Room-a-za-loom!

So, today is the last day of classes of the semester.
Then all I have to do is some finals. Yay!
Just some images of the dorm before we leave.

This is the only plant I managed to keep alive. His name is Snuggles. I think he looks kinda like a Pokemon with his little arms sticking out like that. My friend Christian helped me pick him out: It was between him and a flowering plant that I probably would have killed within a week. I guess I just didn't inherit my Mother's green thumb... In fact, I think I almost drowned poor Snuggles once.
On his pot is a fortune cookie that says "Be generous, and the favor will be returned to you within the week". I now know that it doesn't mean to be generous with water...
Our other plants included Meditate, who had an operation by yours truly because Medi pulled a gun on Tate and demanded that the pot wasn't big enough for the two of them. Needless to say, Medi died. Tate's whereabouts are still not known, but he's probably with the A team.
Then we got Oprah Cheese, so-named for reasons I can't even begin to express, who is still growing and whose hair grows faster than Harry Potters.

I bought these bookends for myself for my birthday. Aren't they awesome? They're SO HEAVY, so I may have difficulties setting them up in my room at home. Theyre holding up my new collection of Lord Of the Rings that I got downtown.



So, basically, these are some images of the room where I spent the past nine months. It's my new home, but I've started to take things home. I took these pictures a month ago with my friends camera. Note to self: get a camera.

These are some Kimmi dolls I got from work. Aniene gave me one of them, and I got one that is similar for Erin.



So, I have two take home exams. Both of my English classes, British Romantic Literature and my English Theory class has a take home exam, which means that I have to write essays which could for about 25% of my grade. I'm a bit nervous. And I've been working on my BRL essays for three weeks and am still freaking out.
Otherwise, I have my Geology exam on Monday at noon, a Linguistics exam Tuesday night, and my Math exam on Friday at 8:30. I'm expecting Geology to be a piece of cake, but I'm going to study like crazy (once I have a chance) because I have an 87% in the class and I really want an 'A'.
I have an 83% in my Math class! I'm so happy, although I can make it up to a 87% if I get an 'A' on my final (might happen, who knows).
So, that just leaves Linguistics. Linguistics is kind of an oddball, that is, I have a 93% in the class, but there are so few grades for this class that if I bomb this exam, I may bring my grade dramatically low. Not that I'm planning to bomb this exam, obviously, but there is just SO MUCH CONTENT that I may not be able to keep my grade high.


Anyway, here are some more pictures.
There's Paco, the teddy bear made of alpaca fur my Mom got me for Pittsburgh in attempt to sooth the nasty side affects of my separation from Pippin.
He's in our new-ish reading corner, where we have big fluffy pillows and my snuggie. And books (duh).



Here's our window. We fly like paper get high like planes. Just kidding- we prefer to spend our time making cranes. Over 100 of them, actually. And then we strung them up over our window for a make-shift curtain.
As Eric says, "That's some Martha Stewart sh*t". But we all know that if Martha Stewart did it, they would be smothered in glitter and organized by paper color and beak size.



And my desk + bed combo.
I've always wanted a loft bed, partially because my room at home is the size of a closet and partially because Christine had one, and I always wanted what Christine had.
Anyway, it's like a dream come true.
Fact: I spend an unnatural amount of time sleeping for a college student. I have yet to pull an all-nighter, or even stay up past 2 a.m. And on average, I get 9 hours of sleep a night. You might ask me how I do it, but then I'll just stare at you like you sprouted a lamp from your head and wonder how you could possibly get through the day without sleep.
Note the Beatles poster: It was a Christmas present from Will when I was a sophomore, and although it may be creepy having four giant faces staring at you when you sleep, I kind of like to think that they are making sure Erin doesn't sneak into my bed and draw on my face with Sharpie.

So, yup. Next year, I'll be living in Custis, just (next to) Ball. That's all.

summer-times!

Guess who had NO CLASSES today?

If you guessed me, then you’re a winner. Don’t ask what you win, you just do.
So, today has been a bit of a preview on my summer for me. Basically, wishing I had classes to go to or at least some friends to go downtown with. Alas, I’ve finished all my homework and studied till I’m brain-dead, so now I’m just sitting, eating some delicious salad and listening to Pandora. I didn’t have any song stuck in my head (for the first time, like, EVER), so I’m listening to “Today’s College Indie”. I feel a bit ruffled to have my music tastes be categorized as such, but what can I say? I like what I like. One could argue that it’s a step up from listening to Captain Jack and DDR music.

