Sophomore Sensations

Welp, I'll try to make this kinda short and snappy, since I have early classes tomorrow and still need to study for my weekly Biology quiz. But, I'm a fabulous Sophomore now, living off-campus with four lovely ladies, and loving it.

Surprisingly, I've been keeping up with my classes for the most part. For those of you that don't know me that well, I am a HUGE procrastinator. And last year, though I would continuously promise myself that I would turn over a new leaf and stay on top of school work and actually DO the work and actually STUDY for tests, but I never really did. But this year I've done a pretty decent job of doing my homework on time, doing the readings, studying (a little, anyways), and... GET THIS: going to bed early! My bed times ranges between 11pm-1am. Pretty crazy, considering last year I wouldn't even think about schoolwork until Fear Factor re-runs were done with at midnight each night. So yeah, yay for me!

I haven't picked up my second job yet... Kinda procrastinating on that aspect. But that's okay I decided, since I wanted to get a daily ritual established and get situated before I brought on more responsibility than I could handle. But I spose beginning next week I should begin the job applications.

I also have been putting planning into the works about my traveling abroad. I actually, possibly, may be traveling to three very different countries in ONE year. Over winter break, I might be going to Cuernavaca, Mexico with Edgewood's Campus Ministry to volunteer there at orphanages and schools. Then, next semester I will be taking a class that will study China- its history, culture, and language- and will then actually GO to China at the end of May for three weeks. That would be a really amazing experience. And then... I am trying to plan my semester-long study abroad opportunity next fall in Sydney, Australia. There, I would continue my business classes as well as have a business internship in downtown Sydney. Wow, the opportunities I have, huh? The only drawbacks to the trips are: the money I don't have to spend on the trips, being away from friends and family and especially my boyfriend, and then missing my brother's wedding next fall. Really, I cannot miss my brother's wedding... So I'd have to come up with an extra $1500-2000 to spend on the plane ticket back to the states for the weekend. SIGH... We'll see how this all works out.

Anyways, back to current times. This weekend will actually be the first weekend here since classes started that I'll be IN Madison with no plans. Every other weekend, I've either went to Milwaukee to visit Tony, had him here, or had some sort of SIFE activity, such as going to Minneapolis for a conference or running a seminar. So it'll be really really nice to just relax, party, and get ahead of some schoolwork and begin studying for my midterms coming up next week (yikes!).

So yes, time for some late night tv and bed now, and then hopefully to continue on my kick of non-procrastination I'll write again soon! :)

As Summer Closes...

Whoops- Two months without an update to the blogger. What can I say- Summer has been amazing so far. Both good and bad, I've been working about half the hours than I did last summer. I desperately need more money, but I'm 100% glad I have a social life this summer. I haven't really gone anywhere or done anything too out of the ordinary, but it's just been fabulous hanging out with friends, relaxing, and not having any pressure from school or work.

Let's see what else- in addition to my sister's engagement, my brother is also newly engaged to Shannon- FINALLY! I'm sooo excited for their wedding in Oct. 2007.

And I attended my first Dave Matthews Band concert this summer! Had no idea what to expect, but next year we'll know to bring lots of friends, tailgate ahead of time, and get insanely drunk for it. In July I also visited my babe Cassidy in Monroe for a few days- just hung out, had a cook out, sunbathed, got our hair done... Great to see one of my Edgewood friends for the first time all summer.

This past weekend I had a girls weekend up at my trailer which was also much enjoyed. Basically never stopped drinking the whole time we were up there, went swimming at the beach, played drinking games, watched movies, and ate ice cream. And once in back to Green Bay, I went with everyone to the drive-in for movies. I'd have loved to make it to Noah's Ark or Michigan for gambling, but we'll still be able to have a week-long party at my house when my parents go out of town the week before I leave for college, which will consist of lots of alcohol, fun sleepovers, a cook out, a bonfire, and hopefully even a poker night.

But in exactly 16 days I will move back to Madison... and out of my house permanently. I don't plan on living here in GB over winter break or even next summer since I'll have an apartment I'm already paying for in Madison and a full time job there. It's sad to think I'll never live in my house again... won't ever live with my parents again. Exciting, but sad. Let's just not think about it. But I'm pumped to go back to Madison soon. I'll have my Edgewood girls nearby again, my UW-Wisc girls there, and lots of good partying! Not to mention my own apartment with four fabulous girls. Of course I'm dreading having to think and concentrate again for school work, have two jobs, and be away from the rest of my GB friends. It's tough to think this is the last summer all of us will be together, since most of us will be staying in our respective college towns next summer. There will be lots of visiting and road trips to each other, but still... Not to mention my favorite new kid will now be 45 min away instead of 45 seconds away- literally. Ahh, well- what can ya do?

