New Year...New Blog?

Um Hi!  I guess I didn't really put a good foot forth when starting this blog...I'm a neglectful blogger. What's new....

Well as many computers display in the bottom right corner, it's officially 2009 now.  Let's see....I started back to school after spending my whole break dreading it.  I was sick the whole first week so it went a little like this...

     Monday I woke up with raging coughing fits.  Spent my half hour commute enjoying my iTrip Autopilot (thanks mom).  Had Spanish 112 and realized a few people from my 111 class were in there.  Though I resumed my old seat by the lights and regretted it after I had to be the light switch operator because there are like 4 switches and they confuse me. I spent a lot of the day adjusting my annoying new glasses that never sit right on my crooked face/ears.  Then I made my first visit of the quarter to Hudson, which if you have ever been there, you can imagine the adventure that created....kind of like this:

                Me: I'm full of gunk and I can't stand it...coughing, sneezing, headaches, weird chest noises/breathing...fire in my throat.  It hurts, Fix it!

Nurse Practitioner: Well, gee, um I guess I should use this thing-a-ma-bob around my neck and listen to your chest.

Me: Well I have two shirts on, would you like me to remove one so you will be able to hear better?

NP: No, I'll just do it this way (she should have said...durrr, I don't know what I'm doing so I wouldn't know what to listen for anyway).  Take a few deep breaths.

Me: *breathing the best I can through the gunk in my lungs*

NP: Now let me use this shiny thing to look down your throat and up your nose holes. Say Ahhh.

Me: Ahhh.

NP: Well I guess I'll just give you this crappy medicine, if you don't feel better in a few days just come back.

Me: Well I guess I'll see you in a few days. 

Tuesday my mom had a doctor's appointment so she drove me to school because she was worried about the weather.  I went to 80 stores and bought books....I'm now broke.  Went to Spanish again and got nervous because she said if we were the dummies last quarter we should take 111 again.  Had Journalism 233 (Info Gathering) and I was bored to, well, almost sleep. I realized the seats in Scripps 111 are uncomfortably close.

Wednesday I was supposed to have a phone interview with a lady from the Art Institute of Philadelphia, but she never called....I guess they don't want my money?  Spent the rest of the day watching Monday and Tuesday night's shows on the dvr and coughing my head off some more.  Then I remembered I had 2 online classes I hadn't looked at yet and rushed to do the reading and assignment's for my Philosophy of Sex and Love class--very confusing with, like, Socrates, Plato, and all of those old dudes. They all sat around drunk talking...no lie, that's what my book says...and I've made the assumption that that is why I have no clue what they were talking about.  They believed that all women were lesbians and young boys deserved to have a lover (an old dude)...more on this all later though. 

Thursday was the same as Tuesday mostly except I went to work and they still don't have passwords for me to login so they just told me to go home.  But I finally got to work on Friday...no idea if I can work 20hrs a week though so until then I'm stressing about money...good thing I didn't quit good ole' Kfc like I had planned originally.

Well this post is 10x too long and I'm old and tired so...

Always ♥,

Anna

You Live...and You Kinda-Sorta Learn a Little? (Pt.1)

