One Year, Lots of Things

It was a year ago this past week that I went to Ecuador. I can't believe it's really been that long. So much has happened in my life between now and then. One minute I'm stepping off a plane in a new country; the next, I'm graduating from high school and getting ready for college. Some parts of this year are just a blur. It really does all go by fast. One thing that I'm not used to is talking about high school in the past tense. I feel like I should be doing that when I'm a lot older; not when I'm 18. Out of all the things I did this year, I will never, never forget that trip. It's going to affect me for the rest of my life. It has already changed me in just 365 days. I've talked about it, thought about it every day; I even wrote an essay about it in my AP Literature class. Our whole group has been changed by it. We all got together yesterday for a reunion. Seeing them again made me realize how much has happened since the trip. I discovered how busy I've been lately, and quite frankly, I don't really like it that much! I'm surrounded by these wonderful people that I had a life-changing experience with, and as looked around, I suddenly thought, how many of these people have I kept in contact with this past year? Barely any of them. The last time I saw one of them was over 3 months ago. It made feel sad that I hadn't put forth more of an effort to maintain a solid relationship with them. You don't just write these sort of people off. Being able to reconnect was so wonderful. I missed it so much. So I'm not going to let that happen again.

Kindness

More often than not, we take acts of kindness for granted. I know I have many times. We realize it's a nice gesture, but that's where it ends. No other thoughts or feelings. But these little things sometimes help me remember there's still good people in this life. Last week my dad and I were going golfing. We stopped to get coffee on the way to the course and ran into a man who goes to our church. I couldn't remember his name or what he did, but the minute we walked in, he saw me and asked, "Are you golfing today?" I replied that yes, I was, thinking that would be the end of it, we would say our nice to see yous and goodbyes and go on with our day. He said, "Come on," and started walking with us to the counter. He opened his wallet, took out a gift card, and gave it to the cashier and told her to take care of our order. I think I was smiling the whole time we were in the coffee shop. I wasn't expecting anything to come of our encounter, yet he helped us without any hesitation.

Then, at the beginning of the week, I was at work and my sister Elizabeth called me. My sister Hannah had cut her hand and had to go to urgent care to get stitches (she ended up getting 12). I was telling some of my coworkers about it and one of them told me I could bring her a slice of pie that she had brought in for us. Hannah was so touched by her actions. Letting someone know you care, even if you don't know them; that's unheard of nowadays.

It doesn't matter how small it is. These things can impact people. I loved that cashier lady's reaction to the man from my church ( I really wish I could remember his name). At first, she was surprised. Then, the realization of what he had just done started to sink in. She smiled, looked at us, and cheerfully made our drinks. I bet she was like that for the rest of the day. Hannah happily ate her pie and it lifted her spirits. She was no longer down after that.

So, I guess the old cliche is true. You never know who is watching you. So the next you think about giving up your seat on the bus or helping someone carry groceries, why not take a chance and do it?

New Experiences

On Thursday and Friday, I had my orientation at Kent State. I scheduled my first semester classes, met some of my future classmates, and slept in a dorm that didn't have anything air conditioning! The whole thing was a bit of an information overload, but I had a good time. Here's how a typical orientation works:

1. Arrive on campus at 7:30 am

2. Sign in and put your stuff in the dorm you'll be staying in for the night

3. Go get your picture taken for your university I.D. card (which you will have for the next 4 years)

4. Sit in a big room and listen to people talk.

5. Get escorted to a smaller room with just your fellow students and listen to people talk.

6. Be reunited with your parents for lunch.

7. Go listen to some more people talk, this time in an auditorium

8. Come back to the first place you listened to people talk and listen some more!

9. Say goodbye to your parents because they go home after this.

10. Go take a math and a foreign language placement test that you didn't know about

11. Eat dinner

12. Have yet another seminar you have to sit through.

13. Hang out for about 2 hours and go to bed (in a dorm with no air conditioning)

Here's what happens the next morning!

