Ah, Blissful Saturday

Saturdays are THE BEST.
Saturdays are when I take a forced break from homework and socialize all the livelong day and even eat sugar for a change.

It's fall (almost) on campus, and it was crunchy-leaved with mild temps.
At the caf, I made my once-a-week sugary splurge: "Heart Attack in a Mug".  I do recommend this for the taste, but only every once in a while as a treat.  Here's the recipe:  1/4 of a mug full of waffle batter nuked in the microwave for a minute.  Then pile it with soft serve ice cream and crushed candy bars and Oreos.  Then die and go to heaven for the next ten minutes.  Ah, the warm doughiness and cold ice creaminess.

Then, I went to my first NWC sporting event yet, a varsity football game.  I enjoyed it.  We won, there was a good turnout, the guys behind me making comments about their male cheerleader friend were quite entertaining.  I got sunburned!  (which was my personal "take that, summer's not quite over" victory)  P.S. The guys down front from West Hall were all wearing their bedsheets as togas.  It's a thing they do.

Our dorm had a carnival with all the floors competing for points against each other.  A tug of war, giant trike race, a jelly bean spitting contest.  I had to leave early for a productive dance practice.  Then I snarfed a chicken burrito at the Hub (the funner dining place) and dashed over to the theater for a one man play about a guy's conversion from skeptical teenager to God believer.

If you stuck around for this part of my narrative, I have a treat for you.  SWING DANCING every Saturday night in our dorm lobby!  How cool is that?  I also got to waltz with a boy.  The music is Disney to "Take the A-Train" type stuff.  I wore my retro jumper from the Omaha thrift store and painted my nails all Rue 21.  It was grand.

Then, I watched a cool flick called "10,000 BC" with Katie down the hall.  I crawled under the covers (roommate-less, she's gone for the weekend, sniff) at about midnight or so, wishing tomorrow could be Saturday all over again.

The guys standing next to the toga-wearers looked just like this.

You know you want to try this.

                                                    Prehistoric near death experiences, anyone?

The trikes kinda look like this.  A second person can stand on the back.

See, us teenagers would be cool if we'd lived back then.

The end.

Some Typical Views

There are some things I tend to see multiple times a day. Here are some typical views in my day-to-day life.

My desk (and my tablet). I like that it has lots of surface space.

The view from our window. It's the end of the track and a parking lot. It's actually quite a nice view!

The view from the end of our hallway. They call the 3rd floor the "football watching floor" and for good reason, although, I think that these guys are playing rugby... It's actually quite a good view!

Well, this isn't technically my view, but I do stand in a line with my little base drum every day. This is what it looks like to the casual observer!

A Little Game: Part III

Sure, why not. I'll take a chance to procrastinate.

I am like my dad.
   I am an introvert.
   I like to argue.
   I like to test my wit.
   I'm not afraid to voice my opinions.
   I love me some good food. Especially popcorn.
   My sights are almost always set.










I am like my mother.
   I love animals.
   I know that it's better to give than to receive.
   I appreciate dark chocolate and cupcakes.
   I love a good book more than I sometimes care to admit.
   I love the theater.
   My opinions on society are not held back by gender.

 

I am like my brother.

   I'm a nerd.

   I love to play games.

   I know how to have fun.

   I have a rocking sense of humor.

   I know the importance of acting like a child while growing up.

   My interests and passions vary, so I have more fun than anyone else.

A Little Game: Part II

I am like my dad:
I love history.
s
I work hard. (Sometimes too hard.)
I am dedicated.
I love to learn.
I tell corny jokes sometimes.
I love my family (and family history).
I don't do well with pain.
I am loving.

First and last day of public school

I am like my mom:

I can cook and bake. . . really well.

I like to research.

I am sympathetic.

I am resourceful.

I am dedicated.

I am sensitive.

I like learning.

 

 

 

 

 

I am like my sister:

I can be spontaneous.

I love a good laugh.

I love Bones and Psych.

I like long talks.

I love crafty, Pinterest-y ideas.

I love window shopping.