So, I’m packing up my stuff to go home this weekend. Basically, arguing with myself over whether or not I’ll need certain things in my final week in school, or if I should go ahead and take it home now. Its amazing how much stuff has accumulated in my room through the year. Who knew I had so many clothes? I deceivingly dress like I only have about 3 articles of clothing. Well, all my clothes look pretty much the same. I like what I like.

While I’m looking forward to summer, I’m also very sad that my freshman year is over. While it had its downfalls, it was easily one of the best years of my life. I came into college with relatively low hopes. I’m notoriously bad at making friends, so I was sure that everyone would hate me and I would quickly become ostracized. To my delight, I met the met some of the greatest people, who I’m proud to say I consider my best friends, in the past nine months.

Being apart from home and all that I’m comfortable with has taught me a lot. Basically, whenever I think back on high school, I realize I could have been a lot happier if I hadn’t focused so much of my time and attention to trying to fit in and hanging on to things that I shouldn’t have ever been part of. I realize how much happier I am now that I have friends who like me for who I am, as opposed to seeing all the differences that separate them and me. I also love to be alone. I used to hate it- being alone was terrifying, I hated it. And now, when I’m alone I feel so free. I feel like I can accomplish so much by myself as opposed to needing someone there to help me. I guess I just found out that I’m an invert, which should have been obvious to me from the start.

The other day I went for a run down by the Rappahannock River. It was absolutely beautiful. There were fields and fields of bluebells, just blue as far as the eyes could see. I’m going to miss the trails down here when I go home.

I have some goals and plans for the summer (I worked on them while in Linguistics class):

1. I need to practice my Spanish, because next semester I’m going to be in intensive upper-level Spanish, and I haven’t taken Spanish classes in 3 years.
2. I want to go hiking in the Shenandoah, hopefully once with Christine for a few days so we can hike Old Rag all the way.
3. I want to go on a road trip
4. I would like to work on my painting, maybe make something that I’ll be proud of.
5. I also want to remake the doll I made of Pippin in art last year. Right now, he has a humpback. I want to make him a new body, maybe out of wood, and make him a new suit of clothes.
6. I would like to go to my grandmothers, and maybe learn a few phrases in Slovenian (so I can say something other than curse words and ‘cat’).
7. I didn’t get to go to the beach last year, so maybe this year!
8. I want to go swimming in the Rappahannock, maybe right before the school semester begins, because then it will be warm and wonderful.
9. Horse riding!

This summer will basically be the best summer ever.

I have a drinking problem.

I have a drinking problem.

By that I mean I drink too much coffee. And tea. And water.

Like, if I were on a liquid diet, I probably wouldn’t even notice any difference.

I mean, what can I say? I just feel like liquids are a far superior form of obtaining nutrients than consuming solids.

This wasn’t as big of a deal back in the day before I came to college. I think that coming to college has made me appreciate simplicity in everything that I can get away with simplifying, so being able to get my meals by using a straw to suck up liquid while still laying down and reading is basically the greatest thing ever.
Straws are so cool. They always make me think of the swimming lessons I had when I was little, where we were learning to control our breathing to keep from inhaling buckets (or pails) of water. That’s pretty much the only thing I remember from those classes; Just chillin’ on the stairs, sittin’ in the water, breathing through a straw.

Anyway, straws need to be making a comeback, because people think I’m strange for keeping a stash of straws in my drawers and hording them from restaurants and dining halls.

Another weird thing ive started doing since I came to college is repeating the last few words anyone says. Like, I’m a radio announcer whos like, “sale starts FRIDAY-Friday-Friday-Friday!!” except its not even interesting or necessary information. Its just random words.

And I didn’t even realize I did it until I was with Eric and he was like, “I’m going to get the roadrunner sandwich” and I was like, “ROADRUNNER!!!!!!!!”. Like, just repeating stuff. Like I’m a parrot. Kinda just cracks me up.

Man, I cannot spell today. I had to try three times to spell “cracks”. Like, I tried throwing an ‘e’ in there, some excessive ‘k’s and ‘c’s.

