Anticipation

I haven't always known what I wanted to do with my life. When I was younger I wanted to work an array of different jobs. Vet, dog groomer, orthodontist, teacher, business person, restaurant owner, and plenty of other random occupations were on my mind. I just knew at one point that I was going to be a dog groomer. I’m not sure what in the world made me think that. For one I’m not too fond of animals, especially if they are wet. Second of all I’m sure dog groomers don’t bring home a fortune.

I think I was about 12 when I realized what I really wanted to be. Do you know how you can tell if a career is for sure for you? Number one it’s an actual career meaning you can grow in your work. Secondly you can read or listen to information on the subject without becoming bored or being forced to.

I was about 12 years old, and I was staying the night with one of my older cousins so I could babysit her children while she went to work the next day. She casually changed the television to the Discovery Health Channel where A Baby Story was playing. If you have never watched A Baby Story or any of the other shows of that nature that Discovery Health offered, it is a show discussing the birth process and the effect it has on families. After changing the channel and watching the show for a few minutes she looked at me and said “Oh! I’m sorry. You probably don’t want to watch this, do you?” Even I found my own answer strange when I said “No, I don’t mind, I like this show.”

It all started right there. I would read any kind of health related article about pregnancy and labor. If I was watching television it was on the Discovery Health Channel. It just seemed natural that I would go to school and become a RN and then eventually a Nurse Practitioner. Every since then it has been my goal to get into nursing school. Although I’m now unsure of the exact department I want to work in, since I’ve gained experience from working with elderly people at the nursing home. No matter which department I work in I know that being a nurse is the right career plan for me.

So what am I anticipating you ask? Well the day has finally come. My applications are turned in at two different nursing schools, and I am anxiously awaiting my letter(s) of acceptance. Applying to nursing school is the most tedious nerve racking process. First you complete 64 hours of credit, then you take an entrance exam, fill out applications, and finally play the waiting game.

Apparently people are starting to receive their acceptance letters. Well not this girl. I’m still waiting, and waiting, and waiting…

Hopefully I will know something next week, if I don’t die from the anticipation before then.

They come and go like the seasons...

I bet you all wonder what in the world will be working on my nerves this week, because I blog solely on what is getting under my skin at the moment. Essentially that is what a blog is for, to temporarily relive your thoughts, and compare them with other's thoughts.

This week my mind got carried away with thoughts when I saw a tweet from a younger guy I went to High School with. It’s his senior year, and he said “Has life planned out & im gone stick to it.” This really got me to thinking.

I remember when I was in my senior year of high school I knew for certain I had my life figured out. I was going to graduate, move in with my high school sweetheart, go to community college for two years, transfer to nursing school, get married, move a bigger city, have children, and live happily ever after. WRONG.

This is where we mess up in life. Everyone is on the fast track. We’ve got all these plans that we’re so certain are the way we envision life is how it will end up. But, life doesn’t work that way. The only thing that stays the same is everything changes.

 We need to slow down. If you keep on a fast pace of life you’re going to miss the actual life part. My new motto is “Whatever happens, happens.” We can’t predict what will happen to us tomorrow. Everything could change within seconds. The sooner we embrace the fact that life is an ever changing fast pace marathon that has to be paused and enjoyed every once in awhile, is the time that we can gain true happiness.

You see, life can’t be planned. In my own personal opinion life’s foundation should be your faith. In my case my faith is in the Lord. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen.” Hebrews 11:1. We have to believe that the things we hope for will happen if they are the right things for us. A lot of time we are hopefully of things that aren’t meant for us.

Take for example the way my mind was set on the life I thought I was going to have. I had faith that God was going to take me where I needed to be, and that just happened to have nothing to do with my plans. I graduated, stayed at home with my parents, went to community college for two years, still haven’t made a decision on a nursing school, have no intentions of getting married, or dating, I moved out with a friend, and I’m simply enjoying life.

Life is way too short to only be focused on long term goals. What about this moment? All of these days in between are your life. Don’t miss your life because you’re planning the life you want to have. Take it one day at a time.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries, today’s trouble is enough for today…” Matthew 6:34

What's the big deal?

Valentine’s Day started in 269 A.D when a Roman priest named Valentine was executed for his refusal to stop marrying Christian couples. Valentine was known for uniting lovers in marriage. He continued to preach even after he was imprisoned. A friendship began with his jailer’s daughter. They began writing love letters. On his execution day he signed his last love letter to her “From your Valentine”. In Italy and Europe they honor Valentine by having a day to celebrate all the lovers he brought together.

Over the years people’s perceptions of Valentine’s Day has evolved into a materialistic ego boost. I obviously have an opinion for everything; Valentine’s Day is no exception, so I assume you all aren’t surprised that I am going to blog about Valentine’s Day and why people are overly stressing the materialistic side of it.