Anyways, I'm gonna try to update this thing again before heading back to Madison- I've got lots more to say, but more exciting things to do yet tonight- like fold my laundry and watch a movie ;)

Summer has Begun!

Well, I'm officially finished with college for the summer- woo hoo! My first week off was spent relaxing, catching up on sleep, and unpacking. Then I drove back down to Madison at 3 30 am to catch a flight to Kansas City, Missouri for the National SIFE Competition (think business competition).

The competition was... stressful but a good experience. Though KC isn't my favorite city- not a whole lot to do besides shop and eat and look at fountains. Which there are a ton of, considering it's the "City of fountains." Anyways, after four days, we headed back to Madison, got there at 11 pm, and then I had to drive all the way back to Green Bay. Yuck. Thank God for Mountain Dew, Monster, and sugar-coated gummi worms.

I still haven't unpacked from the trip, but I applied to a few more jobs for the summer. It's been really nice not having a full time job yet, but that'll hafta come if I wanna stay in college. I think I'll just end up going through a temp agency. I plan on staying in Madison next summer so I don't really need a permanent job summer after summer, and this way I won't need to go back to KI.

Eh, we'll see what happens...

Holy Crap- I'm Almost Done!

...Done with my Freshman year of college, that is. That seems absolutley bizarre to me. It went hella fast! Which... is a good thing. Looking back at the four years of high school, it seems like that was a long period of time. And college is another 4-ish years. And one year is already pretty much done! I wonder if the rest will go just as fast. I sort of hope so.

They say college is the best years of your life. And I don't doubt that. It's been really fun so far! I've met a ton of kewl people and made new friends. I've partied a lot and made a lot of bad judgement calls, hehe. But that's what makes interesting memories, right? "Education is what you get from reading the fine print. Experience it what you get from not reading it." I remember in high school reading a college friend's blogger entry about how she realized even though she's in college to learn and get an education (and paying big bucks for it!), the most valuable stuff she's getting out of her years in college is the life experiences- whether it's living on your own, learning to have roommates, tap a keg, clean a toilet and do laundry, or take care of yourself when you're sick with the flu and not relying on mom to bring you some crackers and orange juice.

Boy, it's a good thing I'm not graduating- I'm totally not ready and don't think I've gotten my money's worth of "experience" out of the college life. Good thing I've got 3 or so years left, huh?

For the past few month, I couldn't wait to get done with Freshman year and start summer! And I still am pretty darn anxious. I'm pretty sick of school work and tests and studying (though I really haven't done a ton until these past few weeks- that'll teach me to procrastinate! fyi tho- I am doing a lot better at getting what needs to be done :) ) . But now writing this and thinking about moving all my crap out next week (9 days to be exact!) is making me realize how much I'm going to miss this over the next 3 months. I'm really going to miss Madison- always a party to drink at and something to do, as well as my friends here. I know we'll keep in loose touch over the summer (thank god for facebook and AIM- what did people do before that???) and make a few random visits to each other, work schedules permitting. I'll also miss my comfy bed, having only one job (that I really like!), watching all "my shows" everyday (especially Fear Factor every single fricken night... and ABC Family afternoon shows: Boy Meets World, Full House, Gilmore Girls), having all my food made for me at Phil's (and ice cream novelties- mmm!).

But at home I'll have my own room and own reign over t.v. shows, a car, and closer to my other friends. I've heard it said that the hardest thing about college isn't the schoolwork, but balancing the two competely different lives. Here's a facebook forward that is a little bit over-dramatic, but says it pretty clearly:


In a few weeks... A year has passed, and now we stand on the brink of returning to a world where we are surrounded by the paradox of everything, yet nothing being the same. In a few weeks, we will reluctantly give our hugs, and fighting the tears, say goodbye to the people who were once just names on a sheet of paper to return to people that we hugged and fought tears to say goodbye to before we left. We will leave our best friends to return to our bestfriends. We will go back to places we came from, and go back to the same things we did last summer and every summer before. We will come into town on that same familiar road, and even though it has been months, it will seem like only yesterday. As you walk into your old bedroom, every emotion will pass through you as you reflect on the way your life has changed and the person you have become. You suddenly realize that things that were most important to you a year ago won't seem to matter so much anymore, and the things you hold highest now, no one at home will completely understand. Who will you call first? Where are you going to work? Who will be at the party on Saturday night? What has everyone been up to? Who from school will you keep in touch with? How long before you actually start missing people barging in without calling or knocking? Who will get breadsticks with you at three in the morning? How long until you adjust to sleeping in a room by yourself, or how long until you realize your four best friends aren't in the beds next to your room?

