I Have Converted...

To a MAC!! I am now the proud owner of an Apple MacBook Pro!

Monday was my first day of class. I walk in, and it was like someone, somewhere hit a button that said, "Ok, everyone whip out their MacBooks." It was ridiculous. I called my mom after going to the bookstore after class to see what she thought and she was good with the idea, although she thought I didn't need both an iPad and a Mac... Well, OF COURSE I need both!! It's me!! So, the next day after my Biology class... I made a $1,236 purchase. Woah.

It was by far the biggest purchase I've ever made (besides KU) and I am so glad I made it. It has been the best computer ever and I am still fascinated by it and love exploring it's awesome gadgets. And I even got to put Office for Mac on it, so I didn't lose my Word or Powerpoint! I can't wait for Labor Day weekend to have more time to spend with my new child.. (:

My first week of classes, and Hawk Week, here at KU are over and I can't say I'm sad. Having both at the same time was actually pretty difficult and I am glad I can focus more on classes, my friends, and just chillin' in my room.. which is the best room ever. Oh! and of course, my JOB! Yes, that's right! I got a job at Mrs. E's, the dining hall on Daisy Hill. I applied to be a cashier, but it all depends on the schedule, so who knows what I will be doing. But it's only for a few hours a week to make some extra dough for weekend trips and Bookstore sales.

My classes aren't hard. I'll be straight up; I will be fine this semester. I have the three best friends here that anyone could ask for and Andrèa is a transfer student and has done this before... so she's been helping me figure out how to take notes and read 15 pages much more quickly. Juli is my buddy who will be with me for everything from opening my Mac and squealing as it makes noises, to going to the gym yesterday and getting our butts kicked, to laying in bed with me talking about anything under the sun, to having dance parties in my room anytime we eat an Oreo to burn off the fat. Claire is the best roommate I could've asked for; the more people I talk to here on campus, the more I realize how lucky I am to actually be friends with my roommate and not just... a roommate. The four of us are almost always together and I love it! It's like a Sisterhood-of-the-Traveling-Pants-Sex-and-the-City friendship. (:

Last Night was the SUA Carnival and I took tons of pics since I've been slacking just a little. The girls and I have it on our To-Do-List to go exploring through campus and take pictures with all the statues. (: Sounds like a good time in my book! Claire went home yesterday to pick up more stuff, so it's my first night really on my own... and I'm honestly too tired to worry about it.

This week was just a glimpse into my future four (or more) years here on campus.. and I can tell you it has felt like much longer then a week. It feels like Claire and I (and Juli and Andrèa) have been living together for forever... It was really easy to readjust to life up here in Lawrence. I'm a very fortunate, lucky girl.

Here's to my seven remaining months here as a freshmen! (:

Juli and I with Big Jay!

Juli, Andrea, and I at the Carnival

Juli! <3

Dylan and Drèa!

Drèa and Robert! He lives on our floor and is Pres. of all the Resident Halls

How cute!! (:

Before the hypnotist on Monday!

Hawk Week-End.. (:

These last three days have been the epitome of "milestone" in my eyes...

Saturday was my first real day here. Claire and I woke up to a very chilly room and got around for brunch with the girls. After, we all decided to venture out into Lawrence to get supplies at Target (which was a real adventure!) We spent the better part of an hour searching for crates for me.... which we did end up finding lol. We unfortunately, forgot our Christmas lights... so we will have to get those next trip.

After stocking our dorms, we came back and chilled in Claire and I's room. Somehow, our room is the party room and everyone is always here... we even pretty much adopted Juli from the 5th floor where all she does is shower and sleep... and I believe that will eventually change. (:

Juli and I at Tradtions Night!

