A Better Me

I have decided to try a little project. I have a goal for myself to not speak negative or ill words about others. Less gossip. I am going to have a goal every so often to live up to. I will try to keep this blog more updated, so as to keep the blog-world up with my endeavors.



1. I am going to try to compliment everyone I encounter and find a way to make each of these individuals feel good about themselves.

Maryland

I have officially made the move. I moved here on August 14th and Chad and I moved into a cozy--i.e. old--basement apartment on the 18th. Our apartment. Hmmmm. So weird to say and hear myself say, but I like it. It's going well so far. I got a full-time job working for a firm in Northern Virginia and I like it. The people are nice. Not my ideal type of law, but that's ok. I need experience and diversity anyway. I'm living life like a city girl. I have a loooooong commute every day, which equates to me being kept more up to date than the Billboard 100 as to what the hottest music of the moment is, and also means that I have developed a certain affinity to morning talk radio. The Kane Show (99.5 in the DMV area) in particular. I work 9-5:30 right now but once my training period is up I have the option between that, 8-4:30, and 10-6:30. I'll probably go for the 8:00 shift because the way I see it, I'm going to be up super early regardless and if I go with the earlier time slot, I'll be in my car far less. I'll also get to be home earlier in the evenings--more time to cook (delicious dinners, if I do say so myself) and relax with the babe.

I have been doing qutie a lot of cooking and am enjoying it so much. Cooking dinner at the end of the day while enjoying a glass of wine has really become such a peaceful setting and moment of solace for me.

Weekends are enjoyable. I love fall. Relaxing watching football for hours in the living room. The smell of chili every Saturday or Sunday. A big pot made with plenty for leftovers, and who doesn't love leftover chili? Tonight I made cupcakes. It was a chili, subs, and cupcakes day--all made by me. Nothing bought. I'm really doing well with budgeting... especially because it'll be Wednesday before I receive my first paycheck since July 1. I am cooking as much as possible and not wasting a thing. I am quite proud of myself, but needless to say, I am extremely ready for that first paycheck.

More to come.

Life As A Graduate

Well.. I have officially been a WKU Alumni and graduate for almost 2 months now. I've been doing the full-time job thing which I love. I'm actually stressed about the whole 'study for LSAT, apply to law schools, GO TO law school thing' because I love full-time job life so much haha.

Tomorrow is my last day at work. It's very bittersweet. I'm moving from Bowling Green Friday which is also extremely bittersweet. I am very excited about whatever is to come next, but both leaving my job and BG are very sad to me. I can't really believe it's happening.

I will begin packing soon... hahaha. I HATE moving so much. The process of it. Packing. Throwing stuff away. Having too much shit to pack. Uhauls. Cutting off utilities. Not enough room for all of your shit. Too many clothes. Men/boys who get soooo annoyed moving a girl with too much junk. Should be a fun week.

Wish me luck and I will more avidly blog in the upcoming months.

Graduation

Well... graduation has come and gone. Do I feel different? No.. of course not. Not at all. There have only been two conversations that have even made me realize that I am not longer a WKU student with a major, but rather a WKU alum with a degree (well not TECHNICALLY yet.. as they don't send them out until like 3 weeks after graduation! haha!).
My roommate was discussing my political science major and then in a split second said "no.. I'm sorry.. your degree in political science."
And then another night I was explaining to someone why I had to get out of bed at 12:30 a.m. to go pick friends up from the bar on a weeknight and I said "because we're in college.. it's what we do...oh wait.. no.. we're still in college.. I have to feel that way right now or I'm going to breakdown and cry.." haha.. oh well.
Graduation weekend was a blast. My family, Chad's family, and my best friends (both high school and college) all in one place celebrating with me. The ceremony itself was annoying and long, but dinner afterward and then the bar into the early morning hours was a blast.
I am now working full-time still at my job and just enjoying life. Amanda (my roommate for 2 years and great friend for all of college) moves to Florida this coming weekend.. it's freaking me out. We haven't actually dealt with the fact yet that we won't live together anymore. She's one of the most amazing people I've ever met and the best friend and roommate I ever could have asked for. This will be a major change. So for the next month-ish I will live by myself in Bowling Green.. but it's pretty fun and exciting (as I've done it the past 2 winter and summer breaks during college) nonetheless.
This is an exciting time in my life, but I really need to get on the job finding/apartment hunting bandwagon! haha!
Everyone, wish me luck. Thanks for reading.