Have you all been to Wal-Mart lately? It’s like Valentine’s Day vomited all over the front isles. There are huge stuffed bears, for $40! Why in the world would anyone even need a 3 foot tall bear? They’ve got all kinds of candy, cards, and other useless items. Let’s be honest no one ever needs the things they get for Valentine’s Day. Flowers die, stuffed bears get shoved in a closet, and those chocolates usually only have a few good ones in the box. I could be wrong though. Not everyone is like me; most are more sentimental so maybe they keep those special gifts. When did our society become so materialistic? The priest Valentine didn’t say anything about buying your significant other flowers and a stuffed bear to keep your love alive, he wanted couples to unite in marriage and have a holy commitment to one another.

To Valentine love was about the commitment you make to that special someone in your life. Our society has lost the whole meaning of Valentine’s Day. I don’t mean to sound like one of those girls that is pessimistic about Valentine’s Day, but I suppose I am. In my opinion it means more to show affection all throughout the year. If you have to have a national holiday to show your significant other affection and love then there really isn’t much love there.

On the other hand some people genuinely aren’t very affectionate, and Valentine’s Day motivates them to show more affection. It can also be a way to rekindle flames in your relationship. All that is fine with me because I feel like if you make a commitment to someone you should do what it takes to continuously work on that relationship. What I have a problem with is people feeling like they have to have a valentine date and like their boyfriends have to buy them a dozen roses and take them to a fancy restaurant. Love isn’t about material things; it’s about being committed to one another and striving to make the other happy.

This year I wish people would show actual affection to one another, and not just buy useless gifts. What about tomorrow on February 15^th, what are you going to do for your significant other then? How about next month, or the next? Are you still going to be treating them the way you are today? If not, just let it go now.

Southern perspective..

The definition of a southern woman is a woman that cooks a large home cooked meal for her family, while also keeping the house clean, being polite to the neighbors, donating to the church, taking care of the children, and keeping herself in top shape. When outsiders discuss “a southern woman” they have an exact picture in their minds. We all do. Perhaps she looks like this

or maybe this..

In our area it’s just natural to assume women will get married, have children, take care of the house, and now days have a job too. This perception is really getting to me.

I believe our southern society makes young women feel like they have to do all of those things, because “that’s what we do around here”, right? You know it’s true. Ask most young women, “Where do you see yourself in the next 5 to 10 years?” the response will more times\ than not, be married with children.

I know this is a touchy subject, and I’m trying to be careful about how I give my point of view. Don’t get me wrong women in our society get educations too. We have many well educated women with great jobs.

I don’t want to make this a personal situation, but I use to be that girl. The girl that just expects the next step in life is to graduate college, get married, and have children. Your probably wondering what could have changed my perspective. I think it just came to me one day. My eyes just opened, and I realized that it’s okay to just be me. I wish someone would’ve told me a long time before then.

We’re always told we can be anything we want to be, and that’s true. However, no one ever said “You can be whatever you want to be, even if it’s to just be you.” That is because in our society all the rest is a given. It’s an unwritten fact that everyone will get married and have children.

But, let’s think about this from a new direction. What if everyone didn’t get married? What if it was normal to not look for someone to marry, to not assume you will have children, and to solely focus on what you want? No one tells young girls that. In fact they tell them the opposite. Anytime I tell an older adult that I do not plan on getting married, and I do not want to have kids I get the worst looks and comments. I’m sure they feel like I will change my mind, and I may. However for the time being I shouldn’t be criticized for my true goals in life.

This is 2012, you don’t have to get married and settle down. I wish our society would become more accepting of this new modern lifestyle. Not every girl in the south wants to fulfill the image of a ‘southern woman’, and they shouldn’t be expected to be

Sixty bucks here, one-fifty there, how about another forty-five over there, and don’t forget the added fees here, and late charges there.

You know what’s really getting to me this week? Money.

It’s the root of all evil. Everybody wants it, but most of us don’t have it.

If you think that nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

Everyone always uses the title “broke college kid”, and that’s because it’s true. They slowly start you out in High School by taking money here and there; school trips, ACT tests, and don’t even get me started on the cost of graduation or prom. Most kid’s parents pay for those things though. When you get to college it doesn’t get any better, in fact it gets much worse.

It’s always something. Someone always has their hand in my wallet needing money for something. I am even aggravated at the fact that I have a really nice wallet, but no money to put in it.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my independence, and it’s worth every penny. I also love to work for what I have. There is a sense of pride in knowing that everything you own came from your own hard work. My parents raised me to work for what I needed, and then for what I want. I’m extremely grateful that they instilled that in me. I feel like I’m more grateful for the things I have because of that reason.

On the other hand, I am a complete ‘cheap-o’! Aside from my clearance shopping addiction, I hate to spend money. It pains me to give the bank the check for my car loan every month. I leave with a little tear in my eye. I know people say well that’s what you do when you’re grown, or ‘its part of growing up’. That’s all true, but that doesn’t mean we can’t share our feelings about the subject. I don’t mean to grip, or complain, or to even seem like a cry baby. But it isn’t cheap being a college student living on your own.

I wish that people would understand what it is like to actually be a ‘broke college kid’. Everyone has these assumptions about college students, especially adults. They must not remember that they were in the same place at one time. Most adults think ‘Oh, that is part of growing up, and they will just have to figure it out.’ In reality this is the time we need help the most. I agree that some college students don’t deserve help. In fact I’ve heard several students say they only go to college because they get refund checks, and it is a way to make extra money. Those are the kind of people that will end up working dead end jobs the rest of their lives too. Anyways, other students work, go to school, and still try to maintain the fact that they are teenagers/young adults trying to have a good time before their ‘good years’ are over with. For students that are actually trying, can't we get a little help around here?!

