Things Learned: Sophomore year

Well, it’s official folks; I am a junior in college and will be starting the nursing school next fall.  My sophomore year at TCU is over and I am glad I have two and a half more years at this wonderful place. I am thankful for TCU and all the people I have met. Here are some things I learned my sophomore year:

1.     I can always count on the BLUU having salad and my chicken being a little under cooked.

2.     Always accept lunch invites. You never know what friendships may come from it. In return, do not be afraid to ask others. The likeliness they will say no is slim because everyone likes food.

3.     Having your room at 60 degrees is socially unacceptable, but do it if it makes you happy.

4.     A school that brings you bunnies and puppies to play with is the school that you want to be at.

5.     On any given day there is free food to be found on campus. If you are in Honors your odds will increase greatly.

6.     If you have the opportunity to go on a spring break trip with a professor and your classmates, do it. Chi town forever. #CMSB

7.     Growing up is weird.

8.     Take responsibility for your actions.

9.     Reading over 20 books in one semester will change how you think about the world.

10. Directories can come in handy even in our tech savvy world. Hold on to them.

11. Don’t be embarrassed if you legitimately feel proud to see an alumnus at the grocery store, gym or mall because you know you both love TCU.  

12. An on campus job can be the best part of your week.

13. Sprinkles closes at 9. It takes 30 minutes to get there.

14. We are given what He knows we can handle even though at the time it seems too much to bear.

15. Sometimes you just have to call your mama multiple times in one day.

16. People’s perceptions of you are completely different than what you believe of yourself. First and foremost, be content with who you are.

17. The first floor of Reed smells weird. Milton is a Hilton. Starbucks is the best place to study and walking from one end of the campus to the other takes less than 10 minutes.

18. When you pass someone walking to class and they ask, “how you are doing?” say something other than “Good, just busy.” None of us are too busy for what we should truly be investing our time in.

19. You can find one of your best friends through your sorority.

20.  If it’s a game day and the football game doesn’t start until 6, you are still not getting any work done that day. Plan accordingly.

Heeeeeere summer, summer.

For the TCU horned frogs there are six weeks until summer. In between that time there are papers, mixers, presentations, formals, exams, interviews, books to be read and shenanigans to be had. This summer I have the privilege of being an orientation leader and spending a summer with 22 amazing individuals as we welcome the new baby horned frogs. I have three goals this summer:  start and finish my book list (The Catcher and the Rye, The Fault in Our Stars, and many others, suggestions are welcome), watch all seasons of “30 Rock” and “Parks & Recreation,” and grow closer to my friends while helping the new horned frogs adjust to college life. As excited as I am for my “summer like none other”, my heart is currently full. I’m ready for summer but I am content to wait and enjoy these last few weeks.

So, whether you are a senior in high school or a senior in college, or even a sophomore like me just waiting to be able to call yourself a junior, hold off on wanting summer so badly. We have about 6 weeks to impulsively drive to Dallas for sprinkles thirty minutes before it closes or lay on our beds and have life chats when we know papers are due soon. Life is short and college is even shorter so be happy, hopeful, and most importantly be a horned frog. 

From Regis to TCU

This weekend, just one year ago, I came home from Denver for Spring Break. Every time I had come home I was simply overjoyed but I thought it was merely because I had such amazing family and friends back home that I couldn’t wait to see. Well, as you all probably know that week I toured TCU and Baylor. (two places I never considered going while looking at colleges senior year.) I remember just having a conversation with a friend as she asked me how school was and I just broke down crying because I was unhappy. After visiting TCU, I knew it was time for me to make a change. I returned to Regis and sent in my application and in April I received my acceptance letter to TCU.

When I decided to leave everyone asked if it was because I was homesick. In all honesty, I got homesick only once. It all really came down to the fact I knew I wanted to work and live in Texas after graduation and Texas will simply always be my home. 

When people now ask me how TCU is I know I don’t have to lie about being in love with my life at my school. There is no greater pride I feel than being a horned frog. (I know, I know who would have ever thought.) I have met such wonderful women of God who I call my best friends. I am in the honors college, a member of Catholic Community and a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and have such caring professors. Everything that I thought college was supposed to be that I didn’t find at Regis is what I have found at TCU.

I know that if I had never gone away for school I would not be as thankful as I am for TCU. I would not be as thankful for my great state and surely not as close to my mom and grandma as I am today. I have no regrets for having to go away to figure out I needed to come back. Every part of our lives hopefully amounts to something in the end, some lesson we all need to learn, and I didn’t have to wait to long to figure that out. There is a greater plan that we are all unaware of so we must trust in Him.

Here I am a year from my decision and I just want to tell others reading this that no matter what, be happy with where you are and if you are not, then make a change. Yes, it is scary to start over and yes in some ways you may feel like you have done something wrong, but life is too short to be unhappy and not getting what you deserve. So here’s to making changes and just simply trying to figure it out, day by day. 

Love on Every Calendar Day.

         The time has once again arrived ladies and gents. Yes, yes, Valentine's Day is quickly approaching. Whether you are married, single, in a relationship or just kind of confused about life, celebrate Valentine's Day with happiness and candy and tell someone you love them. However, know that there shouldn't be just one day a year to express how much someone means to you. Every day, at any moment should be special enough to tell those you care most about that you love them. So to the people I hold closest to my heart, I would like to give y'all a reminder of why y'all mean so much to me:

Mommy, I love that you are not only my mom, but my best friend. Thank you for letting me be a mama's girl and never giving up on me.

Grandma, I love that you are seriously the coolest person. You bowl, play Majong, and have more friends than I do. Thank you for being my number one fan even when I don't deserve it.

Sarah, I love that you know everything about me, yet still love me all the same. Thank you for loving me despite my imperfections.

Mariah, I love that you have such a zest for life and are so fabulous. Thank you for the fact you remind me of Beyonce. 

Annie, I love that you are my big, my best friend and confidant. Thank you for being the type of friend that I prayed I would find TCU.

Paige, I love that you have such a huge heart. Thank you for your friendship that reminds me how God works in ways that we least expect.

Tessa, I love that you love squirrels and that you scared me for the beginning of our friendship because you were so sassy.  Thank you for always listening. 

Bailey, I love that you are never afraid to tell me how it is. Thank you for showing me that being confident in yourself is so very beautiful.

Katherine, I love that you can always bring such a calmness to my heart. Thank you for being there for me. 

Lia, I love that you are Italian and therefore our bond is like none other. Thank you for being Italian, no seriously, you are great. 

Sarah, I love that you are are such a blessing in my life. Thank you for being like a sister to me.

So today, or tomorrow, or even on Valentine's Day, take a moment and tell those that mean the world to you why they matter and thank them for being who they are. Share the love.