BYU-Idaho has this 3-semester track system, so they have a Fall, Winter, and Spring semester. This way, more students can attend the university. They assign you 2 semesters to go. I'm on the Spring/Fall track, so I get the whole winter off. I always come home and work because it's a lot cheaper than living out there in Rexburg and working. Also, my family is just awesome and I love to be at home with them. :]
So here's some of what I've been up to:
Working--
After almost 8 weeks of applications and no luck finding a job, I got hired as a substitute teacher for Noblesville Schools. This was the job I really wanted. It pays decently (enough for most of my college expenses) and gives me loads of experience. I love the flexibility of the job and being able to work whenever I want and choosing what I want to teach. I'm not picky and I'll teach any grade and subject, but I try to snatch the Early Childhood Special Education and Resource classes. Not only is it great teaching experience (I sure hope Student Teaching is a breeze after this!), but it's confirmed to me that I love what I'm going into. :]
Sports--
As far as basketball is concerned, I've been a little disappointed with BYU this year. I want BYU's 2011 Dream Team back!!! And I wouldn't mind it if Lee Cummard made a guest appearance on that team either. Men's volleyball, however, is doing their usual thing and totally dominating!!! To quote my BYUtv-Sports-Broadcasting/SJ-from-The Blindside-was-inspired-by-my-older-brother/Sports-Genius brother, Robbie: BYU Men's Volleyball has now been ranked #1 in the country 61 times, tied with USC for 2nd-most all-time behind UCLA (116). BAM. THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE. I just ordered my totally awesome volleyball shirt
and I'm so excited for it to get here! Michigan lost a disappointing game yesterday (Again, I quote Robbie: Free throws. Free.), but it was fun to have them ranked so high this year, so it hasn't been a total loss. I'm so pumped for baseball season. Take me out to that ball game! I'm ready for baseball caps, hot dogs (Chicago Style-with no mustard :] of course) and cracker jacks, and Rookie of the Year. Bring it.
Personal Time--
I was pretty rushed when I came home from my mission in August. I went on a wedding, got ready for school, and then left for the semester. I just felt like I didn't get a lot of time to myself. I didn't have the opportunity to really ponder my mission and what had just happened to me in the previous 19 months. It's been amazing to have this time when I'm not worrying about school and completely providing for myself to just sit back and soak it all in. My mission was such an incredible opportunity and a huge and special blessing in my life, so it's been really nice to be able to ponder all of that. I miss it more and more everyday. I get emotional when I think or talk about it, but I try to stick to the sound advice I was given: Don't be sad because you miss it. Be happy because it happened.
Sign Language--
Along with trying to keep up with my Russian, I've finally picked up American Sign Language. I've wanted to learn for as long as I can remember, but I've never had the opportunity to take a class and learn. I decided to be a nerd and get some books from the library and start teaching myself. I have a small vocabulary and I have no idea how to formulate those words into sentences, but at least I'm starting. It feels good to finally get going on something that I've always wanted to do. My rockin' sister-in-law, Anna, is fluent in ASL, so I hope she's ready for the boatload of questions I'm going to be asking her over the next several years. Heh heh heh.
Harry Potter--
I decided to re-read the Harry Potter series since it's been waaaay too long since I last did. I find myself reverting to my 4th-grade self when the books came out and I'm just so absorbed in Harry Potter life. Like, I daydream about Harry Potter ALL THE TIME. I did that before, but at least I sometimes daydreamed about other things too like being a totally awesome athlete (probably my most frequent daydream that just ends in disappointment when I realize that it's just a dream and not real life--ha) and imagining what it must feel like to be a real woman who has a fashion sense, enjoys cooking and can do it well, cries at sappy chick-flicks, likes to go shopping, and enjoys cleaning and homemaking. Today, I cleaned the whole house. And I made myself tolerate it because I listened to my Harry Potter soundtracks while I did it and I thought about how cool it would be if I could use magic to get it all done. And while I was sweeping the floor, I may or may not have contemplated hopping on the broom and jumping over the upstairs railing to see if I could actually fly. No worries, I snapped out of that daydream and came back to my senses before I actually tried it out. I just so wish that Harry Potter and everything about that world was real. Secretly, I'm convinced it is and they just do a really good job of hiding us Muggles from it all. At the same time though, I get so upset that I'm a Muggle. Sorta like the little kid at the birthday party who got the small piece of cake. So I try to erase from my mind all possibilities of Harry Potter being real, so I don't have to suffer.
YSA Branch--
I was less-than-thrilled when my dad suggested that I attend the YSA Branch in Muncie while I'm home. I didn't know a lot of the people in the branch and the people I did know were really redneck and weird. Or so I thought. As I've gotten to know the people in the branch, it has completely changed my opinion. Sure there are some strange people, but I love them. I absolutely love the Branch and I feel so blessed to have had this experience to get to know them. They really are some pretty incredible people. I'm so glad I gave them a chance.
Vanilla Creme Oreos--
My addiction resurfaced. It's a problem.
Exercising--
I've had issues with daily headaches for about 8 years now, but for the last 14 months, they've progressed to where I get migraines. So I had to quit running. I had planned to run the Teton Dam Marathon this summer, but now that'll have to wait until next year. I've recently started seeing a chiropractor who has helped me a TON. So hopefully, I'll be able to get back into running soon. Since I'm a complete athletic failure, running is really all I can do. So when I don't run, I don't feel like I look good. Ha. And with me relapsing on Vanilla Creme Oreos and Easter just around the corner (meaning that Chocolate-covered Marshmallow Eggs are consumed in disgustingly-large quantities by Yours Truly), I NEED to get back into running.