We lucked out and ended up with this amazing RA (who is also a Human Bio major from Wichita) and she told us to go to the Ice Cream Social before Traditions Night, where they send us all down to the Stadium to learn about and how and when to do the traditions of KU. So we go and get free t-shirts, bags, and above all else... food. It's why every freshmen gains so much weight... the free food. (I won't be gaining a THING here... too much walking.. my calves already are looking way sexy. lol) And again, after, they sent us to a free concert! There was crowd surfing and water slinging and Baby Jay Surfing... incredible! I will definitely never forget my first college concert.

Ice Cream Social... "Is this too High School?" lol

Spirit Squad!

The mascots are Hilarious! Super distracting lol

Baby Jay CROWD SURFING!

The gang!

Me afterwards in our room.. the girls thought it was funny :)

And oh yeah.. I got told hi by Bill Self... My life is COMPLETE!
Sunday was pretty similar. We had brunch and then the girls took personal class tours around campus and I went to an Honors Program thingy... yeah, show's how much I paid attention. But it was fun. I met my Honors Seminar group and professor and assistant. And of course, I got to see some old friends. (: Which I am slowly figuring out is my true calling in life: meeting people! After, we decided to go eat dinner at Oliver's dining hall where Juli had a friend. We ended up staying over there for hours playing Battle of the Sexes and Never Have I Ever with the guys from that floor. It was a blast and AGAIN, I saw an old friend from high school... (: It really is wonderful here and I already call it home... much to my family's chagrin. :P

Today was my first day of CLASSES! And if you know me, you know how much that excites me! Class is what I do best; it was the social aspects of being in a new place that worried me… and that turned out great, so I am set! I started out leaving with Juli at 7:20 for her 8 AM class. I chilled in the Union until my 9 AM Chemistry class. After that, I went to hang out in the Union again until my 11 AM English class… and then I was done. Just like that…

COOL!
I stayed near the union because I was eating lunch with the girls at 2 after Andrea’s last class. We then went to the SUA’s office to pick up our money saver cards and sign up for SUA. Then it was off to the bookstore to pick up my textbooks… which of course were in the biggest box in there! Sam, Juli’s friend, was kind enough to carry it to the bus and into my room for me. 11 (plus the one more I had to buy for English) books are heavy!

Tonight was especially funny because Hawk Week sponsored a Hypnotist at the Lied Center. I don’t think I have ever laughed so hard in my life! I was literally holding on to Juli laughing and crying at the same time. I would love to be hypnotized someday… as long as I am not in front of a crowd! I saw some very interesting things tonight…

Welcome to College! (:

PS: Tomorrow is the second half of my schedule (ha. two classes!) and a big long to-do-list with the girls... Yep! I still make To-Do-Lists!! More blogs to come.. especially since I was dubbed the Carrie of my four girls! And I am getting a surprise this week.. a REAL reason to blog!! (:

College!!

My first day at KU... What an experience!

Early this morning I was awakened to an obnoxious beeping sound... The window cleaners across the street from the hotel. Great. I woke up, threw some gel in my hair, put on my work clothes, and went to Starbucks with my mom and sister. We get to campus and I'm immediately anxious... how am I going to get all this crap in? how are we going to get it in in less then 400 trips? how am i not going to die from carrying heavy loads up two flights of stairs (even though at the same time I sent up a quick, silent thank you that I was no longer on the NINTH floor.)

We pull up to McCollum Hall at 7:45. Thankfully, there are very few cars to compete with and we easily pull up to the curb. We had twenty minutes to unload and get it all out to the curb... Ok, so this was already better then my thoughts. But it was still a lot of stuff! I was feeling self conscious. However, as the clock struck eight, not one, but TWO guys came out to help load up my stuff in carts! I learned later they weren't supposed to do that. ;) But we got everything up in mainly one trip, which was such a relief! The room felt so small at first, but once we bunked the beds, and put away all my stuff, the room was looking much, much bigger.

Claire (My Roommate!) came after mom, dad, Erynn, and I went to lunch, so she had some time to put stuff away and get to know the (very chilly) room. We both met for the first time later after she came back from lunch and we decorated! I must say, our room looks amazing. We still have some big plans for the place, some involving christmas lights and shower curtains. We plan on making a Target run tomorrow for anything else we need. (And yes, everything of mine fit! :) With plenty of room to spare!)

