Friday, August 26, 2011

Dorm Tour!

Alright, alright! Stop pestering! I'll give you a tour of my magnificent Dorm! :)

Our lovely room.

Our lovely door.

My lovely closet.

The lovely inside of my closet.

The lovely inside of the other side of my closet. 
Our lovely Bathroom.

Our lovely Shower.

Our lovely Toilet.

Our lovely half of the bathroom.

My lovely desk.

My lovely bed.

My lovely bulletin board. With lovely Herndon Pride.

A picture to show the lovely *height of my bed.

Lovely me. 
Yup. Pretty lovely huh?

*I know what you're thinking- "How on earth does she get in her bed with that bum knee of hers? And not to mention her small stature!" I have a step stool I use to get up on the fridge. Then from the fridge, I hop on my bed. It's quite simple really.

FOL

Foundations of Leadership

I left for Utah early so I could go to this Leadership Conference BYU offers. Only about 300 of the new freshman get to go. Luckily a couple days before the conference, I got a call that I made it off the waiting list. So I changed my plane reservations, and headed to Utah. A little reluctant to leave so early but I landed in Provo and the next day I was off to Aspen Grove for the Conference. Of course we played some get-to-know-you games to meet everyone in our group. Honestly I don't remember everything we did but here are some highlights-

This could be me at the first BYU Football game..
1. Pep Rally. We were graced by BYU cheerleaders (no, Jimmer's girlfriend wasn't there..), BYU Cougarettes, and most importantly Cosmo! They taught us the BYU Fight Song, did some tricks for us, and showed some videos of Football and Basketball games to get us ready for the seasons to start. I cannot wait. Everyone was freaking out and for sure caught the "Spirit of the Y" as they call it. We all had goosebumps and a couple of us even held back tears. A little embarrassing I know..but hey, I'm just trying to fit in. :)

2. Dance. BYU knows how to throw a poppin' dance. Good music, fun people, crazy dance moves. All mixed in for a stupendous night. 

My group :)
3. Pushing Past Fears. One of the last things we did was probably the most fun and most rewarding. We each got a wood board and we were told to write all our goals for this upcoming school year on one side. Then on the other side we were told to write our fears and whatever else was keeping us from achieving the goals we wrote down on the other side. Some goals I wrote were study hard, ask for help when I need it, trust, have a great amount of the "Spirit of the Y" and some problems or fears I wrote down were, knee (boo..), no normal, EFD (learning disability.) Then after we wrote all this down the Director of the Conference taught us how to break the boards. And then we were told to break them. I was highly doubtful about my abilities in board breaking but I tried it anyway. We had our problems facing us and then we looked past them and broke the board. It was surprisingly very empowering. As each person in the group went to push past their fears we all cheered each other on and there were many high-fives, hugs, and and smiles. When I went I was freaking out a little..but I did it! I broke the board! I was so surprised that I did it I screamed and froze for a minute.  It was so exciting! haha I want to have everyone do this. Future Girls Camp, Youth Conference, and EFY directors-DO THIS.
If you can tell, I'm freaking out that I actually broke it. 



Well that's the short version of my great 3 days in Aspen Grove. Overall I'm so glad I was lucky enough to be taken off the waiting list and got to go. Learned a lot, made new friends, and got to enjoy the beauty of Utah. (Yup, there is beauty here.)

Here are some more pictures-
Aspen Grove
Pictures do not do it justice..
Kaileen, Me, and Caroline. We stuck together haha
My new friend Caroline and me :)

Sunday, August 21, 2011

While I sit here..

I'm stuck in the Denver Airport waiting for my delayed flight to Provo. So I thought I'd start my list of things to do when I'm me again. A.K.A when my knee is healed.
Here is some background information to fill you in. You probably already know I tore my ACL but i recently went to the doctor for my almost 3 month mark and he said for sure no cutting sports (which is basically every sport..) for a year. So about May 27, 2012 I will be myself again. I pictured my first year at college being different too. I mean I'm sure I'll still have fun, just not the ways I thought I would. I thought I'd be hiking, swimming, playing sports, running, and most importantly-Lacrosse playing. Now that all that is so viciously thrown to the curb I'm struggling to find other ways of fun. I mean honestly, that's pretty pathetic. What do non-athletic people do for fun? No offense or anything but I've just lived my whole 18 years doing athletic things for fun and now I feel like I have to re-learn how to live my life...
Anyways..I'm getting away from the point of this post. Forgive me. Here is the list:

