Famous Last Words: A Good Mix

At the beginning of this week, something that I challenged myself to do was to be better about doing schoolwork AND things for myself so that I didn't get so burnt out on studying all the time. Looking back, I've done a pretty good job of this.
On Sunday, one of my really good friends asked me to go with him to his fraternity's date dash and go ice skating with him. Although I had some other things I could have done for the upcoming week, I decided to go and I did not regret it. We had a lot of fun together and I felt more refreshed and ready for another week than I probably would have if I had spent the night studying. Also, if you were wondering, apparently I am a terrible ice skater. He, of course, was a natural and tried to teach me how to improve but it seemed to be of no use. I knocked my date down twice because I couldn't stay on my own two feet :)

A personal photo from the date dash this 

past weekend.

This weekend, my dad is coming for the football game because it is Dad's Day. We are very close and I am excited for him to get here. It's also fitting that it is the TCU game because we hate that team more than almost anyone else in college football. I guess that's just something that comes from growing up in Waco and having parents that are Baylor Alumni. Either way, I am excited for what is to come this weekend. I do have a lot of stuff to do beforehand though because I have a HUGE project due next Monday in one of my other classes that is actually 20% of my final grade that i am really nervous for and won't want to do while my dad is in town. Wish me luck on that!

A personal photo from Dad's Day a few years ago.

Famous Last Words; Home Stretch

We're finally in the homestretch. That's how I always feel once the month of November rolls around during the fall semester and this year is no different. Taking 19 hours at the moment, I am completely exhausted, but did that stop me from enrolling in 18 for this next semester? Of course not. However, I am actually really excited about some of the courses that I am planning not taking and even have them with some friends that I have made within my major this past semester so it shouldn't be too terrible.
I'm looking forward to this weekend because I don't have a ton going on. I have the normal homework load that I will have to spend some time focusing on but other than that what I have planned should be pretty fun. For starters, tomorrow morning I am volunteering at the OU Children's Hospital in Oklahoma City and I am really excited about it. My dad has worked in a children's hospital for several years and it is an environment that I really love. In fact, years down the road when I complete my masters in professional counseling, maybe that is an environment that I could work in.
Additionally, one of my really close friends has a birthday this weekend. She invited me and one of my roommates over to watch the Bedlam game with her and just have a chill day celebrating and getting ready for yet another week. And as always, Boomer Sooner!

A personal photo of my friend that has a birthday this weekend (right) and my

roommate that will also be celebrating with us (left).

Finally, we are getting so close to Dad's Day, one of my favorite weekends every fall semester without fail! I don't get to see my family just a ton so any time that part or all of my family get to come to Norman is a good time. This year, it will just be my dad but we are going to go to the game and spend the weekend together doing some other fun things. Growing up, I always watched football with my dad so it is something that we really enjoy. It will be a good weekend to be able to push through to the end of the semester and go home to my family for the holidays.

Famous Last Words: No Free Time

I feel like the title of this post just about sums up my thoughts on how things are going right now. I am always studying, meeting with people, going to meetings, and trying to remember not to miss breakfast, lunch, or dinner. With all of that, there is hardly any free time to do the things that I sometimes want to such as just hanging out and watching Netflix for a little while or, honestly, just getting to sit still for a while and not do anything at all.
However, even in the busyness, I am still enjoying this semester. I got to go home last weekend during OU/TX because I didn't feel like spending as much money as an adventure to Dallas would have cost so I just drove a little bit further and went on to my home in Waco, Texas. I got to go see my sisters do things for their cheer squad and high school band that I would not have gotten to see otherwise, which was a lot of fun. I miss my sisters a lot while I am here in Norman, and my parents too. My dad just found out that he will actually be able to come up for Dad's Day on November 11th when OU plays TCU and I couldn't be more excited. I also hope we seriously beat TCU because, having grown up in Waco with lots of Baylor ties, they are about my least favorite team of all.

A personal photo of my sister and the other seniors on her squad.

She's the short one with curly brown hair.

This weekend, I have to go to a retreat for my sorority. I know that it will be fun once I get there, but right now I am having trouble working up the desire to go because I have so much to do and would kill for an uneventful weekend at this point in the semester. Then, tomorrow night, we are going out and celebrating my roommate, Jillian, that will be turning 21. All of these things will be super fun but I am hoping that I can find some time to rest in the midst of the. Here's hoping! :)

Famous Last Words:

This post has become one of my favorites to do throughout the week. I really like looking back and seeing how the week has gone once I reach the end of it.