Claire and I took a walk to check out Daisy Hill and see some friends. I even took her to Nunemaker (my Honors Program home) and showed her around. We only came back because it was getting a little toasty outside. Later, my friends Juli and Darshan from Orientaion came over to chat and we just sat in my room and it was great! Just like I always imagined college to be! We then had a mandatory floor meeting and we got some useful info like our mailbox combination and... well that was kind of it. Lol I knew the rest of it and/or had already done it! (AlcoholEDU...) Afterwards, we went to a block party, which was fun...but SOOOOOO crowded and overstimulating. It was just way more people then I was used to. Thankfully, a small group of us broke off to find the free food (which was excellant after the twenty-five minute walk to the union from the dorm!) and sat and chatted for a while, then we made our way back to the dorms and were going to wind down... but Claire and I decided on one last adventure for the night...

We had heard opening our mailboxes was tricky, so we decided to give it a try. Ten minutes and lots of laughter later... We came back upstairs to get the instructions and double-check the numbers. Ten more minutes later...we asked for help. Thankfully, it was an incorrect number and we weren't just stupider then the lock lol.

It was an amazing first day to say the least: lots of adventure and that's exactly how I like it. We have an excellent view from our window of lights and the stars... beautiful. Claire and I were looking out our window and I said, "Claire?" and she said, "Yeah?" and I said, "I think this is a moment."

We both started laughing hysterically. Which is also exactly how I like it... (:

<3

Mom and Dad <3

McCollum Hall!

Home Sweet Home :)

Claire and I going to the Block Party!

Our beds! and us ;) And yeah.. I'm on top! lol

Claire's desk and our Twilight poster!

My desk and the fridge and microwave!

Closets... yeah those are most of my clothes lol.. some are in the blue tub.

Family <3

Lawrence, KS!

Today has been a long, long day. I finished packing and cleaning my room and we left Mulvane and (three hours later) arrived in Lawrence! Cleaning out my room out was pretty difficult... It's been a summer long process. Throwing stuff away, packing the little stuff up, taking stuff off my walls... its pretty painful. Here is the final product.

I never sleep with sheets anyways lol,..

I took as much down from the walls as I could.

It's super empty.. :/

Erynn was allowed to ride up to Lawrence in my car with me! :) Mom and Dad weren't super fond of the idea, but we pushed and pushed and it ended up being a fabulous ride. It took two FULL cars to get all my junk up here. I believe my mom took pictures, so I'll post them soon. I told Erynn to take pictures with my (awesome) camera, and she did a really good job. We got to our hotel and walked Mass Street looking for a place to eat, but just ended up eating below our hotel. I left my family a little early to come upstairs and take a shower. Good thing I did. It's now storming with a vengence up here, and we have zero idea where this came from. It's supposed to go away by 2 AM, but who the heck knows in Kansas...

I am excited and nervous and sad to leave Mulvane, but I am glad that I chose to stay in Kansas. (:

<3

We had a lot of fun riding next to the rents :)

Life is a Highway.. (:

We occationally took the lead. (:

We had a three hour long sing-along :) Any kind of music you could imagine.

This BEAUTIFUL sunset :)

It was so much fun (:

 

Three hours was a loooong time. I will have a hard time making that trip solo.

Our view of Mass Street from our hotel window... no idea why it's green. lol

An Accident...

Life lessons... you know.. those little things that manage to bite you in the ass at exactly the wrong moment.
I got a pretty big one this past Monday..

First of all, Saturday and Sunday I spent house sitting two different houses and I gotta tell you.. It was fantastic. It was like living on my own a little.. I cooked for myself and cleaned and took care of the animals. It was a pretty new experience since I'm almost always around others. However, I knew I was about to spend a few days with 15 other people... Peace and quiet was very appreciated!