1. Wake up at 7.

2. Pack up your stuff and check out of your room.

3. Eat breakfast.

4. Go to your advising appointment and schedule your classes

5. Meet up with your parents and listen to one more seminar

6. Walk around campus finding all of the buildings your classes are in (or in my case, look at a map and point to the general direction in which the building is)

7. Again, in my case, drive to downtown Kent, walk around, and find a nice place to have lunch.

8. Fall asleep on the car ride home.

This probably makes me sound a little cynical, but I just didn't feel like orientation gave me a good representation of what going to school at Kent is going to be like. They pack in a lot of stuff over a day and a half, and it's hard trying to process and remember it all. Trust me, I still want to go there, but I think I'll have more fun at Welcome Weekend when I move in (to a dorm room that has air conditioning, and it's own private shower!) I'm really excited to go, but at the moment, it's something that I don't always like thinking about. It's a big, kind of scary step in my life. I sometimes wonder if I'm going to be ready for it. But then I remember how far I've come so far. I've done things and gone places most kids my age will never get to do, and that's pretty awesome! I am very fortunate to be where I am. When I think of that, college doesn't seem scary anymore. Going to Ecuador was way more scary than anything Kent could throw my way! I came back from that country with wonderful memories and a new outlook on life. Kent State seems like cake in comparison to playing with street kids or going to a city dump.

Oh, and for those of you that don't know, I'm an English major with a double minor in Writing and Photo Illustration.

Can You Hear Me Now?

I've been noticing more and more how dependent people my age are on technology. I do realize that certain technology has become a necessity in our society- like the computer. I use one every day at work, and there was even a certain type of computer I was required to get for Kent State. Obviously, I wouldn't be able to write my blogs without out one either. However, in my opinion, the one piece of technology we use the most is a cell phone. My dad said once that people my age just don't know how to communicate. Well, dad, you are 100 percent right. Almost all of my communication with my friends now is done through texting, and quite frankly, I can't stand it. I would much rather have someone call me, or better yet, talk to them in person, face to face. Can you really express what you're feeling in 160 characters? No, no you can't. You can't tell what someone's reaction is through a screen. And the phone was originally invented so you could call people, not type "k c u l8r." I felt ridiculous just typing that out. When you're actually talking to someone, you have a connection. You see all of their movements and expressions. The slightest change in demeanor can mean so many different things. You see the sparkle, or dullness in their eyes. If they're sad, you'll know. Being able to observe these things is what keeps the connection between people going. You get to know them. You read them. Analyze. Sometimes it gets to the point where you know what they're feeling the minute you see them. There's something there that you can never get through texting. You can't have a meaningful conversation through a phone. It's a piece of plastic with wires and buttons. And mine likes turn off suddenly without explanation. In fact, it will sometimes turn off when I'm in the middle of typing a text. I think it's a sign.

Oh, and for all you guys out there, never, never, ever ask a girl out via a text. It doesn't work.

Songs and Symbols

I talk about music quite a few times on my blog, so I decided to tell you guys about some of my favorite songs and the artists that wrote them. I hope I can educate you a little bit on my tastes in music. So here they are, in no particular order.

1. The Rocket Summer- Hills and Valleys

As you can probably tell, I'm a big fan of The Rocket Summer. His music is very piano based, and his talent on the keys really shines on this track. He has a very unique voice that can hit notes in a very wide range. This is one of those songs that just makes you feel good. It's fun to sing along to, especially on the harmonies. If you're going on a road trip, you definitely should blast this through the speakers with the windows down.

2. Switchfoot- Faust, Midas, and Myself

If there was a song that was a message to my generation, this is it. Jon Foreman is a master at capturing you with his words. This song talks about how life isn't about material things and gaining wealth. We need to live our lives in a meaningful way. My favorite line from it is, "A heart that's made of gold can't really beat at all." That pretty much sums it up.