These past few days of break I've been thinking about how much I really did accomplish this quarter. I still don't know my grades so it's not accomplishments measured in that manner, I just mean in the terms of things I have done, positions I've been put in and worked out of, and just a whole mess of things that are different from my first quarter at OU.
I recall in Spring quarter I was mostly just really a loner, I wasn't there to make friends and I really just kept to myself. I just thought that I was so much different and not as cool or rich as most of the kids who go there. I know that's shallow to think but I really dreaded school everyday and just feeling how lonely it was. I think I probably called my mom like twice a day and I don't even live on campus.
Granted, I did make friends here and there in class but it wasn't my focus. I mean I have always been friendly but in new, uncomfortable situations I tend to keep to myself so I really only talked to people who talked to me first. Everyday I just went there and told myself that I didn't need people and I was only there to learn...but I've realized that it wouldn't be much of an experience if I wasn't putting myself out there and trying to make friends.
This quarter I feel like I've done a 90 degree turn at least....maybe not a 180 yet, but I'm improving. The first week I hated it, but somehow I slowly started feeling a little more at ease being more outgoing and trying to talk to people. However, I still mostly met people through class and working at The Post. It was just really nice actually having a few people on campus I could go to events with, talk about class with, and feel better about being there everyday.
The Post was a major stressor this quarter because I was trying to prove myself there, keep up with school, and work two jobs. I technically worked for Backdrop too and joined SPJ but I really didn't try like I should have with them. I spent most of the time stressed out like a maniac, running on coffee (usually with a case of the shakes), and having major bags under my eyes. Spazzing was a twice daily occurrance and putting off things like homework, eating, and going to the restroom became oddly normal.
I worked for The Summer Post and I'm never really sure if that benefitted me or made it harder for me to adjust during the school year. During the summer it was really laid back and chill with a staff of about 20 or less and we pretty much had free reign to write what we wanted. Coming into fall, it freaked me out that we had actual weekly tasks and expectations, along with a staff of over 100. I felt like I worked really hard during the summer to prove myself and after a racing story I did, I felt like maybe people would be a little more accepting....and they were...for the rest of the summer.
Fall as I said, brought new expectations and I certainly didn't meet them. I felt like a spazoid that constantly apologized for not having story ideas, not having things done on time, or just for asking too many questions. I felt embarassed a lot when I would take a story into editing and come out with it looking nothing like what wrote.
I don't know that I've even proven myself yet, I just know I've learned a little from it. I've always been good at going into interviews prepared and I've recieved many compliments on that from the people I interview...and that always encourages me. I've learned to go into the interview knowing I'm the one who controls it and it's my job to get the necessary quotes and story while keeping the people on topic. I've learned not to be embarassed to ask other writers for advice or help because your peers can be your best teachers. I think the biggest thing I've learned is to write about topics I care about or enjoy because, for me, it not only makes it more interesting but it produces a better qualitiy of work that more people will want to read because that caring pours off the pages.
With all of my responsibilities I was definitely spreading myself too thin but I tried to start allowing myself some time for fun. One of the things I am most proud of in a bittersweet sort of way is that I performed stand up comedy! In high school I was voted class clown, which sounds silly but I really spent most of my time entertianing everyone. I always wish I had that level of comfort in college where I could just be really goofy and funny with people I don't know. I heard about an amateur night and did a preview for it for The Post and decided I would also join in the fun. It was one of the most exctiting experiences I've had in a long time and I really want to do it again. The only part I am a little embarassed of is that my humor wasn't exactly clean....but not many real comedians use that good, wholesome humor.
I guess you can pull a lesson from just about anything.

Always ♥,
Anna

Are You In?

I guess I'm not sure where to start really. I think boring introductions come with everything in life, so here's mine:
I'm a 21-year-old young lady, girl, whatever you want to refer to me as. I'm from a very small town with little opportunities; to be quite frank, I think I've always been looking for a way out but at the same time a little too scared because this is all I've ever known. I attend Ohio University where I'm working my butt off to be accepted into Scripps. As long as that happens eventually, my plan is to double major in magazine journalism and get a B.A. with a concentration in photography.
I attended Rio Grande University before OU when I wasn't really sure what to do with my life. Actually, I'm still not quite sure what to do with my life. My interests are so broad and I am passionate about so many things, but it just comes down to thinking logically about what will support me best in life and get me where I need to be. I've seen my mom struggle to make ends meet my whole life and she's taught me to always want something better for myself.
I've been wanting to start a somewhat legit blog outside of the typical myspace blogs that stalkers and frenemies read. The problem is trying to think of what to blog about. I just have been considering what topics I know enough about that I could actually spend endless amounts of time blogging about and the only thing I think I really know this well is.....well, Life. I'm sure I will venture off topic, but so does life. The other things I know pretty well are movies, music, and magazines.
I realize I'm still a naive young woman who has yet to even grasp what life has to offer. All I know is in my short life I feel like I have experienced enough to qualify for double my years. This by no means implies that I am mature. I know I am in some ways, yet in other ways I know I'm years behind other people my age. The only thing I can refer to myself as is an in-between-er....meaning some days I feel about 80 and others I feel 12.
I guess this is life...well my life...take it or leave it.

Always ♥ ,
Anna