Oh, so my phone decided to randomly be evil and not work. Like, the outside keypad has been selectively broken by not being able to use the “ok” key, which is like having a hand but no thumbs. Like, you NEED the thumb, or else you might as well just use your mouth to open doors and stuff. Anyway, no OK button, so I cant use the front, but that was okay cause its one of those fancy pants flip-keyboard ones that aren’t so fancy pants anymore but it was fancy pants when I got it two years ago.
Well, yesterday my phone was like, “HAHA, IM GOING TO BE BLACK ON THE INSIDE, BUT GIVE YOU SECOND VIEWS OF YOUR REAL SCREEN SO YOU KNOW THAT YOU WORK, BUT THE I’M JUST BEING DIFFICULT MYAHAHAAA.” And then I’m all like, geez phone, you big jerk, I want to be able to make calls, and it’s all like, NEVER!

So, the take away message is that I can’t text/make calls, but I CAN receive calls. Oh, and I can get texts, but can only read the first two words before the screen decides to go black and be evil again.

So, basically, if you want to get in touch with me you either call me or send me a telepathic message. No promises I’ll get either, because my phone is obviously possessed, and my telepathy broadband is currently being used to stalk Adrien Brody.


Just kidding, he’s a bit old for me... and apparently part cat?!? AWESOME.
*My photoshop/paint skillz are amazing, I know. You can hire me for weddings and stuff. I can put little kitty ears on all your guests and everything. Yes, this should reach Mason ASAP in case he's interested*


Oh, for those who care about my half marathon, I ran it in 2 hours, 5 minutes and 9 seconds! It was super awesome! A special thanks to Eric for being amazing and driving and cheering and just being awesome in general, another thanks to Stella and her family for letting us stay and attack the chicks (SO CUTE), and, last but not least, to Christine for suggesting it and running with me. BEST RUN EVER. And it’s all because of you guys.

*disclaimer: I was kidding.

Happy Day!!!

Apparently, I’m so freakishly happy that I frightened my lab partner, Chris, when I came into lab this morning.

“You seem happy. Well, happier than normal. Which is saying something.”

I smiled at Chris, my creepy I’m-so-f’n-happy-that-I’m-in-heaven smile which I think just freaked him out even more.

“My brother got into Mary Washington!!!!!”

SMILE.SMILE.SMILE.SMILE.

I’m so excited that I feel like doing cartwheels down the hallways and singing at the top of my voice, all while doing a happy dance and squealing like a little girl-pig hybrid.

What can I say? It’s a happy happy day :D
And not only today… Life has been so good to me lately.

For example, the past few runs I’ve been on in preparation for this weekend’s half marathon have been EPIC.

Last week I was running on the path by the Rappohannock river in Fredericksburg, and while I was out I saw this GIANT great blue heron. I got really close to it—like four feet away—before it flew off. It had the largest wingspan ever. And then, on the way back, I heard this crying sound, so I looked up and there were TWO FREAKIN EAGLES.

DOUBLE EAGLES ALL THE WAY.

Like, right above me. Like, I could see their bald heads. They were being all cute and circling each other and doing their little mate calls. Then one would land in the tree and the other would do swoops and dives and it was simply marvelous, darling. I think ive only seen one other wild eagle in my life, and that was from far away while out West with my family. So this was, like,

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Mind blown.

And then, when I went home and ran on my Accotink trail, there was a GIANT owl who was just chillen in the top of a pine tree, hooting away. And there was a reply, and they were just chattin it up, being all cute and owl-y.

Sigh. Nature just blows my mind.

I’m so in love with nature and sciences. I’ve decided I’m going to do the Environmental Sustainability minor, but right now I’m so sick of my English classes that I’m considering just doing an Environmental Science Major.

I’ve always loved the sciences, but I’ve always had this vain dream of become a famous writer, which would (perhaps?) require an English degree.

I’ve redone my Twitter account, just to appease Eric. I got a few texts from friends yesterday who think I’m psycho.. I feel like Twitter is a very dangerous thing for me, because random thoughts just shoot through my head like arrows, and I feel the need to blurt it out, and I’m used to repressing these urges to scream “I LOVE HONEYSYCLE BODY WASH!!”, but since Twitter is pretty much the most available random thought processor, I’m thinking that I might just have to share every random thought that comes through my head.

Last night, I could sleep (which is very odd, because I’m normally capable of passing out on a dime. Not literally. I’ve actually never tried it, I might try that tonight), so I started thinking about how epic this summer is going to be. I’m going to be hiking with my BFF, and then I thought of alternative meanings of Bff. Like Buffalo Flightless Flamingo. And then I REALLY couldn’t sleep, because the image of the Buffalo flightless flamingo just cracked me up. Like, picture a buffalo… whose pink… who stands on his hind legs all the time…except when it pulls one leg up and nestles it inside of it’s flightless wings…

teeheehee.