1. Mud Run. I found this somewhere at BYU one day and posted it up in my room as inspiration to get strong enough by the day it is so I could do it. Well no matter how strong I get I can't do it. It is in September. Which you, my brillant friend, can figure out is not after May 27, 2012. But I will do this next year with friends and I will be the muddiest person there. Come do it with me!
2. Hike to the top of Squaw Peak. Every time I look up at that tip I think, "There has to be a way up there. And I'm gonna do it." Yes, it is the make-out mountain for the Utah Valley but I simply want to hike to the tippy top and stand there and just yell, "I made it Suckers!" And then maybe start singing Jay-Z's "I Made It." We will see how I feel once I get there.
Looks a lot taller in person..this is the best picture I could find..
Please be more impressed then this picture allows you to be..
3. Play Lacrosse. DUHH. Of course this had to be on the list. I won't be ready to play by BYU's try-outs but I'm going to the meeting and am determined to be involved somehow, whether by being manager (my Basketball boys know how good I am at that), or just helping out at practice, or whatever the coach lets me do. I'll keep you updated on that for sure.

Picture this lovely intimidating women in BYU garb. Looks good right?
4. Run a Marathon. Ok this for sure won't happen next year but soon enough it will happen. I first have to figure out how to train for a marathon, then actually train, then actually do it without dying..My dad and I are going to do it. I'm sure tears will be shed before because we can't believe we are actually doing it, during because we will want to die and hate ourselves, then after from pain and accomplishment. Oh and it's just what we do, cry. 

I need to think of something exciting to do at the finish..any ideas?
5. Take a Golf class. I tried to take it this Summer then my knee blew up and then I tried for this Fall and my Doctor said without hesitation, "Absolutely not. NO." Dager. So now i have decided that third time's the charm. I will take a golf class at BYU. And I will ace it. 

I'm gonna be the next Tiger Woods minus the you know, skin color difference.  ;)

That's all I can think of for now. I'll add more as I pass up fun things because I can't right now. I am sure this list will grow. Quickly.



Saturday, August 20, 2011

Adventure List-with Shaunessy Neel


We have always talked about places we want to travel for certain holidays and what not, so it's time to make a list. So here it is:

Oh, and this is not a closed inviation to just Shaunessy and me, if you want to join in and come along, COME!
You just have to pay... :) 

1. Go to NYC on New Years Eve (We will stay there a little longer so Shaunessy can shop at the creepy underground places..)
2. Go to New Orleans on Mardi Gras
3. Go to Ireland on St. Patricks Day
4. Go throw tomatoes at each other and random people in Italy on the day they do that or whatever..
5. Run with the bulls. (haha jk. Shaunessy wouldn't run and so she would die. I like her too much for that..)
6. Go to India on for the Festival of Colors
7. NO SAYING WE ARE INSENSITIVE WITH THIS ONE> Go to Germany on the day the Holocaust ended. (Don't worry we will be sad in all the pictures we take there. For real though.)
8. Go to Africa on Martin Luther King Day. (OK so I just want an excuse to go to Africa...)
9. Find out some cool holiday or celebration in France and go there for that..maybe the day Ratitoulle came out?
10. Find out some cool holiday or celebration in Greece and go there for that..maybe the day Mama Mia came out? Or Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? 
11. Go anywhere our little hearts desire to go. 

Friday, August 12, 2011

I am home!

I finally made it. I am home. I have been dreaming of this since the day I got to Provo. Not that I hate Provo, or even that I hate Utah, I don't. I actually grew to love it there. But Dorothy said it best,

"There is no place like home." 

Once I finally got off the airplane, ran to my beautiful parents, got my luggage (thanks to pop), got to the car, and drove home I started shaking. I turned the bend and saw all my best friends cars. I jumped out of the car and yelled, "I'll come back for my stuff!" (my dad just giggled and said don't worry i got it.) and ran as fast as my messed up knee would let me. I bursted open the door and instantly ran into Shaunessy. Then Chloe, then Zoe, then Brittany, then Brandon, and finally Sara. (and of course Nikki was in the line of hugs too. That cute dog.) Each hug could not have lasted long enough to show how extremely excited I was to see them all again. I was literally shaking with excitement. I couldn't sit still, I was just bouncing everywhere. I hope every homecoming is like this. I'm pretty sure it will be, knowing me..haha

Then today, my first full day home after college, I went to Georgetown with Chloe and Zoe and we saw our future houses. Oh man Georgetown in pretty. (The man I marry better have a good job because Georgetown is also quite expensive...) Oh but I just couldn't stop looking around and trying to take in all the green, diversity, and even the humidity. Oh it was just wonderful. 

Then I had friends come over to watch a movie and it just felt normal. I felt so at home and in my element. Making a pizza for everyone, manning the TV, inviting people in, etc. Ahhhhh I have some normality back into my life. 

I can't wait to see what the next few weeks bring me. Pure joy. I already know that much. :)

Thursday, August 11, 2011

It's over?

So today is the day I go home after finishing my 1st term here at BYU! I think I did pretty well, all things considering..