This week in particular has been crazy but also a lot of fun. My best friend and I went to Waco this weekend for the OU football game and I got to show her around my hometown and spend some time with my family. It was a super fun and restful weekend, something that I desperately needed after the crazy beginning of the semester. Also, OU won (barely) so that's always a plus too!

Personal photo from this past weekend with some of my friends

from OU that all made the trip down to Waco.

As far as this week itself, it is always crazy getting back from being out of town and preparing for another crazy week ahead. I had a couple of tests and assignments this week, making it slightly stressful. I also have a lot going on outside of school that is proving to be a cause of stress so finding time to decompress and wind down so that I can keep my sanity in tact has been nothing short of crucial. This coming week, I will have to do better with my time management and not allowing myself to get super freaked out about something that is not completed before there is a reason to panic about it. One of the things this week that has been super beneficial to not having a breakdown this week has been the ability to hangout with friends and take a little bit of a break each day. This is something that I mentioned in my Learning Challenge blog post, but it is something that I have learned makes such a difference from week to week.

I'm excited to see what the next weeks of the semester will hold and what is going to pan out as we move through the rest of the semester not only in this class and in my others, but also in things that aren't school related.

Famous Last Words: Another Week Down

It's crazy to think that another week is already pretty much over, just like that. I feel like at the beginning of the week, I always slightly dread another one starting in anticipation of all the assignments, classes, events, and things that I know are going to have to be finished, yet I've somehow made it through another one.

A personal photo of my friend, Jessica, that is going home

with me for the game this weekend.

I am particularly excited about the fact that I get to go home tomorrow for the weekend. I am from Waco so I am taking my best friend, who just so happens to be my roommate, with me to watch OU play their football game against Baylor. It should be a super fun time and I always really love getting to spend a few days at home with my family. It's also going to be my sister's 18th birthday on Saturday so I am really excited about being home for that as well.

A personal photo of my sister that will be turning 18

this weekend and I. 

Now that week five is complete for the most part, I do finally feel like I am getting in the swing of things, which is really nice to finally feel like I have a handle on things. I mentioned it last week but I am enrolled in 19 hours currently and it feels like there are always about 100 things to do. Honestly, anytime I have free time, I feel like there is something that I'm actually forgetting to do and I've been getting stressed out super easily.
I also got advised for next semester this week, which is crazy since we aren't even half way through this one. My adviser wants me to take 15-18 hours again with a lot of emphasis on the literature side of my major, which should be super interesting. I've never tackled that many literature courses at once so I am really nervous about it but hopefully it will turn out okay. And for the mean time, I'll just stick to worrying about the rest of this semester because I already have enough on my plate anyway.

Famous Last Words: 19 Hours Later...

We're coming to the end of week 4 of the semester (I think) and it has been nothing short of crazy. Good, but crazy. For some reason, I thought that taking 19 hours this semester seemed like a good idea, plus I have been more involved in some on campus organizations than before, meaning that I have very little free time to do things for myself. It's good, but it's crazy. Maybe when it comes time to be advised and to enroll for next semester, I'll remember that it is actually okay to take 15 hours.

Even if I am taking a bunch of classes, I'm really enjoying them. Since they're all relevant to my major with the exception of one, I guess that's a good thing. It makes me feel like I'm finally in the major program that I was meant to pursue. Sometimes it's crazy to think about the number of years and classes and things that stand between me and the career that I want, but I think it will be worth it.

Personal photo of one of my favorite coffee shops, Gray Owl, 

where I like to go study.

Outside of school, this semester is off to a great start. I've gotten to be more involved in a ministry found Crossover that meets every Tuesday at 9 in the ballroom in the Union (If you're reading this post, you should come!) and I've also found a new church home after feeling dissatisfied at mine last semester. I've been going to Victory Family Church and I absolutely love it. The worship is incredible and the pastor is so good and relatable.

A personal photo of my friend Erin and I volunteering at 

the first week of Crossover for the semester.

Additionally outside of school, I am already anticipating next weekend. I usually try to be better about not living in the future but I can't help it sometimes. Next Friday, September 22, I am going home to Waco for the Baylor versus OU football game and I am excited to get to spend some time with my family as well. There is going to be so much going on that weekend from my high school's homecoming, the OU game, my sister's 18th birthday, my best friend coming with me, and so much more. I can't wait to go.  It's always nice having a weekend at home with some of my favorite people.

I feel like I've done nothing but ramble with this blog post, but I guess that's the result of taking way too many classes and trying to do way too many things in one day. Here's to doing better about not doing that in the future- or not. I guess we'll see.