SUMMERTIME!

So, I can't believe it, but my freshman year is completely, totally over. I finished my exams Friday, turned in my last paper on Monday, moved out completely on Tuesday and have (almost) everything put away and went back to work today. I don't have any more homework assignments, just lots of free time to spend reading books in the sunshine. I've already finished my first book for the summer (Life of Pi), which, to be fair, I started a couple weeks ago as a free-time-if-I-have-any book. I've started my second book (A Prayer for Owen Meany, recommended to me by one of my professors) and am picking up the fifth Sookie Stackhouse book tomorrow from one of my professors (yes, the Coe professors have excellent tastes in reading material).

I have no idea how I will fill the next three months until I come back for RA training in mid-August besides with sunshine reading and HyVee working, but it is going to be relaxed and summery and awesome. Happy Summer, everybody!

It's the home stretch!

I can't believe it. I only have 8 days until I hand in my last paper of the semester and am free to move back home. I only have 8 days left of my first semester of college. This term went by way, way, WAY too fast! I have a schedule of all the things I have to do in the next week to prepare for finals. It's so surreal. I don't feel like it's time for summer yet. It's 50 degrees, cloudy and sprinkling outside right now. Where's the sunshine?! Where's the heat?!

This last week is going to be filled with study cards for US History and History of Western Civ, reading the Paradiso and writing my last paper for my Dante class, writing a final response paper for Western Civ about Communism and finishing my Novels class plot synopsis.

And in 10 days, it's going to be going back to the humdrum of Hy-Vee, trying to scrounge up as many hours as possible so I can have lots of money for the fall/spring. It's going to be running at 6:30-7:30 in the morning to avoid the heat and humidity. It's going to be reading books in the sunshine and attempting to get tan (but failing). It's going to be seeing friends (AND GOING TO A LADY GAGA CONCERT IN JULY)!

I'm going to be busy with work and friends, but I'm going to miss the busy-ness that I get at Coe from classes, Coe-friends, work study, and all the extra things that Coe puts on just for us. :)

This week!

This week has been so excited/busy/awesome! :D On Monday, we had Flunk Day (I promise I will post pictures at the end of my post), the weather has been nice (well, except a little rain), we registered for classes and I got the 5 I wanted, I saw Date Night for FREE (it was hilarious), I got paid by both of my jobs, and I brought a Future Kohawk with me all around campus on Friday night. FUN. STUFF.

So, as the total nerd that I am, I am super pumped for fall. I am taking super awesome classes and even though the books are going to kill my wallet in horrific ways, it is totally going to be worth it. I'm taking a Middle Eastern history class, a class about Islam, LATIN (!), my last history major survey class and a super important history class that I need-need-need for my major. I am really excited about the Middle Eastern classes because it will be stuff that is all totally new and interesting and incredibly useful to know.

But it is super gorgeous outside, and I pretty much have no homework. So I am going to go and sit outside and read a book (for fun!) / take a nap in the sunshine. :D So I leave you with Flunk Day picture hijacked from Facebook!


One of the rides set up on the quad


AIRBRUSH TATTOOOOOOOS!


Posing on the spinny ride


Even though we could not figure out how to position the camera for all four of us, we were very excited about Flunk Day festivities

Wait, what?!

So I was checking out my calendar today. Putting on this next week's work hours, some due dates, etc... and I suddenly noticed that I only have FIVE WEEKS LEFT OF MY FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE! That is crazy! I feel like this term just barely started, and we're well past half way done now! Suddenly, I feel like I have a ton to do and not enough time to do it in. Before the term ends, I have to write 2 more papers for my Dante class, 3 more for my Western Civ class, take 2 finals and do a project for my novel writing class. Where is all this work coming from?!

I feel like these last few weeks have really snuck up on me. Time goes by so fast, and I didn't even realize that we were getting so close to the end of the year. I'm just so busy planning for things going on next year/classes(!), or the year after, and managing my time for today and this week just to get my homework done. Soon I won't have any readings to do or responses to write; it's going to be summer!

And with the weather getting really, really nice, I am getting excited for summer. Being lazy outside, here I come!

SPRINGTIME!

For the first time in months, it is legitimately gorgeous outside. You can tell just by walking around campus that spring break and the springy weather have lifted everyone's spirits. Today is a perfect day, in my opinion. 60 degrees, loads of sunshine, basically no breeze... great for doing homework outside and wearing a fun skirt. :)

I'm just sitting around feeling refreshed and motivated to actually work. People are out on the quad playing frisbee. I can hear the choir in Marquis (they must have their windows open, but I don't mind because they sound lovely). I awoke the sounds of birds chirping this morning. Nothing can get me down, not even class!

I adore spring. The first day of spring is this Saturday, on my birthday, so I think that may have something to do with it. But it might also be that for the first time in 3-4 months, the grass is green, the sky is blue and I can go outside without heavy layers on. Campus looks bright and happy and finally looks like itself again.

It is spring break!

Oh man. Spring break is lovely. (Except for the weather. Cedar Rapids is gray and dismal and uncooperative.)

I didn't get scheduled to work at all until Friday, so I've been spending lots of time being a bum, slowly getting homework done for Monday and watching all sorts of TV. I've watched a bunch of Dawson's Creek, Fringe and Dexter (which I just started watching and love!). I've yet to spend an entire day binging on the Sims 3 World Adventures, but I sure plan on it.

Most of my friends have break NEXT week, however, which sort of sucks (but gives me lots of time to be a bum by myself!). So this weekend will be lots of get togthers, and might run into the week days, too.

AND my birthday is next Saturday (the 20th) and that is going to be super duper exciting. I'm crossing my fingers for lots of grocery money. :)

Busy week!

Such a busy week this week! I had a major paper due Tuesday, a midterm today, another midterm on Friday, I had my RA interview this afternoon, study sessions galore... oh boy! Crazy crazy!

On Monday, a guest lecturer, Michael Kessler, came to Coe. Three other religion students and I went out to lunch with him across the street at Brewed Awakenings. It was a pretty cool lunch, very low-key. He was a super nice guy. The lecture was pretty cool; it was called "Should the President Use Religion in War and does the Constitution Permit it?" A lot of it went over my head because I know exceptionally little about politics, but lots of other people who are more up-to-date really enjoyed it. :P

Oh! And last weekend was the big, blowout Prospie Weekend! There was a Midnight Movie, a magician and a spectacular Blindspot show. Though I wasn't hosting a prospie, I can guarantee that I definitely enjoyed all the perks of the scholarship weekend. :) February + Coe = busy, but awesome.