little less than five weeks of higher-education.
First and foremost--the first weekend of college sucks. At least in my case, but I have a feeling I'm not the only one. You don't really have friends yet, and if you have friends from high school there, they're trying to make their own new friends and are too busy for you...sorry. But it's just a matter of anticipation and not really having anything to do. There are small activities planned here and there, but nothing to take up a whole day. And you know, if you're like me, you just want those classes to start up so that you can get in a rhythm, so that you can be busy and have a schedule. Being busy helps a lot to distract from the inevitable sickness for home. Sorry guys, I don't care how tough you are--home sickness is a real thing, and you can't deny it. I can't really give any advice on how to conquer the first weekend better than I did, which I didn't at all. I called home several times a day bawling my eyes out (she says under her breath). The thing to remember that everyone keeps telling me, yet I'm not fully convinced of, is that every freshman in college is in the same boat as you--new environment, new people, outside of their shell. You just gotta go for it. Don't have any regrets.
Secondly, if you actually successfully participated in your high school AP classes, you are most definitely prepared for college level reading 'cause...it ain't a cake walk, let me tell you. I'm talking hours of reading, of memorizing, of online homework that you think is useless but you'll be begging for that online homework when you're in a class that only has one exam/paper grade. That's another thing--do your homework if you're teacher is generous enough to provide you with such an opportunity. Not every class is that lucky.
Thirdly, and I personally find the most difficult--you have to find a balance between getting your homework done and socializing. Being social is a GIGANTIC aspect of college, but so is the actual. School. Work. Do your work! Your parents are not paying thousands of dollars for you to waste! But go out in make friends. I'm lucky in my Living Learning Community (my HAMily) that we're a tight knit group with open door policy. If you're in your room, unless doing personal things (phone calls, showers, etc.), you're door is open so that you can converse, connect, and make friends. If you're dorm isn't like this, I strongly encourage you to make it so. This is an excellent way to make friends and form a line of communication. You might really wanna use that person's George Forman Grill who lives down the hall--but how are you going to use it if you never talk to the owner? Exactly.
Fourthly, (I promise I'm almost done) be PROACTIVE. I wanted to be a part of the music department, but they weren't going to contact me. So I went to them and found out the information I needed, even if it was a little late. Oh well. I'm still taking private lessons and practicing as often as possible. If you see a club you like, go to it. If you don't see a club you want to be a part of it, make it happen. I'm going to try to form a creative writing club here...we'll see how far that goes. But just put yourself out there, don't be afraid to try new things...you never know what you'll find.
Okay almost done. So people say it's cool to leave your laundry alone...yeah, that's a lie. Don't do laundry unless you have the time to do sit there with it. I'm not saying someone will steal it. There's a guy in my HAMily who left his laundry, and some other guy mistakenly thought it was his, so he took it. (Don't worry, the HAMster got his laundry back). But you just never know what people are going to do. I personally am not going to risk hundreds of dollars worth of clothes. And do laundry as often as possible. The rooms are small and musty--you'll start to stink.
So I'm done! I'm going to try to give as current updates on college life as I can. For those of you curious, I'll explain what my HAMily is in my next post. Keep reading and stay lovely!!
Yours,
Hannah
First and foremost--the first weekend of college sucks. At least in my case, but I have a feeling I'm not the only one. You don't really have friends yet, and if you have friends from high school there, they're trying to make their own new friends and are too busy for you...sorry. But it's just a matter of anticipation and not really having anything to do. There are small activities planned here and there, but nothing to take up a whole day. And you know, if you're like me, you just want those classes to start up so that you can get in a rhythm, so that you can be busy and have a schedule. Being busy helps a lot to distract from the inevitable sickness for home. Sorry guys, I don't care how tough you are--home sickness is a real thing, and you can't deny it. I can't really give any advice on how to conquer the first weekend better than I did, which I didn't at all. I called home several times a day bawling my eyes out (she says under her breath). The thing to remember that everyone keeps telling me, yet I'm not fully convinced of, is that every freshman in college is in the same boat as you--new environment, new people, outside of their shell. You just gotta go for it. Don't have any regrets.
Secondly, if you actually successfully participated in your high school AP classes, you are most definitely prepared for college level reading 'cause...it ain't a cake walk, let me tell you. I'm talking hours of reading, of memorizing, of online homework that you think is useless but you'll be begging for that online homework when you're in a class that only has one exam/paper grade. That's another thing--do your homework if you're teacher is generous enough to provide you with such an opportunity. Not every class is that lucky.
Thirdly, and I personally find the most difficult--you have to find a balance between getting your homework done and socializing. Being social is a GIGANTIC aspect of college, but so is the actual. School. Work. Do your work! Your parents are not paying thousands of dollars for you to waste! But go out in make friends. I'm lucky in my Living Learning Community (my HAMily) that we're a tight knit group with open door policy. If you're in your room, unless doing personal things (phone calls, showers, etc.), you're door is open so that you can converse, connect, and make friends. If you're dorm isn't like this, I strongly encourage you to make it so. This is an excellent way to make friends and form a line of communication. You might really wanna use that person's George Forman Grill who lives down the hall--but how are you going to use it if you never talk to the owner? Exactly.
Fourthly, (I promise I'm almost done) be PROACTIVE. I wanted to be a part of the music department, but they weren't going to contact me. So I went to them and found out the information I needed, even if it was a little late. Oh well. I'm still taking private lessons and practicing as often as possible. If you see a club you like, go to it. If you don't see a club you want to be a part of it, make it happen. I'm going to try to form a creative writing club here...we'll see how far that goes. But just put yourself out there, don't be afraid to try new things...you never know what you'll find.
Okay almost done. So people say it's cool to leave your laundry alone...yeah, that's a lie. Don't do laundry unless you have the time to do sit there with it. I'm not saying someone will steal it. There's a guy in my HAMily who left his laundry, and some other guy mistakenly thought it was his, so he took it. (Don't worry, the HAMster got his laundry back). But you just never know what people are going to do. I personally am not going to risk hundreds of dollars worth of clothes. And do laundry as often as possible. The rooms are small and musty--you'll start to stink.
So I'm done! I'm going to try to give as current updates on college life as I can. For those of you curious, I'll explain what my HAMily is in my next post. Keep reading and stay lovely!!
Yours,
Hannah
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