Around sixish Monday I went to pick up Barret from his house so we could head over to our JC REUNION!! (: All sixteen of us were going to be together and I couldn't wait! On our way to Rod's...

I got into my first fender bender.

Yeah, I freaked out. It was not my fault and it was horrible timing since I was supposed to have 48 hours of fun... which turned into 24 of shock, fear and guilt. I'm so thankful I had Barret with me though.. He was the best friend and person to be with me at the time... He wrote my info down for me when I was shaking too badly, drove for me when I couldn't, held my hand and sat by me when I called my parents, and spent more time at a police station then either of us ever expected to. When I had to come home early on Tuesday, he came with me even though it meant cutting his reunion short. I felt so horrible: it got to the point where I would get hit everytime I apologized.

But everyone was so supportive of me and really, really helpful during this crappy ordeal. My grandparents that live in that area of Wichita came with us to the police station which I am very grateful for.. My parents allowed me to LIVE (: which is always a good thing!.. Rod and his mom were also super wonderful and I'm glad I was surrounded by my fifteen best and closest friends. (: I love my JC's.

So, to recap.. in the last two days I learned what to do, and what NOT to do when in a wreck (which includes being a little more mean and yelling when a dude pulls out in front of you), how to talk to an insurance company and give a recorded statement (which is suppper nerve-wracking!), and how to call your parents and tell them you did something bad (fyi: you need someone to hold your hand.)

I am quite sure no one is ever happy to be in a wreck, but honestly, I'm kind of glad it happened. Especially before I moved to Lawrence! And since I've been traveling around Wichita with my JC's so much, I have fairly exceptional navigational skills now that I definitely didn't at the beginning of summer. So I will take this experience with me to KU and learn from it and look at this as 'the glass is pretty stinkin' full'.

<3

Lindsey, Jordy, Carly... and Brogy!

Brogy, Rod, and Michael!

Vanessa, me.. and Barret walking around the river :)

Barret!

Fifteen of my closest friends in the world. <3

*More pictures and a recap of StuCo camp soon!

Videos. (:

So, Facebook and Youtube have dedcided to be NICE and HELPFUL and no longer allow me to post my famous end of school year/ end of summer/ special event videos! Blogger is my last resort and I hope they continue to let me post!! Enjoy. (:

<3

This video is a quick overview of my Senior Year at MHS (:

This is my Prom experience in shorthand :) Lovvved this night! :)

Goodbye July!

First off, I am SO SO SO Sorry I haven't blogged in a sold MONTH! That is so unlike me; it's just been super busy here. I'll give you a quick update on July and throw in some detailed stories when I get a chance!

July 4th

Absolute blast! Katie and I took a walk to Sonic (we take lots of walks now) and bought some noise maker fireworks. Then we met my mom and sister at my grandparent's neighbor's pool and swam and set off said noise makers! That night, after dinner with the grandparents, we went to High Park in Derby to watch fireworks instead of buying a million of them. It's been so long since we've been in town for the fourth; we didn't even know what was going on around here lol. The fourth has always been my favorite holiday though, and it was really nice to get to spend it at home this year. (:

Pre-fourth Fireworks :)

Shooting off noise makers!



Sparklers :)



Night of the Fourth :)

July 7th

FINALLY! I turned 18 this month and it was the best thing ever! That day my mom and I got pedicures, we all went to Olive Garden, and that night, my mom, Katie, and her parents and I went to the CASINO! It was fantastic, I was up 50, 60 bucks on the Black Jack table (which I'm really good at) and then they switched dealers and somehow I lost it all! Oh well... It was the best 18th birthday anyone could ask for :)

Road trip to OK!!

Ouside the casino!

This is an illigal pic.. but oh well!! :) i love it!

July 9th

I decided to have my party on a Saturday so hopefully more people could come and it was a complete success!! My friends and family came from all over to see me and it was so touching… I have the best friends and family ever. WE grilled out and had cookie cake and (even though it was still 102 at 10 PM) s’mores. It was so nice to have everyone together again before we all start to go our own ways... Definitely the most memorable birthday party <3

Levi (or anyone for that matter :P) didn't like my flash!

