Addiction

I'm sure most people of this generation can understand my addiction to Facebook.  It's become a habit: turn on the computer, log on to Facebook.  I remember the time, way back in my senior year of high school, when I was wary of the social networking site.  I was hesitant, not sure how to respond to it.  I mean, what are you supposed to do with a "social networking" site?  It's not like Xanga (which will always have a soft spot in my heart; I had one for many years) where you write about things . . . It's a blog.  That's it's purpose.  So what exactly do you do with a social networking site?

Now, two years later, I can barely go a day without Facebook.  I log on periodically to check up on . . . I don't even know what.  Maybe to feel connected to the people I don't see every day or to see if anyone's sent me anything.  Perhaps I've gotten used to the stalkerish nature of the site.  I've also come to see its use as a resource and a place to share ideas with the people in my circle of friends, family, and acquaintances.  Events are slightly easier to plan while friends are scattered all over the East Coast if there's a place online for us to use.  We can make plans long before coming home for the summer.

The whole concept of being able to communicate with friends all over the world via the internet is awesome.  Unfortunately, I've found that the people I interact with the most on the internet are the people who I see regularly in real life already.  Most of the time, there are a bunch of people who are signed into Facebook, but no one I really want to talk to.  Then there are those people who you've met once but they invite you to everything.  It becomes more of a procrastination method: sign on, start a random conversation with someone you've met twice, stalk a friend's page because you haven't talked to them in a while . . .

Love them, hate them, social networking has come into existence and I doubt it's going anywhere anytime soon.  They're a great way to keep in touch with people you don't see every day (whether this happens regularly or not) and it's a way to discuss class assignments when you can't meet up with your group members in a class.  If you're having trouble getting contact with someone in other ways, you will probably be able to get a response on Facebook.

Of Wool and Teapots

Not to be confused with woolly teapots . . . Yeah, I don't know either.  As you can see, I'm trying to live up to the "blog post a week" plan.  Or trying to, anyway.  I go back to school a week from now and classes start up again on the 18th.  My first batch of textbooks came in today.  Part of me is looking forward to a new set of classes and getting back into the swing of classes, homework, and friends.  I start my education classes this semester, too.  It's going to be an interesting semester . . .

In other news, I got a teapot.  My sister and I took a trip to the local Goodwill a couple days ago.  I went in search of a teapot, and came up with this pretty little thing:

I also found the mug behind it, which is also kind of cute.  You probably can't tell in the picture, but each stripe has a different kind of tea written on it.  And they're sitting on my cleaner-than-normal-but-still-cluttered desk.  With the bonsai tree and a sculpture I made in high school.  Anyway, I'm very satisfied with my thrift store prowess.  Over the summer, I found my Brita pitcher at another local thrift store. 

On another note, I started knitting another hat.  Unfortunately, I haven't gotten the chance to take an in-progress picture yet, but I will get a picture eventually.  This time, I'm trying my hand at designing.  I'm going patternless, but I will say that cables are involved.

Have a splendid week and enjoy the snow!

What's a Life, Again?

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.  Alright, now that I have your attention . . . I know it's been a while.  I know that I promised myself that I would write a blog post a week, and I know that I've failed miserably.  However, I've found myself incredibly busy for the last two months.  First of all, I have fifteen credits-worth of classes (almost all of which require an excessive amount of reading).  Second of all, there are several clubs that I'm trying to be involved in (one of them being English Club, of which I am the secretary).  I've also been forced to do all the homework for said classes.  In between all of this, I've been trying to find time for friends, my boyfriend, and other assorted situations that have come up. 

I have, however, found some time for knitting.  I made another hat with some blue acrylic/wool blend.  I used this pattern from Knitty.  For a few days, this hat was my therapy.  I've been at the breaking point for a few weeks now.  I'm over halfway through the semester and I think I can make it.

10 Random Facts About Coming Back to School

Once again, I find myself sitting at a college desk in a college dorm room with a massive load of homework hanging over my head.  I've been back on campus for almost two weeks now.  Classes started on Monday, so I've officially survived almost an entire week's-worth of classes (I have one class left tomorrow).  Then, I'm off home for Labor Day weekend.  It's such a weird feeling being back on campus after being home for a few months.  Here are some things I've realized over the course of moving back onto campus and once again dwelling in the dorms:

1. I realized how many people I actually know on campus.  
2. I've also realized how many people I don't know.
3. I forgot how much walking you do in a day while on campus.
4. The first day of classes the second time around isn't nearly as scary as the first time.
5. I love getting textbooks really cheap on Amazon.
6. Having an elevator in the building makes moving in so much easier.
7. English classes require a lot of reading.  So do history classes.
8. I love my cork board.  I don't know how I survived without it last year.
9. No matter how many times I check to make sure I brought everything, I still manage to leave something at home.
10. Did I mention that I have a lot of reading to do?

 So, those are my thoughts on the first week of my sophomore year.  Tune in next time to hear me ramble about . . . I don't even know yet.  Have a splendiferous Labor Day weekend, everyone! 

The Conundrums of Life

It's reached that time of the year when it feels like everything should be winding down.  There are two and a half weeks left of the school year, three more classes and the final exam for my twice-a-week classes, and (relatively) sunny, spring-timey weather.  Yet . . . everything just seems to be speeding up.  Classes are coming to a close, which means final exams and final assignments.  English Club is having its final meetings, which means that elections are coming up (Am I running for an office?  Yes!!!)  The leaders for next fall's Getaway Weekend have been chosen, which means that we're meeting to get things organized for that.  Some jobs on campus are getting ready to hire people for next year, which means that I have an interview with the admissions department to become a tour guide.  Stress is high, energy is low . . . and the smells of summer vacation and a summer job are calling me home.  There's so much to do, yet all I really want to do is curl up with a novel and spend the afternoon being swept away by stories of knights and dragons and damsels in distress.  I mean, who wants to read about DNA and phonics in this kind of weather?