I have really enjoyed being home. It's been so nice to kind of chill for a little bit. Being home during the winter can be kind of lonely sometimes because all my friends are in college, but I've loved it this semester. I feel awful for not being good about keeping in touch with my friends (especially my best friend), so I need to be better about that, but I can't say that having this personal time wasn't something I've needed. Sometimes, we just need to get away from life so we can learn how to live it again. And live it better.
So here's some of what I've been up to:
Working--
After almost 8 weeks of applications and no luck finding a job, I got hired as a substitute teacher for Noblesville Schools. This was the job I really wanted. It pays decently (enough for most of my college expenses) and gives me loads of experience. I love the flexibility of the job and being able to work whenever I want and choosing what I want to teach. I'm not picky and I'll teach any grade and subject, but I try to snatch the Early Childhood Special Education and Resource classes. Not only is it great teaching experience (I sure hope Student Teaching is a breeze after this!), but it's confirmed to me that I love what I'm going into. :]
Sports--
As far as basketball is concerned, I've been a little disappointed with BYU this year. I want BYU's 2011 Dream Team back!!! And I wouldn't mind it if Lee Cummard made a guest appearance on that team either. Men's volleyball, however, is doing their usual thing and totally dominating!!! To quote my BYUtv-Sports-Broadcasting/SJ-from-The Blindside-was-inspired-by-my-older-brother/Sports-Genius brother, Robbie: BYU Men's Volleyball has now been ranked #1 in the country 61 times, tied with USC for 2nd-most all-time behind UCLA (116). BAM. THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE. I just ordered my totally awesome volleyball shirt
Personal Time--
I was pretty rushed when I came home from my mission in August. I went on a wedding, got ready for school, and then left for the semester. I just felt like I didn't get a lot of time to myself. I didn't have the opportunity to really ponder my mission and what had just happened to me in the previous 19 months. It's been amazing to have this time when I'm not worrying about school and completely providing for myself to just sit back and soak it all in. My mission was such an incredible opportunity and a huge and special blessing in my life, so it's been really nice to be able to ponder all of that. I miss it more and more everyday. I get emotional when I think or talk about it, but I try to stick to the sound advice I was given: Don't be sad because you miss it. Be happy because it happened.
Sign Language--
Along with trying to keep up with my Russian, I've finally picked up American Sign Language. I've wanted to learn for as long as I can remember, but I've never had the opportunity to take a class and learn. I decided to be a nerd and get some books from the library and start teaching myself. I have a small vocabulary and I have no idea how to formulate those words into sentences, but at least I'm starting. It feels good to finally get going on something that I've always wanted to do. My rockin' sister-in-law, Anna, is fluent in ASL, so I hope she's ready for the boatload of questions I'm going to be asking her over the next several years. Heh heh heh.
Harry Potter--
I decided to re-read the Harry Potter series since it's been waaaay too long since I last did. I find myself reverting to my 4th-grade self when the books came out and I'm just so absorbed in Harry Potter life. Like, I daydream about Harry Potter ALL THE TIME. I did that before, but at least I sometimes daydreamed about other things too like being a totally awesome athlete (probably my most frequent daydream that just ends in disappointment when I realize that it's just a dream and not real life--ha) and imagining what it must feel like to be a real woman who has a fashion sense, enjoys cooking and can do it well, cries at sappy chick-flicks, likes to go shopping, and enjoys cleaning and homemaking. Today, I cleaned the whole house. And I made myself tolerate it because I listened to my Harry Potter soundtracks while I did it and I thought about how cool it would be if I could use magic to get it all done. And while I was sweeping the floor, I may or may not have contemplated hopping on the broom and jumping over the upstairs railing to see if I could actually fly. No worries, I snapped out of that daydream and came back to my senses before I actually tried it out. I just so wish that Harry Potter and everything about that world was real. Secretly, I'm convinced it is and they just do a really good job of hiding us Muggles from it all. At the same time though, I get so upset that I'm a Muggle. Sorta like the little kid at the birthday party who got the small piece of cake. So I try to erase from my mind all possibilities of Harry Potter being real, so I don't have to suffer.
YSA Branch--
I was less-than-thrilled when my dad suggested that I attend the YSA Branch in Muncie while I'm home. I didn't know a lot of the people in the branch and the people I did know were really redneck and weird. Or so I thought. As I've gotten to know the people in the branch, it has completely changed my opinion. Sure there are some strange people, but I love them. I absolutely love the Branch and I feel so blessed to have had this experience to get to know them. They really are some pretty incredible people. I'm so glad I gave them a chance.
Vanilla Creme Oreos--
My addiction resurfaced. It's a problem.
Exercising--
I've had issues with daily headaches for about 8 years now, but for the last 14 months, they've progressed to where I get migraines. So I had to quit running. I had planned to run the Teton Dam Marathon this summer, but now that'll have to wait until next year. I've recently started seeing a chiropractor who has helped me a TON. So hopefully, I'll be able to get back into running soon. Since I'm a complete athletic failure, running is really all I can do. So when I don't run, I don't feel like I look good. Ha. And with me relapsing on Vanilla Creme Oreos and Easter just around the corner (meaning that Chocolate-covered Marshmallow Eggs are consumed in disgustingly-large quantities by Yours Truly), I NEED to get back into running.
I have really enjoyed being home. It's been so nice to kind of chill for a little bit. Being home during the winter can be kind of lonely sometimes because all my friends are in college, but I've loved it this semester. I feel awful for not being good about keeping in touch with my friends (especially my best friend), so I need to be better about that, but I can't say that having this personal time wasn't something I've needed. Sometimes, we just need to get away from life so we can learn how to live it again. And live it better.
1 comment:
Yay! I so love that you're back from your mission. I know its been like more than six months, but I still like having you back. And I can't wait for you to be back on this side of the country again!
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