Midterm madness

If one picture could describe the end of my October,

it would be this...

Midterms. Suck.

But the end is near!

I'm am just 4 essays and two projects away from bliss.

Well, at least a slow down.

Sometimes I just think about life...

…and I am amazed at how things turn out.

If you talked to me two years ago, I was adamant about my future. I was dead set on going to California for college and never giving these cornfields of Indiana a second thought. I would rather roam the hills and coast of San Francisco, scraping up whatever major I could to meet my interests. It was a long shot, but it’s what I wanted.

I’m not sure I could be anymore happier that this is not my reality now.

I can’t believe I was ever going to throw away the education am I getting now for some half-assed curriculum at just another general state school far away that I knew nothing about.

I can’t believe I was simply going to disregard Ball State’s phenomenal reputation for their Journalism department, especially Graphics and Advertising, and just get a general education elsewhere.

I can’t believe I was so discontent with Indiana that I was going to pass up a quality education with some of the best professionals and professors in the nation, one of the best programs in the nation, full of endless opportunity and excitement and connections, a program that would open so many doors for me in life.

I can’t believe I was ever going to just let that slip between my fingers…
all because I was sick of my hometown.

Well guess what, I’m not sick of Indiana anymore.

Do I still itch to get out and see the world? YES.

Do I still think I’ll begin my life after college elsewhere? YES.

But do I regret staying here? NO.

And I’ve grown to appreciate it so much more.
Not just because of the opportunities I have here, but just because of what it IS.

Indiana is my past, my home, my present.
It’s my childhood memories, my family, and everything that is familiar.
It’s the harsh winters I hate, but the exquisite autumns that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
 It’s everything that has made me into who I am today, right now.
It’s where my dreams began, even if those dreams want to take me somewhere else.

How could I not appreciate that? 

And the future gets a little bit clearer

I'm not sure I could be any more ecstatic for next semester!

Will I be in way over my head?

YES.

Will I be stressed?

MAYBE.

Do I regret my decisions?

NO.

NEVER.

NOT AT ALL.

See, I was one of the students chosen to participate in a special, immersive journalism project for credit.

We will be working with Circle of Blue, which is a nonprofit journalism initiative that is reporting on any and all water news.

It is headed up by some of the top journalists in the world, and Ball State even played a role in the funding of the founding.

And myself, along with some fellow classmates, are getting the chance to be a part of this great project, doing graphics and reporting and what not.

Not only will we be gaining great experience and working with a cutting-edge initiative, but having work that is nationally/internationally published? Hell, that could be a portfolio in itself!

I'm not going to lie, between this special project class and a huge load of other classes, plus designing for the DN and being a part of SND and AAF, and looking for another job...

well, next semester is going to be hectic, stressful, and hard to say the least.

But every moment will be worth it.

Gotta get through this...

Normally, I love Wednesdays.

It doesn't usually take me much to get through.

But today...

BLAHHH!

I'm pretty sure I could drop right now and sleep for days.

But I can't.

I didn't catch Glee last night, but I heard that "Lucky" was the best part.

And while Taylor Swift is overplayed these days, I don't even care.

I can't wait for her new CD to drop this month,

and I've been listening to her new singles in anticipation.

And I'm looking forward to Fall Break

I'm going down to IU to see some friends

heading home to celebrate a friend's birthday

playing some fall softball

and maybe even a late night bonfire.

Ah - so close, but so far away.

Just a week and a half to go...

All plans are out the window

I always thought that I had a general idea about where my life would go...

4 years of college,
internship experience in San Francisco, Seattle, and Chicago,
a job in California,
and then life would go on...

But now, I don't even know what I want to do tomorrow, much less in years to come.
How do I know I ultimately want the west coast when I've spent minimal time on the east coast,
have never roamed New England,
and have never even given the south a second thought...

I'm at the point in my life where I can change my mind a thousand times.
I have the time to make decisions and decide what I want the rest of my life to be.

Why would I throw that away trying to conform to a 3-year-old dream?

Hello, October

It's been a long week, and I've still got a long semester ahead.

But now it's OCTOBER, and I can feel fall coming into full swing.

I love the cool temperatures, the leaves, the cider...

ALL OF IT!

Of course, October is also when class papers and projects start piling up.

(sigh)

But, I plan on staying positive.

And productive.

No more all nighters for me...

(or so I hope and pray and cross my fingers!)

Nonetheless, I'm ready for a new season.

Bring it on :)