I am fiercely loyal. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am like my brother.

I like old TV shows.

I like doing things with my hands.

I like books.

I like riding my bike.

I like spending time with good friends.

I take things too seriously some times.

I am caring.

 





 

 

 

 

 



A Little Game

Hey girls!  So, this doesn't have much to do with college, but I thought this would be a  little "tag, you're it" game.

It's a writing game.
Here's the subject.

I've never written down how I am like other members of my family.
It makes me feel connected to them.


I'm like my Dad.
     I love...
          travelling
          saving money
          Mystery Science Theater 3000
          tennis
          theology
     and I am passionate.

I'm like my Mommy.
            I try to listen to people because I need them to listen to me,
       but sometimes empathy hurts.
I want to be fiercely loyal like she is.
           I care about nutrition.
If we're talking about society's standards of beauty, I agree with this phrase: "We must suffer to be beautiful."

My mommy with her big brother and her own business

I'm like my brother.
  I'm addicted to witty remarks
  and crave YouTube
  and enjoy the Vander Harts and
  Ostermanns.
  We both like documentaries and our fat kitty.

I'm like my grandma.
      I do nothing but sing,
          have a sweet tooth,
          enjoy cable TV and eating out,
          and can sometimes be a little flamboyant.
          I am usually bold talking to strangers.

My bubbly grandma with her offspring, grandoffspring, and beloved daughter-in-law

OK, your turn!

P.S.  I wuv my family :)

"And she'll have fun, fun, fun. . ."

Well, I have no T-Bird, (and no car for that matter), but I can finally say that I have had some fun at college. It was a long time coming.
 Don't get me wrong. College has been enjoyable, but in the 3 weeks that I have been here, I didn't truly have fun. I didn't feel like I fit in anywhere. I became good friends with my roommate, and we had some good times together, but that was very isolated. I didn't feel connected to anything or any group. (Marching Band doesn't count. It's a completely different entity.) In fact I was getting pretty bummed out and lonely. I wasn't truly happy here. Like I said, I was having a good time over all. The "collegiate experience" (classes, living in the residence halls, eating at the Union, walking everywhere, etc.) was nice, but nice doesn't add up to much when you don't have anyone to share it with except your roommate.
Here's a few things that have truly been a bright spot in my past week(ish):

At the suggestion of some of the people at my home church, I checked out Laura Street Baptist Church. What can I say. The first service there made me smile. So did the second one. So did Sunday School. So did the people I met. Here's some specific reasons:

• The first day I went, I introduced myself to the pastor after Sunday School and before church. On my way out of church, he shook my hand and said, "Thanks for coming Kara. It was nice to meet you. I hope to see you again."
  If you didn't catch that, he remembered my name. After greeting a congregation, giving a sermon, and having other little conversations, he remembered my name!
• This week, (the second time I went), a bunch of people introduced themselves to me. I met a lady that helps with the Baptist Student Union, introduced myself and talked to her for  a bit. She offered me rides to church if the guy that is giving me rides right now ever couldn't, answered my questions, and was just so friendly. And here's the kicker: When I went to the BSU tonight for $1 dinner, she remembered my name too! It may not seem like much, but man, if someone can call you by name, you just feel more connected.
• The Sunday School class/teachers. Our teachers invited us over to their house every Monday (starting today) for a lunch. The wife, Teri Ann, was so nice to me on Sunday, and made sure I had a ride there and had her cell phone number and told me to contact her with any questions. Today at their house, everyone was so welcoming and it was such a good time. When it was time for me to head back to class, she gave me a hug and said how glad she was that I could come and told me to call them if I needed anything. (Yes, I realize this is kind of the college-town cliché, but it has really meant so much to have all of these people reach out, care about me, remember me, and be there to help.)
• The music. Ok, first y'all need to know that I love me some hymns. Like really love me some hymns. Like I have a Pandora station that is Southern Gospel Hymns. I love love love singing them. I think they tell a really cool story, they are pretty, and they have so much history behind them! I was happy that at Laura Street, they sing hymns, and then after the children's message, they sing more contemporary songs. This past week, there was such a great mix of songs! Let me show you:
  "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" (Hymn)
  Then a group got up and sang really old gospel hymns that I knew, but none of the college kids around me did. This part made me especially happy.
  "Victory in Jesus" (Hymn)
  "Worthy of Worship" (Hymn)
  "10,000 Reasons"
  "The Heart of Worship"
  "Refiner's Fire"
  And then another group got up and sang "Reign in Us" by Starfield, which is a song I really love!
  To close the service, we sang "Where He Leads I'll Go" (another Hymn)
  