Finals

It's Finals Week at WKU. I have 3 FINALS TOMORROW. OMG. freaking out. but obviously not too much because I'm finding time to blog. Mostly because I'm staying up all night tonight. Fun fun fun. It's crazy how packed the labs and libraries are finals week. But I like it. It's something I'll miss...not the actual tests, but the staying up all night long with friends--doing more talking than studying, running out in the middle of the night for more Red Bull. I'm sure my readers think that I am extremely depressed and sad about graduating, mostly because I only blog when I'm feeling a strong emotion, and although I am very sad, I am BEYOND excited too. I am ALWAYS excited for the next stage in my life. Each day of my life is better and happier than yesterday.. at least I always strive to keep that mindset. So I am so pumped to see what is next. Oh, and also to end this damn long-distance thing with Chad. I miss him. :)

10 Days

Wow.. graduation is 10 days away. Well.. it'll be 10 days by the time anyone reads this. Currently I'm still considering this Tuesday night (2:13 a.m.) but it's because I'm pulling an all-nighter. It's weird. I want to be awake a lot these next couple of weeks and I will be so tired.. I know. But you can sleep when you're old. Well probably not, because then you have kids to tend to, but sleep is nothing fun.
Don't get me wrong.. I love sleep more than pretty much anyone. I will forgo almost anything to nap, go to bed early, or sleep late...but lately, I don't want to waste my time with sleep. I want to be awake and enjoy all of the people around me. These people who have made tremendous impacts on my life. I don't think any of them read this.. or rather, no one reads this, but that's ok. I want these feelings documented for when I look back years from now. When I am no longer a "twenty-something." This place. This town. This school. These people. These memories. Unforgettable. These past 4 years have been amazing. Sometimes hard, of course, and sad, and lonely even, but more often than not (actually like 98% of the time honestly) things have been easy (being a 18-21 year old) and fun and enjoyable and warm with tons of people around to enjoy life with.
I have lived so many experiences and who I am today would be unrecognizable to the 17 year old I was 4 years ago, just about to graduate high school. I love who I am today. I am not saying that in a egotistical way at all... but I love who I have become because of this place and these people. Made me this person I am proud to me.

One Month

April 15 (Tax Day) marked one month until graduation. My freaking out comes and goes. Sometimes I am so beyond excited to move on, but then I realize I am really just ready to be finished with class for a bit. Last night for example I was with about 10 people with whom I have literally been friends with since Week One at WKU. We drank, we laughed, we talked, all discussed our future plans as we congratulated on one of our friends for receiving the Fulbright Scholarship. 4 years has changed so much in so many great ways. I will truly miss these people, these activities, and this environment.

Morehead

Once a place I couldn't wait to leave and yearned for the new "life experiences" I would have. Even in college, I dreaded the weekends at home and the long Christmas break spent "bored in Morehead."
Ridiculous.
Haha.
Granted, I think getting away from wherever you're comfortable and wherever life is easy is always a good thing, but Morehead truly is home.
I love the weekends there now. It's so happy, comfortable, full of love. I love watching the seasons change there and I love the thought of going back each time.
Each time I'm there I'm ready to be able to move back when I'm older.
It sure is funny how things change.

Maryland

College Park, Maryland. Chad moved up here in August to attend University of Maryland-College Park. He is in the Criminology Master's Program. If you're reading this you probably know that we had always lived in the same town...minutes apart. Him moving was a big change first and foremost for him, but also for us. We try to see each other once a month and those visits are the highlight of each month for me. I love the drive or flight to Maryland. I love the time spent seeing a movie, grabbing dinner, seeing things I've never seen, or simply doing nothing at all. Doing nothing at all together is the best. I have been in Maryland since Saturday and it is Tuesday. I'll leave in the morning to go back to Bowling Green. Yesterday I got to go to the campus with Chad and visit his office and the classroom in which he is a Teacher's Assistant for undergrad courses. I love being here and am actually looking to move closer upon graduation in May. At that point Chad will still have another year in the program. Leaving is always the hardest thing to do. The drop-off at the metro station is so sad. But...this time it won't be as bad. Chad's spring break is next week and so he will be back in Kentucky on Saturday and Bowling Green probably Sunday. We are both so excited to get to spend so much time together this month. And then, really it's only 2 more months until the distance is over.
Relationships and people are what make any sadness worth it.

Tuesday Nights

Tuesday nights are a retreat for me. For the second year now I have a group of people over to the apartment and cook a big meal before we all settle in for the new episode of Lost.
Graduations have caused some to leave, but others have joined and it's always a great time. Baked spaghetti, taco salad, or on cold, snowy January nights we must settle for frozen pizza, but regardless it's always a great time for everyone to take time out of studying, work, and anything else and join together for food and a great television show.
Cooking big meals for many friends on Tuesday nights is something that I will definitely miss upon graduation and the conclusion of Lost (series finale in May)but wherever I may be next year, a new dinner night and dinner crew will surely be formed, though I will more than miss these friends who have become family.

Twenty-Something

I am an avid reader of others' blogs (Letters to Myself, Itty Bitty in New York City, Half-Blog-Half-Amazing, and many others), bummed each morning that there isn't a new post and so excted when there is. I have blogged off and on, but really enjoying reading others, so I thought maybe if I started again some would enjoy reading mine.
I am graduating college in a couple of months and this blog will be a place to express my fears, desires, wishes, and new adventures! We'll see how it goes.