Another Year Come and Gone

Wow, so it's 2010 already.  I can't believe it.  Another year of my life come and gone.  I must say, though, it was good while it lasted.  There were a lot of big changes in my life, but it was all for the better, I think.  Here are just some major things that happened during 2009 . . .

1. AP Comparative Government came to an end, which can be considered a good and a bad thing.  Good for our relative sanity (wait . . . were we ever sane to begin with . . .?) Unfortunately, this also brought about the end of the amazing Russia group.  We had so many inside jokes from the back of that classroom . . .
2. AP English Class--the best class ever. Period.  We had some crazy fun times in that class . . .
3. I got my first job- Dairy Queen for the win! Yep, that's right people, be jealous.
4. Prom- yeah, yeah, you can say that prom is overrated, but it was really fun.
5. Graduation- it rained the whole week before, but it was sunny and perfect graduation day.  Of course, I missed the cap-throwing because I couldn't get the thing off my head (darn bobby pins) and the tassel off fast enough, but whatever.  I made it through high school with honors and a green cord that I got to wear with my cap and gown.
6. The constant stream of grad parties- yep, I saw everyone at least once every weekend for the next couple of weeks.  Good times, good times . . .
7. Senior Week- since my friends and I were way too disorganized too cool to go to the beach or something of that nature for our senior week, we had a "staycation" of sorts where we camped out at a different person's house every night and did awesome things like a murder mystery party, mall scavenger hunt, and bowling.  Best senior week ever, I must say.
8. College!- it's been good and bad; there's been drama, tears, way too much stress to even think about . . . but it was good.  This fall, I learned that I can make it on my own.  It's such a different eperience compared to high school.  I've met a lot of awesome people, and . . . a few really weird ones.

So, those were the highlights of my 2009.  And, yes, I'm aware that I'm posting this way after new year's day, but I had to think about the things I should put in the list.  Moving on, just a few new year's resolutions that I want to push myself with this year.

1. I want to be healthier-as in eating right, exercising, etc.
2. I want to focus on my art and writing more.  I feel like the only art that I've done recently has been for a class assignment in one form or another.  I want to do it for me this year.

I don't think they're huge in the whole realm of things, but they're things that I need to work on.  I let myself waste a lot of time (mostly on facebook, unfortunately) and hopefully working on those two resolutions will cut down on that. 

I wish everyone a belated happy new year's!

Life in General . . .

1. is unexpected, random, unplanned.  I try to live day-to-day because every day brings its own challenges I need to handle.  Every day has its ups and downs, from an inside joke brought up at breakfast to a bad test grade in the afternoon.  The future will take care of itself until I get there.
2. is crazy, frustrating, confusing.  People give mixed messages about what they're feeling.  I'm never really sure where I stand with certain people.  I think we're on good terms, and then something happens and they seem mad.  In a single day, one must make many decisions from what to eat for breakfast to what kind of studying should be done.  Even though I try not to worry too much about the future, I still worry about career options, classes I need to take next semseter, the money I need to pay for said classes.
3. is a whole lot more pleasant when you have your knitting.  I haven't had much time to knit lately, or blog, or write, or anything other than homework, really . . . I'm looking forward to having time to pursue my hobbies over the Christmas break.
4. is much better with good friends.  I don't know where I'd be without my friends.  We've had some rough days this semester, but we always pull through in one way or another.  They get me through the stressful times and know how to get a smile on my face when I feel like I want to cry.
5. can be lived long and happily without psycho professors.  I think everyone I know has had one in one class or another.  All they do is make life more difficult in the long run.  But hey, passing their class means that you can get through anything, right?
6. could use more socks without holes in them.  No, seriously.  For the last month, I can't seem to put on a pair of socks without a toe poking out or my heel, or feeling the floor through the bottom . . . The world is a much better place when your socks are whole and hole-less.
7. is very fun during Christmas-time, in spite of finals.  The cheerful music, the festive atmosphere at the mall, the bright decorations.  I couldn't imagine a world without Christmas, even in it's sickeningly-commercialized state.  But I love making/getting presents for my friends.  I like making people happy. 
8. is good.  I've survived my finals with one left to go.  The semester's officially over tomorrow, for me anyway.  I successfully made it through my first semester of college, I've made awesome friends, and I've discovered that I can (for the most part) make it on my own.

Nerves

Classes start today. I'm not sure whether to be happy or sad. Orientation just seemed to drag on and on forever, but I'm still not sure I want classes to start. I'm really nervous. Of course, I don't have anything better to do right now than just sit here and think about it because all of my friends have left. Of course they have. I'm the only one in my wing (that I'm friends with, mind you) that has an eleven o'clock class. That may work out to my advantage later in the semester if I have to pull an all-nighter--meaning I can sleep in later--but that doesn't help me now. So let's talk about happier things, shall we?I've decided that I need an easy project . . . well . . . I have a lot of easy projects going right now. What I mean is the kind of project that I can do while sitting in the dark watching a movie. We were watching Howl's Moving Castle last night with a couple of other girls from our wing and some random guys and I couldn't knit! They insisted on having the light off. Since I was working on this:

And since I need to be able to see the stitches so I can knit without dropping any, I need the light on. So, I need something like a sock or a scarf or something of that sort . . .