  Does this shed some light on my happiness about church? Not only do we sing lots of awesome songs, a good chunk of them are the hymns that I love so much

Another group I have gotten connected with is the Navigators, which is a Christian group on campus. I'm involved with a Bible study with girls on my floor and also from another building. I can't wait to get more connected with them! They are all so sweet!

This is most of us playing telephone Pictionary. I'm over on the left side. (You can see my hands!)

I'm also starting to do some things with the Baptist Student Union (BSU) because a lot of the people who go to church at Laura Street go to the BSU. Tonight was $1 Dinner, so basically you pay a dollar for dinner (which tonight was pancakes and cheesy ham hashbrowns) and then after dinner you can hang around and play a game (which tonight was telephone Pictionary). It was an absolute blast! I met some more people, I got to see people I knew from church, and the game was hilarious. (We had 26 people playing!) On Friday, they are having a comedy group from Kansas City come, and I can't wait! Apparently, it's a lot like Whose Line Is It Anyway, which I love!

Lastly, I have been connecting with the girls on my floor some more. We have bonded over all sorts of things and have been able to go to lunch together a few times as well. Miranda (my roommate) and I have further confirmed the fact that we are a great pair by discovering that we both like PBS kids shows. We get along so so well and I can't imagine doing college with anyone different!

If you made it this far, I commend you and thank you for hearing me out on my happiness!

Weather: Under and Over It

So. My third week of classes is going to start up tomorrow, and I'm excited at the prospects that the end of this coming week will be in the 70's. Whoop! However. It's also supposed to be 99 degrees tomorrow, but I'm so ignoring that. BECAUSE HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW IS COMING!!! In five days, but I'll take what I can get, thank you.

I'm not kidding, I am just like Eliza when it comes to this heat. My dorm room has an air conditioner, so it's not as bad, but the heat the past two weeks has been nothing short of ridiculous. This summer has been one of the coolest on record, (the recorder being me and my recent memory) and the time where it is supposed to cool off, the time of back to school/walking around campus to get to all my classes is the hottest part of the summer? Whatever. I'll just be a beast and live through it.

In other news, this weekend is also significant because it's my first time being sick away from home. It's nothing too huge. No regurgitation, fractured limbs, or deathly diseases. (That's puking, broken bones, and cancer-like stuff for those of you who don't know medical-speak like I do. Growing up with both parents in the medical field will give one a supreme medical vocabulary.) It's just a sore throat and a stuffy nose. Nothing that will kill me anytime soon.

But it is my first time being ill without my parents or dogs within spitting distance. I don't have anyone to dote on me, no puppy eyes attached to a being that will lick my hand, and no amazing couch located nicely across from a TV with Netflix.

Not to say I'm alone. I called my parents, and that was nice, and I have the BEST floor mates in the history of college. Sorry Kara and Eliza. But do YOU have friends who will stay up until the wee morning hours analyzing the different writing styles of your favorite TV show and how it effects the characters and past efforts of said show? Do they have Lord of the Rings marathons? Do they give you Emergen-C when you feel sick in order to boost your immune system? Do they demand hugs every day? No, but mine do. So HA!!!! (Thanks Patsy, Shawnetta, Jey, Leah, Ash, Erin, Hannah, Greta, Alyssa, Tempest, and NATE.)

So yeah. It sucks monkey butt that I'm sick. But I'm fine, in the mental state of being. Fine in that sentence is relative, but that's besides the point. I have yet had a homesickness attack, and I'm happy with that.