I Can't Get Over It... (:

There are some things about this campus that I simply will never get bored with. Last Friday after my SUA office hours, Juli and I went exploring campus because it's simply soooo big!! We sat down on a foot bridge by Potter Lake and listened to music on my laptop and just de-stressed from the long week. We started talking about how beautiful the campus was and I mentioned how much I want to take pictures of it.... Well Before you know it, we were back down on campus, showered, dressed up, with Jessica in tow and ready to go! Unfortunately, we lost the light super quickly Friday night, but we went back out on Saturday and had Robert with us!! It was a great two days and honestly, a blog about it wouldn't do it justice.

You just have to see the photos for yourself.

(:

I <3 my friends (:

It's all about Balance (:

Ok, so let me begin this blog by saying, "ITS BEEN A LONG TWO WEEKS!"

I feel better. (: I'm not saying it's been a BAD two weeks, just long, stressful, anxious, and tiring... lol with exciting, eventful, amazing, surprising and lets-do-that-again thrown in along the way.

So let's start with some good news.

A couple weekends ago, the girls and I decided to go to a candlelight vigil in honor of 9/11. Andrèa and I had been watching 9/11 shows and news stories all day, so we thought it would be a fitting end to go and reflect on everything we had seen that day and what we remember. Well, of course, when I make plans... they usually get shot down in some way shape or form. Not five minutes after we get there, I get my weekly-James phone call. So I stand up and run away as fast as possible (while getting weird looks along the way) and get to the campanile out of ear shot of everyone. We talked for about seven or eight minutes, which doesn't sound like much, but compared to my usual three to four, I was elated! It was a wonderful ending to my day and beginning to my week...

I got my next phone call a week later on my way back from my Bio150 test review. It was perfect timing and a great conversation because it was going to be our last "weekly" phone call!! James graduated from Basic Training on September 22, 2011 in San Antonio, Texas! He will now be sent to California for tech School... but what I'm really saying is he'll get his phone back and I can text and call him again! That's what's really important... right? :)

I stole this from his dad... He's the one shaking hands... (: I'm really proud of him. <3

Also, I took two tests this past Tuesday... yes, TWO! lol One in Bio150 and the other in Calc. I received my first ever 73% on my Bio test. And I am (now) ok with that. I was freaking out horribly because, hello, it's my major! But I realized, I am allowed to not be a perfect 4.0 student here... I can accept 3.7 ;) And what made it all better was getting that beautiful 95 on my calc test! It's all about balance. (:

Second time is the charm!

Also, I was elected into McCollum Hall's government as the Programmer! It's kind of like StuCo and Cheerleading all in one... coming up with events and marketing and planning them. Perfect. (: However, i found out on a Thursday (night..at 11...) that I had won.. and was then asked to go on a retreat with the other councils and the e-board the next night... Sure!! Robert and Jessica are the President and VP of AURH (Association of University Residence Halls.... acronyms are everywhere here!) and they went too... So what could have been a 24 hour, last minute, sucky trip... was a fun and enjoyable experience! We had a campfire and I got to meet some amazing people that I cannot wait to work with!... oh yeah, and I got some quality time with my BFF's. (:

BFF's (:

You can see the rain drops on my jacket lol

No idea what we were talking about lol

Every year, Big Mac puts on a Battle of the Bands... and yes, I drew this :) Be proud.

Random happy things: I went to my first AURH and SUA (Student Activities Association.. I should make a list and run it down the side of my blog, huh...?) meetings. I am on the Cultural Arts Committee for SUA and I will be a photographer and writer for the Hall Street Journal. I love how I'm branching out here and doing a lot of never I never could have done back home (like drawing, writing, and going to Nebraska for a AURH conference in October, and visiting the KU Med Center in December!) 

Side note: Glee and Grey's Anatomy came back this week... PLUS PLUS PLUS!!

So now for the bad (or as I like to call, interesting) things.

This morning, the busses were running late today because there was a huge power outrage and the internet was down. So I got to Chem a little later then usual. I was distracted and was following some guy.. when the next thing I know, I'm in the wrong class!! It's way smaller then Budig 120, so I didn't want to just get up and leave, plus he was talking about genetics and it was really interesting... so I stayed. I took out my notebook and pretended to take notes and it was a super interesting class.