Then you realize how much things have changed. You realize the hardest part of college is balancing the two completely different worlds you now live in, trying desperately to hold on to everything, all the while trying to figure out what you have to leave behind. In the matter of one day's traveling time, we will leave our world of living next door to our best friends, walking across campus to eat, instant messenger, 8:00 classes, and perpetual procrastination to a world that will seem foreign to us, despite the fact that we have lived in it for nineteen years.

But it is different now... we now know the meaning of true friendship. We know whom we have kept in touch with over the past year and whom we hold dearest to our hearts. We've left our high school worlds to deal with the real world. We have had our hearts broken. We have fallen in love. We've helped our best friends through the toughest times of their lives, something their even best friends at home couldn't be there for. We've stayed up all night just to be there for a friend. We've parties the night away, doing stupid stuff, but we were always there for each other afterwards. There have been times when we've felt so helpless being hours away from home when we know our families or friends need us most, and there are times when we know we have made a difference. A few weeks from now, we will leave. A few weeks from now, we take down our pictures and pack upour clothes. No more going next door to do nothing for hours on end. We will leave our friends whose random emails and phone calls will bring us to laughter and tears this summer. We will take our memories and dreams and put them away for now, saving them for our return to this world. A few weeks from now, we will dig deep inside to find the strength and conviction to adjust to change and still keep each other close. And somehow, in someway, we will find our place between these two worlds. In a few weeks... are you ready?


Oh boy... I don't have a choice, do I?

Moving On...??

Let's make this short and sweet. I'm not sure why I feel like I'm seeing everything pretty clearly and simply now, but apparently nobody else is. Why can't people just let go and MOVE ON?? I'm not one to counsel people in their lives that don't want it... so instead I just rant to myself. Ahh well, all the better for me to realize what I want and need I guess.

15 Days and Counting...

Yup, that's all the days of class left in my freshman year of college. Pretty crazy. And even crazier for me to realize all of the assignments, projects, presentations, and test I have to take between now and that last day. Almost unfathomable to me.

I've actually gotten really behind in a few of my classes- namely Accounting, for a variety of reasons. I had been gone for a few days to Chicago for the SIFE Regional Competition (we won as Regional Champs and go on to compete in Kansas City, MO!).

Then 3 days later I was gone for another 4 days to Cedar Rapids, IA for the NACA leadership conference. Even though we had to get up at 7 am all 4 days and never got back to our hotels before midnight, it was actually pretty fun. We got to listen to a bunch of comedians, inspirational speakers, and bands and decide which ones we wanted to hire to come to Edgewood next year. So besides a bunch of newer names that are growing crazily (such as The Profits, McKinley Place, and Nick Motil), I also got to meet, shake hands with, and talk to a few bigger names, such as Dave Coulier (Joey from Full House!), Dennis Haskins (Mr. Belding from Saved by the Bell!), and Ruthie (from Real World and The Gauntlet). Pretty damn neat.

I actually surprised myself this week. All during the NACA Conference and even now back in Madison, I've been eating a lot better and a lot less! And right when I got back from Iowa, instead of dropping dead and taking a much needed nap, I went to the Honors study lounge and wrote a paper (that was due the week before)! And then I proceeded to plan out my schedule for the next year and prepare for my meeting with my academic advisor. And I haven't taken any naps all week. I am on a roll!

Errr... WAS on a roll. The past 2 days haven't been quite so productive. I've gotten a lot of errands done, a lot of searching for scholarships done, and even applied for another summer job. But as far as getting caught up with work, I haven't quite jumped the gun on that.

And I know I swear every semester that the next semester will be different- I'll turn over a new leaf! But next semester really will be better. I'm starting to be realistic and told myself just to get through this semester with decent grades and lots of stress from procrastinating. But next year I'll be out of the dorms and in my own apartment (thank God!) with people I am friends with and get along with. There I will have my own little quiet cubby to concentrate and get what I need to get done. Though I'll be taking more credits next year, I won't be a lowly little freshman that's still trying to adjust to a new way of living. I just hope by the end of this semester I haven't ruined my GPA or anything.

Anyways, for this summer... I wanted to take some summer classes and get ahead (so hopefully I could graduate in less than 4 years and save lots of money!), but my mom advises me I need to work 2 jobs this summer again and make as much money as a can... otherwise I won't be able to go back to Edgewood. Which is a bummer- if I took summer and winterim classes and got ahead and graduated early, I would be saving a ton more money in the long run. But I guess I hafta do it this way so I can even make it through college.