Sarah fell outta her chair! lol Love that girl <3

Just chillin around a fire in 102 degree weather ;)

Brogy and Trent!

The gang :)

Erynn and James got into it.. lol he won.

July 11th-12th

It's finally becoming more real! I am an official KU JAYHAWK! I spent these two days in Lawrence with my mom for my New Student Orientation. It's a long and tiring process... but it was so informative and helpful, and I mapped out (basically) the next four years of my life! (Those of you who know me super well are going, "Well, duh!") I also met some of the people I’ll probably spend the rest of my life with… how cool is that?! (: Move in day is August 19^th!! I can’t wait!

Biology- Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 - 9:50 AM
English- Monday, Wednesday, Friday 11:00 – 11:50 AM
Biology Lab- Tuesday 10:00 AM – 12:50 PM
Chemistry- Tuesday, Thursday 8:00 - 9:15 AM
Calculus I- Tuesday, Thursday 2:30 – 3:45 PM
Honors Program Seminar- Every other Wednesday 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Chemistry Lab- Thursday 11:00 AM – 1:50 PM

My Student to Student group! The three girls around me and the fourth guy in were my "posse" and we all still text and can't wait for move in!

July 15th


HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART II @ MIDNIGHT! I have to say, this night was something that I had been looking forward to, and dreading for a long time. I have grown up with Harry Potter… It’s engraved and intertwined into my childhood. I basically cried throughout the entire movie… mostly because I was so sad my childhood managed to come to a screeching halt in my mind… also because Harry and I were “graduating” at the same time, and I had just enrolled a few days earlier… It was a big leap of faith to take all at once; accepting my new age and social status as an adult and ending my ten year romance with the wizard with glasses… it was a very emotional night. It was absolutely amazing though. David Yates is a genius and I couldn’t be more proud.

ohh yeaah :)

Those glasses were awesome!

July15th-22^nd

StuCo Camp… (: So much to say… so little time! I will write one or two more blogs on this week because it’s so special to me, I don’t want to leave anything out! So here are some pictures to try to begin to explain why it was (so far) the best week of my life and how I am so irrevocably changed from it. <3

My AMAZING council :)

My second family (:

Best buddy Rod!

Council J.. we rock :)

Brogy and I rode up there and home together! He was a great friend and I'm so glad we got to ride together :)

We hung out in the JC Lounge a LOT!

Rod and roommate Jordy and our fabulous glasses :)

Jake :) this kid is awesome.

ELI!! (:

The running shorts gang. :D

Barret <3

Natalie and Vanessa :)

July 28th-30^th

I have never been the partying type… but this weekend I had a taste of what it could be like. Thursday, Katie, Allyson and I ventured into the world of clubbing! We went to Doc Howards Lounge and had the best time! We danced, had Monsters, and just enjoyed hanging out since I had been gone for so long. (: Friday, the Wichita area JC’s from camp got together and spent the day terrorizing Wichita! We ate at Chipotle, Orange Leaf, and Gobi Grill and I loved getting cultured by these guys. I was not a Mexican or Mongolian food lover… but I am now! We chilled at Wal-Mart for a couple hours, played Just Dance in Rod’s basement, and went to the Drive In and saw three great movies! I picked Barret up at noon and we didn’t get home until 5 AM! It was such a great day; I can’t wait for our big reunion soon! Saturday was Girls Day and the six of us went to Applebee’s for our traditional Back-to-School dinner and decided to go BACK to the club afterwards…. It was such an exciting weekend!

Thursday;; going clubbin!

Friday;; fun at wal-mart with Tabatha, Rod and Barret!

Besst Friennds :)

Saturday;; going clubbin.. again!

This is my July in a nutshell... such an eventful and exciting month… Let’s hope August is the same!!

<3

PS. good luck James;; we miss you already. <3