If you aren't laughing loudly right now, you should be.

It's honestly no big deal, I can catch up on Chem this weekend, but you have to admit.. It's super funny, and totally me.

Another Taylor moment happened the other night right after my two tests (but I still had a BUNCH of work to do) and I was studying in Robert and Kenton's room in my chair... when the next thing I know... it's 5:30 am, I'm in another chair, and I had my blanket around me... I quickly put two and two together... and went right back to sleep (: lol Kenton's alarm went off at 7:30 and I went to my room to sleep for 45 more minutes. I was wiped! The next afternoon, I asked Kenton when I fell asleep and he said it was sometime during the re-run Charlie Sheen roast before Charlie had finished lol. He said he told me to go to my room, and I stood up and went to the other chair and fell back asleep... so typical. 

As I read back through my "bad" moments, I just laugh and shake my head saying "that's typical." I wouldn't trade any of the bad moments here for anything... because in hind sight.... there are no bad moments. There are interesting, comical, embarrassing, off-the-wall, and weird moments... but never bad. As long as there is a balance between the good and the "bad"... the "bad" make the good that much better.

<3

Memories in the Making...

I've always known that some of my favorite moments in life are the little ones: the ones that are seemingly useless or forgetful to others. That moment when I finally understand my Chemistry problem and I feel the lightbulb come on; that moment when I see a familiar face in a football stadium; and that moment when I realized just how amazing my college years are going to be.

This past week has been super stressful because I had my first college test on Thurs.. and of course it was for Chem 184! Two-thirds of the information I was very comfortable with, however, its always that one chapter that I don't understand that causes me to lose sleep at night. Literally. I was holed up in a library for several hours a day, then I would come back and ask Robert (he's a chemical engineering major) questions on the ones I didn't understand. This process lasted several hours after my suggested bed time. But.. It all paid off.. mostly. Out of 25 questions, I only missed three. For those of you who know me, you know I am not thrilled with that.. but everyone else says that I did extremely well... so I am trying to be proud of myself. (: I will definitely take that for my first college test! (hey, it could have been worse.)

Once the test was behind me, I realized just how stressed I had been. So we all went to eat at the Studio and catch up since I had been absent a lot that week studying. That was my moment. Sitting in a booth with some of my best friends laughing and talking.... that is what I want to walk away from this amazing place with. Not just my degree... but those memories that someday I can still recall easily and laugh about as if it happened an hour ago... (:

Friday was great because since we had our test the night before at 8, class was cancelled! I didn't have to wake up until ten to go to my 11:00 class. Then I was done for the day! I came home, showered, and got ready and went out to dinner with Juli, her parents, and Robert. After that, we watched a movie in Robert's room... and I'll be honest, I haven't felt well in a few days, but that night was awful. I curled up in a ball with a blanket in Robert's chair and went through a half a box of tissues. At one point, he walked by me, looked at me, and said, "You look awful." Gee thanks, bud. But seriously, I felt awful. But me and my desire for memories stayed up and watched everybody play ping-pong and we chilled in Juli's room, where I eventually fell asleep. It was a great end to a great day... yes, even being super sick!

GAME DAY!! I love those two little words!! It was family day (and band day) here in Lawrence and the campus was suddenly filled with parents, siblings, cousins, uniforms, trombones, etc. Andrèa and Juli's parents flew in the night before, but mine arrived a little before noon and it was great to see them! I wanted to try and show them everything about this place that I loved! Claire had to go home for the weekend, unfortunately, but she'll get to meet my parents soon! (Sidenote: I will not be coming home for Mulvane's Homecoming because it's the same weekend as KU's. We'll work it out!) They met Robert, checked out my room, and then we went out to lunch and to Target. We came back to McCollum to set up my TV and get ready for the game. We then began the rather long trek to the stadium and I tried to show them some of my favorite buildings, however, mother nature had other plans. As usual. Rain, AGAIN, seems to always find the game days here in Lawrence. But oh well! We made it to the game and had a blast watching my boys win (In a NAIL BITTER!!) and the bands from the state play at half time!