However, last summer was... crazy. I am in awe with myself as I look back on it. I worked up to 60 hours a week with a full time job at KI (welding) and then part time at the pharmacy. I would go to KI from 7 am to 3 pm, then to the pharmacy a few day a week from 4-8 or 5-9. Then I would eat, play on the computer or watch tv for a little bit, and head to bed so I could have enough energy to get through the week. I'm glad I was responsible enough to realize I needed sleep and energy to get through the summer. I couldn't imagine what would have happened had I stayed out till 1, 2, or 3 am with friends and then gone to work the next day. I prolly would have welded myself instead of the chairs! It wasn't until late August I said "Fuck it," and proceeded to see my friends for basically the first time since June (besides during my soccer games- and damn, I coached soccer too. Holy crap I was busy!). I don't wanna spend a whole summer without any fun again. That may sound irresponsible of me, but I beg to differ. I still want 2 jobs, just not one that requires hefty physical labor 8 hours a day (with only one 20 min break a day). Hence my search for a full time job to replace the mill job and accompany the part time pharmacy job- one that's not completely mindless and repetitive. I ran out of things to think about at the end of July. I don't think I have enough things in my brain to keep it occupied every day, 8 hours a day, from mid-May to mid-August.

Plus, this summer I will also be teaching myself Mandarin Chinese! I ordered some cds off the internet for $20, since Edgewood doesn't offer more than 2 fricken foreign languages and it's too difficult to place into UW-Madison classes. So THAT should be interesting!

Well, well, well, I've sure blabbed a lot! But this blogger isn't really as much for your sake as it is mine. It's like a journal that keeps me in touch with my feelings, calms me, and keeps you in touch with what's new in my life.

Back to reading...

Concentration Doesn't Come Easy

So it's midnight on a Sunday evening. My only things accomplished this weekend have been putting away some clothes, basically. I, like most others in college I'm sure, have mountain upon mountains of work to do. A large chunk of it is actually late work. Sigh. Seriously, I have more late work now than I ever did in high school.

Now I'd like to just get down to business and push out one fricken productive week. One week where I work hard and don't procrastinate. One week where I don't dawdle and waste time. One week where I actually work ahead and get work done so I don't have homework to do while I'm in Tennessee for Spring Break next week. But why don't I? Why can't I? I've been doing absolutley nothing all day- why haven't I used that time to do homework?

It's because I physically can't make myself. I don't know why, but it's like, the harder I try to just get 'er done, the more lazy I get and more guilty I feel. I'm seriously wondering, is there a medical condition, like ADD or something, where a person can't control themselves to do certain things? WHY AM I LIKE THIS??

I'm going to go punch myself in the uterus and then watch Roseanne. Ugh.

Rebelling Sleeping

Yeah, so I should be doing whatever my homework is for tomorrow (I dunno what that is yet, haven't even looked) or sleeping so I can get up early to do that homework. Ahh well, I thought I'd be an over-achiever in the area of blogging- two nights in a row! I'm fabulous.

And also double lazy for the rest of the night. We had our first game for intramural soccer tonight: Team Maui Waui. Don't ask who thought of that name, lol. We tied 2-2. I ended the game with a jamned thumb (somehow) and bloody knees. I forgot that indoor grass is quite a bit different from real grass. Found that out real quick. So I havent played soccer since July- I've definatley missed it! And I really miss rec soccer with my girls... sad that I'll never get to play again. I'll have to settle for intramural. But I realized from playing tonight, that one of my tactics playing in soccer (since I don't really have the fancy footwork) is pushing people over with my butt or arms and then falling down. Lol. It's worked up until now, but it's a bit different playing on hard terf with boys. Yeah... it's co-ed and these fast soccer boys play tough. The girls on my team tho seem like sweethearts, so it'll be fun spending a few hours a week with them.

I'm currently thinking about maybe grabbing food and then heading to bed, but bed doesn't sound as fun without a guy in it. I forgot how nice it was to cuddle all night long. I haven't really been looking too intently for a boyfriend, and have turned away some chances. It's not that I'm not the committment type- I am (though many of the friends I've met at college would argue with that, hehe). But, it's just that they take so much time and energy and money. Geez, I sound like a guy, but it's true. Normally I don't mind giving up any of those. But I'm just smushed with activities and school and I've been enjoying the free, single, party scenes that I haven't pushed too much to find a boyfriend. But now I'm thinking maybe a boyfriend wouldn't be so bad... Though I'm not the type of girl to dwell on this type of stuff and stress on it. If a boy comes along, then that's kewl. If not, I'll keep doing what I'm doing :) I think that's one philosophy I really like in my life, as much as a critisize it. Yay for being positive Julie!