3. Jon Foreman- The House of God Forever

I like to listen to this song before I go to sleep. Jon Foreman basically took Pslams 23 and set it to music. I talked about this song in one of my earlier posts. It's just such a wonderful reminder of how much God loves us. I find it very comforting and calming.

4. NeedtoBreathe- The Heat

I'm not exactly sure how to describe NeedtoBreathe's sound. They're kind of blues/southern rock/ folk. Whatever it is, it's good. Really good. Bear Rineheart has a voice that is just filled with soul and passion. This song is just beautiful.

5. Bradley Hathaway- Look Up

Bradely Hathaway is a poet and a songwriter. He doesn't have the best voice in the world (think Bob Dylan) but his lyrics are amazing. He calls his songs poems that are meant to be sung instead of spoken. As a poet myself, you can see why I like his music. He even references Henry David Thoreau in this song. "He said we're all living lives of quiet desperation." Not all of you may know who that is, but a literary geek like me got excited when I heard that part.

So that is my two cents in the music world. I hope I have enlightened you with my musical ways!

Of Men and Angels

I've been listening to The Rocket Summer's new album, Of Men and Angels. The Rocket Summer is actually only one guy, Bryce Avery. He has a full band with him when he goes on tour, but when he's recording an album, he plays all of the instruments himself. He's one of the most talented musicians I've ever heard. Plus, he writes all of the songs. He has so much passion for music and it really shows on all the tracks. One of my favorite songs on the album is the title track, Of Men and Angels. It's a very powerful message. The chorus states, "Here I am dear Lord, tasting hints of fame. I don't want it anymore if it's not you that I gain. I wanna fall at your feet, don't wanna fall from your peace. I understand." He's saying that if he gains all this fame and popularity, but loses sight of God, he doesn't want to be a part of it anymore. In our society, it's very easy to lose sight of God. Recently, I've become stagnant with my faith. I would read my Bible, but the words just wouldn't speak to me the way they used to. Going to church, I would sit in my seat and not really hear the sermon. When I prayed, I felt like God wasn't even listening to what I was saying. My words felt useless. But then I realized that I had lost sight of God. It wasn't him that had left, it was me. I let life catch up to me, I didn't take the time to slow down and make time for God. But all along he was right there, waiting patiently. My time away probably only felt like a blink to him, but it was an eternity to me. But I've come back, and I don't plan on leaving.

I'm Back!

Hello there friends. It has been quite a few months since I've posted anything, and for that, I apologize. Here's what's been happening while we were apart. The Diary of Anne Frank was an amazing success. We had almost a full house every night and it couldn't have gone better. I graduated from high school, with honors. I went on a road trip to New York with my sisters and my good friend Laura. Went to a ton of grad parties (I will be continuing that trend this weekend) and last week I started working as an intern at my dad's office. I move files. All day. It's very boring and tedious, but it pays well and I need to save up for college. It's very surreal knowing that I'm leaving for college in 3 months. I'm starting down a new path (ugh, such a cliche!) but it is true. I'm not quite sure what to think yet. That and I don't know what dorm I'm in or who my roommate is yet.

Anyway, now that we're all caught up, there is something that I would like to discuss. Something that connects all kids my age. Toy Story. The movies started coming out when we were kids. They are a part of our life. I'm a huge fan of Toy Story. It made me believe that my toys came alive when I left the room and it was funny. Now, the final installment of the films is in theaters. I haven't seen it yet and I feel that I need to change that soon! But there's something about the movie that I can already relate to. As we know, Andy goes to college in this movie and his toys have to cope with the fact that he's grown up. This movie relates to every single kid my age. We have grown up with Andy. Just like him, we are starting this new journey and leaving our Buzzes and Woodys behind. But it's not just toys, it's our childhood. I feel like this movie is one of the final pieces of my childhood. The innocence, the imagination, I don't want it to fade. I don't think it ever fully will leave, but right now it just feels like it is. This is a lot to take in for me at times. Even though I don't know what to expect, I'm excited. And I think I'll bring my teddy bear with me. I don't want him to get lonely!