Again, it's all about the memories I make here. I am so fortunate to go to the college of my dreams and achieve all the goals I have for myself here. <3 Thank you to everyone who is helping me along the way.. and making memories with me.

Mom and Dad <3

Shae!! (:

Jayhawk Parents!

Two of my favorite girls!! (:

The Marching Jayhawks rushing the field!

KU!

Pre-game Sunflower! 

♥ 9.11.01- remember and never forget

It's Always Sunny in Lawrence!

This Labor Day weekend has been a blast! Exhausting... but a blast!

Friday: The weekend always begins for me at noon on Friday's because that's when my last class gets out. It's great! I picked up my football tickets, went to the doctors, and interviewed for SUA. I came back to my room and we all went to dinner, then a KU volleyball game! It was fantastic; there is so much school spirit here! We beat Appalachian State (really badly too!) and decided to go see a late movie. The Debt is what we decided on and I must say.. It was Amazing! It was one of those movies you would never expect to love (or even see in the first place, unless it's the only one playing at 9:40), but it was one of the most intellectually stimulating movies I've seen in a long time. After the movie, we came home to play Uno in the lobby for like four hours! It was epic... we had like eight people playing and there were alliances and cheaters and cuss words and many, many middle fingers. All in all, a great Friday night. (:

Saturday: GAME DAY!!!! My first Jayhawk football game!!! I can't even explain how excited I was! (: We left for Mass St. to go shopping for game day apparel, but ended up just coming back to the Union since Juli and I have discount cards. We got ready and immediately left to go get great seats! (Mishap: I brought the WRONG ticket and didn't want to run all the way back home... so I bought another one! lol That's why they gave me a diploma :P ) We were third row back and right behind the other team (easier to harass, of course ;) ) I took a gazillion pictures since it was my first football game ever that I wasn't cheering and/or playing the drums. Although, that also made it kinda sad: I'd watch the cheerleaders and wish I was down there, and the the band played three of my FAVORITE songs at half time... yes, I miss it. We won 42-24 and it was a great game to watch! I can't wait for next week's game with my parents!

Sunday: Aka: shopping day. We went to Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond for supplies and such. We came back and it took three college freshmen girls (and two unhelpful "coaches") to put up Claire and I's closet curtains... it was hilarious. With innuendoes flying left and right and bars falling on people and Andréa and Robert sitting on my bed yelling "Left hand higher! Right, no YOUR right!"... This place is full of laughs, all the time. (: That night, I had my second shift of work at Mrs. E's. Let me tell you, I am not cut out to work in food.. BUT I am keeping this job for the food discount and free meal I get on the days I work. At least for now. Last night I was in the dishes room and I enjoyed that WAY more then I did behind the grill. They crank up the stereo and go to town. Plus... No one sees you. Excellent set up if you ask me...

The gang (:

Roommates...or Twins?! ;) Yes, we planned this lol

Our boys ready to go!

Us.. and some weird guy... lol

They tried to get us to evacuate.. and the entire student section was chanting "Hell no, we won't go!"

Big Jay Planking! Our mascots are Hilarious!

Final score and the crowd waving the wheat!

(See the college memories panel for more pics!)

I came home and went on a walk with Robert to talk and to enjoy the WONDERFUL 70 degree weather. (I have missed fall weather horribly and I relished it yesterday. I think the summer heat just took all the fun of warmth out of me... I'm ready for breezy sweatshirt weather!) We came back and the whole gang (minus Juli, she was on a date) chilled out there. By the time I left to go down the hall to sleep... I found out something I never wanted to experience...

MY DOOR WAS LOCKED!

And no, I didn't have my keys.

Of course not.

So, I went back to Robert's room and slept in a chair for a few hours. But McCollum is freakin' out and going Arctic on everyone, so I woke up FREEZING. I was so afraid of losing fingers, that I got up (it's now 4 am) and bothered Claire until she woke up and let me in. She was still apologizing earlier.. lol I told her I was never going to let it go. ;)

It's funny now, so no harm done! Plus, how can I get mad at my favorite roommate when it's so beautiful out!? Fall is on it's way!! And so begins the Real freshmen year...

<3