Anyways... time for this girl to do something productive!

Super Bowl Sunday... Mission Accomplished

Well, the Packers didn't make it there, so I had my choice between Seahawks and Steelers. And since Mike Holmgren abandoned us Packers a few years ago, I had no choice but to root for the Steelers. And also when I was a little kid, I liked the design on the Steelers helmets. At the Super Bowl party at Lindsey's place, Christine and I were among only Seahawks fans. And guess what? Steelers WON! Not like it matters compared to anything to do with the Packers, but still... good job Steelers.

So what else has been up with me since I've been back in Madison? Umm, well, I've been procrastinating as usual with classes. Four of them, 2 being honors classes... we have College Writing, Accounting, Macro-Economics, and Religious Studies. Oh yeah- a BARREL of fun!! (NOT). And tomorrow I begin Intramural Soccer. Not sure if I'm exactly excited about that- games are at 9:30 and 10:30 at night, which is when I think about doing homework. Ahh well, maybe this will encourage me to neglect the nap taking during the day and do homework early instead. And I'm going to be getting exercise which is a godsend... I really need it. I swore that I wouldn't get the Freshman 15, but I'm afraid I have. But if I lose it back before summer, all in well then.

Four other girls here from Edgewood and I are going to be signing a lease for an apartment for next year this week. It's a fabulous contemporary furnished four-bedroom apartment in downtown Madison with its own fitness center and tanning bed in the basement! Plus, it's so affordable that my parents are letting me buy a new car next year and keep it down here :) It'll be a little less convinient living off campus, but a lot more fun I think! Bring on the themed parties and independence and privacy (kinda).

Other than that... life is alright. Just going with the flow and trying to make it through each week. And looking forward to the rest of this February: back to Green Bay this weekend, party in Stevens Point the next weekend, and my birthday the following weekend! AAANNNNDDD... a few short weeks after that, in March, is Spring Break, which hopefully I'm going to Tennessee with a few of the girls to hang out and site see! God, would I love to get out of Wisconsin for a week!

Well, Christy and I are going to make a room record by going to sleep BEFORE midnight... the earliest bedtime we've made for ourselves all year so far. Even though I just woke up from a nap an hour ago...

Winter Break


If there's one thing I'm appreciating most about college is the long breaks! You know how breaks from school usually go so fast you're like, "What break??" Well of course this month long one could be longer, it at least felt like a break- and I still have a week left! I haven't gotten to go anywhere exciting or anything, but I worked a ton and made money, hung out with friends a ton, and did the whole family holiday thing. Boy do I sure love having my own room and use of a car!!

I'm trying not to think about a week from now when I go back to Madison. Don't get me wrong, I love the college life and Madison and my friends down there, it's just that I never quite recooperated from 12 years of schooling- I'm still burnt out. I lucked out in grades and did alright, but next semester might not end up the same way if I continue to not study or do much of anything.

And I do miss all of my friends here at home. It's kinda like I don't hafta try and be nice and friendly and all that. I can just... BE. Because we've known eachother all forever and know who we all are and what we're like. We can just sit at Perkins for hours every other night and it's still okay. Kinda- I'm sorta sick of Perkins food, but anyways.

It's kinda sad though, now that I think about it. This winter break could be the last time my group of friends are all together and in the same town. Beginning as soon as next summer, some of us may be sticking in our separate college towns to work or take classes, may have met someone new and have a new boyfriend or girlfriend. It's gonna be kinda difficult to adjust to even more change than we have already had to adjust to in the last 6 months.

And then it's good too. My friend and I were discussing how in just a few short years after college, we're FREE. We'll be able to do anything we want. Sure we're adults now and have "freedom" (which by the way is really nice here at home, not having a curfew and not being scolded for drinking at a guys house where there's not parental supervision). But not true freedom. We still got obligations to payments and schooling and all that. But in approx. 3.5 years, we can go ANYWHERE (money permitting, but what's a little more debt to add onto college loan debt?). In fact, a few friends and I already kiddingly plan to live in Manhatten for 6 months, then Maine for a bit, and then France for a while. Just because we CAN. Though ya never know, we could very well make that happen. Though by then plans may have changed- we may want to continue with our internships into an actual CAREER.

But yeah... So I'm just trying not to think about college too much. Just live in the moment because I can't control when spring semester begins again. And just look forward to what's coming up!!