Colleges are actually the worst about getting your money. No matter what you want to do in life, they want a check before you can do it. They want you to better your future, but it comes at a price. For instance the price of colleges itself, which granted most students in our area do receive financial aid it can still be overwhelming. You have to pay tuition, buy books, club membership fees, and heaven forbid you want to transfer then you will have to pay admission fees, mail stuff certified, placement holding fees, etc, etc.

But in the end that’s just the facts: You have to spend money to make money. Nothing comes free in this life. & my personal favorite:

 You know your poor when you have too much month at the end of your money.

Open Your Minds

Most of the college students I've met are all the same. There are two different styles to their learning habits: closed minded or conflict oriented. Either the student has no care in the world, or they take every opportunity to argue with other students and the instructor.

I won’t disguise my true character in this blog. My learning style is more of a ‘no care in the world perspective’, but that’s why I decided to write a blog of this nature, so we can all learn from each other and create new learning habits. My personal learning habits are usually to do the work and make a good grade. I’m not much for classroom discussions, or any type of classroom interaction for that matter. It wasn’t until last week that I realized sometimes it is good to have classroom discussion, so you can learn from your classmates. Sharing our ideas and concerns about issues helps us form better perspectives of our own.

Last week was the first week of the spring semester. I started a class that thrives on class discussion. Without our discussions the course wouldn’t make any sense. A lot of controversial topics come up in the class. Anything from race to abortion could be discussed during any given class. Normally during class discussion I just sit back and listen to what everyone else has to say, but not in this class. My motto has always been “I speak when I have something important to say.” In this class I feel like what I have to say is important. Everyone should feel like that. If you have something important to say, then you should share it.

Granted you shouldn’t comment on every subject. That is a characteristic of a conflict oriented person. They think they know everything so they consume class time with their poorly structured views on every subject. There is no way someone could know enough about every issue, and have a logical opinion on the situation, but for things that you are familiar with and have serious feelings about, you should share those feelings. It’s when we share that we enlighten other people and open up a gate way for them to form their own opinions.

The main thing we as students need to open our minds about during class discussion is the teacher’s point of view. Sometimes teachers aren’t really stating how they feel about the situation, a lot of times they are trying to provoke new thoughts in their students. For example, a sociology teacher isn’t going to give their true beliefs concerning religion, because sociology is the study of social behavior in society. It deals solely with facts. Most Christian beliefs are based on faith, not fact. So, if a sociology teacher tells you that God isn’t real because there are no true facts that say he is, he is correct. From a sociological stand point that statement is true. We have to look at discussions from that subject’s stance. All emotions aside, and only give real facts or real life experiences.

My point is that as college students we should be prepared to speak our minds when it is in our best interest and the best interest of other students to share our educational opinions.

Transition from High School to College: Ok, I made it. What now?

I have to admit, I wasn’t the biggest fan of High School. I felt like I was in a prison for 8 hours, and the other inmates were well acquainted friends that I only spoke to during those 8 hours. My High School was just a tiny building in rural Arkansas. We had a total of 32 people in our graduating class. I graduated with the salutatorian honor. I was shocked to find out about this considering the only thing I mastered in High School was solitaire on my phone, and the high score on Diner Dash. Sleeping might as well have been another subject in our school, as well as watching movies on the smart boards. As I’m sure you’ve pieced together our High School wasn’t the most challenging to say the least. I honestly felt like I was wasting my life away. Of course we all anticipated the day we graduated.  Everyone had some type of perception, more like a disillusion, of what college would be like. Either you wanted to go to a high end university and play basketball, join a sorority, or just go to crazy outrageous parties. Others had realistic expectations to go to a prestige University and be president of the physics club, or graduate with the highest honors. Boy were we wrong! I chose to attend a small community college not far from where I went to High School. After going to such a small school all my life I knew going to a large University would be overwhelming for me. Not to mention the thought of living in a dorm room with someone I just met.  So, I made plans to attend the community college for four years and then ease my way into a larger university. I expected to be attending college with other people who wanted a higher education; people who with real thoughts and opinions, opposed to High School were none of us cared what our curriculum instilled or who taught it to us. I wish that were the case. For the most part my college classmates were just the same as my High School classmates. I’ve only had two courses where students actually gave their opinions about real life issues.  Groups of immature students stand outside of the buildings saying demeaning things to girls, and if discussions do get heated in class people have been known to physically fight about them. I don’t blame these things on the college, I think it’s more of a cultural issue than anything, but we’ll touch more on that subject later. My point is that as High School students we conceive these notions that college is going to be our freedom point, and it’s all down hill from there. When in reality, although there are good aspects to college; like making your own schedule, it’s also full of new obstacles you have to face. I want this blog to show other students and even professors what it’s like to be on this side. Now that we’ve made it to the college side, what do we do now?