It flew by. It feels like I was just dropped off and just barely met Makenzie. But no. That was 2 months ago!

Today has been a whirlwind of everything. I took my last final (and did pretty well) and then quickly cleaned my room, packed, stuffed my car, and now here I am. Waiting for Kenzie to come home to go to lunch at the Cannon for the last time as roommates. :) I'm so glad things worked out between us. I was worried at first but now we are the best pair of roommates ever.

I'm so excited to go home. I loved it here this summer but now I'm ready for a break from school and time with friends and family. You saw my list of things to do and I cannot wait to do all those things. Oh man I can't wait. I am also excited for the Doc to say I can finally jog. AHHHH SO MUCH EXCITEMENT.

I'm super excited for fall. I am excited for the billion more people to be roaming around campus, for the football games, for my new roommate, (no offense Kenzie. You know I love you.) and for just the hustle and bustle of everything. That's how I work best. Hustling and bustling. :)

13 hours until I am HOME! :)

Monday, August 8, 2011

Well Hello Girly Side of Me..

FORGIVE ME FOR THIS EXTREMELY GIRLY POST. 
As I said before, this is my blog and I'll write what I want. 


I just watched the Notebook and it kind of kills me. I just want a love story so badly. They say BYU just pressures you into wanting to get married, it's so true. OK so I don't want to get married really soon or anything but the billions of couples here at BYU make me think about what I want. Me and my roommate Kenzie somehow end up talking about all that we want, husband-wise, almost everyday..it's almost embarrassing. But oh well. It is what it is. haha

I guess I'll clue you into a few things I want..don't judge me. If you do I guess I wont know so..do what you want. haha

1. I want a man who is absolutely crazy about me. Me and Kenzie talk about this all the time. We just want someone to think the world of us and can't even believe they got us. And visa-versa of course. :)

2. I want to be the cutest old couple ever. Just as in love as we were when we were newly weds.

3. I want to have a cute story. I know everyone says that and it doesn't happen for everyone and I shouldn't get my hopes up but again, this is my blog. I do what I want. :) I don't want to be another couple that meet at BYU. Chances are that it's gonna happen like that but oh well. A girl can dream right?

4. A beautiful black man wouldn't hurt either..
that's all for now..or all I wanna share with the world. haha

P.S. 3 days. 3. :)

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Things To Do When I Go Home..

Here is my small list of things I am determined to do when I get home-
1. Go to DC.

2. Eat crab. Like the kind that you pick open to get the meat. yummmm.
3. Lounge around on my nice comfy couch with friends.
much like Brandon is demonstrating here. 
4. Go to the Beach for at least a day.

5. Eat at Rio Grande. 

6. Get a Georgetown Cupcake



I will add when I think of more things..

*Still 9 days until I return to lovely Virginia.*



Summer Term Coming to a Close

It's crazy to think that I am only two weeks away from coming home and being completely done with Summer Term here at BYU. It has flown by! Honestly I feel like I just barely graduated from High School.  Which I kind of just did graduate.. Anyways here are a few Highlights-

1. My roommate Makenzie. :) I'll admit I was really nervous with how we would get along. I even tried to switch. (Again, I am sorry Kenz..) But I am so happy I switched BACK to her. She is crazy, a tad clumsy, kind, funny, and has an infectious laugh. I will never forget her bursts of laughter while watching the Office and "doing her math homework" at the same time. Just out of nowhere she busts up laughing and her laugh just fills the whole room. It's the best. I am so glad things worked out between us. I love her. :)
She made me dye my hair red for the Harry Potter Midnight showing. She was Hagrid. :)

2. The other girls in my hall.They are so fun and are always looking for something exciting to do. It's great to be in a hall where all your friends are. Even though me and Kenzie can't get them to leave our room it's still so fun that we are the room where everyone comes to talk and just hang out. They are all just so fun. 

3. Las Vegas Trip. So much fun. It was fun to get to hang with my sister and meet her friends and of course, go see Celine Dion in concert. It was so amazing and I love it. Although it was ridiculously hot and there were a little too many stories of London overall it was a very fun and exciting trip. And I'll admit I cried a little in the beginning of Celine Dion. What an amazing weekend.  :)

Seesterr before Celine
4. Family. I absolutely love being close to my extended family. I've never lived close to my extended family so it's a new thing. But I love it. It's nice to know that if I ever need anything I can go to anyone in my family and ask for help. It's fun to go to family things like Sunday Dinner, birthday parties, and whatever else the family does together. I feel like I am actually becoming friends with my family instead of just being family that visits every once in a while. I'm excited for this trend to continue. 
Parker and I at a family dinner :)

Overall this Summer has been very good. I am so glad I came to BYU Summer and that I met the people I met. I am super excited to go home but also a little sad to have Summer Term here at BYU to be over.


*9 days until I return to lovely Virginia*