New Haul Coming Soon!

Just wanted to let all of you wonderful people know that I will be uploading a new haul soon - probably during Spring Break. I'm super excited because I'm slowly building up my collection of College-Bound stuff and it's just so fun to look at! I'm still getting some ideas from Pinterest as to how I should decorate my room - let me know if you have your decorations set or have any other suggestions!

Roommates

Ahh, roommates. The people we will be sharing the next year - possibly more - with in a small, jail-sized room that you luckily get to fight about how it will be decorated. You will know everything about each other - your habits, your weird quirks, how bad each other's farts smell: the whole shebang! And if that's the case, why not choose your best friend, right? After all, they probably know all of the above and then some.

WRONG!!!! OH, SO WRONG!!!! Whatever you do, do NOT room with your best friend. Even rooming with someone you know is a really bad idea! Think of your sister - how much you HATE when she steals your clothes without asking, your make-up, your hair stuff, your friends, (or the most awkward) your boyfriend. You know how you hate that little monster but you still love her because you're family? YOUR BEST FRIEND ISN'T FAMILY!! As much as you two love each other like sisters, it will not go over well 99.9999...% of the time! Your roommate in college is very unlikely going to be your best friend - you're really more likely to meet your best friend in the same way you'll meet your future spouse: in the grocery store, in class, online - you name it! But the last place I'd look is in your own room. It's very doubtful you'll stay up late telling your deepest darkest secrets. Now, that doesnt mean you won't be friends at all with your roommate and that doesnt give you any right to completely ignore and disregard your roommate: she's the person you'll be living with, at least for a while. You have to be civil.

Do try to make an effort, even if all the conversations ever go are as follows:

You: Hey (insert roommate's name here)! It's nice to meet you, wanna talk about who's bring what?
RM (new short hand for roommate): sure
You: okay, i have a mini fridge, microwave, crock pot, (insert other items here). I don't watch much tv though, so i dont have one.
RM: ok
You: do you wanna bring one? I woildnt use it though, I'll watch what i need on the computer
RM: no im good.
You: ok so what do you have?
RM: i haven't started getting stuff yet tbh
You: ...

DO NOT MAKE HER FEEL LIKE CRAP! This is usually the sign of " I'm two feet from going insane, this is way too overwhelming, just let me breathe. Now, if she's always responding in such a way, you may want to actually call her up and speak verbally because for one, it goes faster, and for two, you need answers. Always remember to remain calm because, although some may disagree, confrontation is generally something you want to avoid with your roommate.

In the end, i don't have a choice in who everyone chooses as their roommate and i can only give advice. My advice is to try to stay positive, don't commit any sort of felony, especially against your roommate, and just breathe. It's a new year and you're both naïve  about how college is going to play out, so stick together, but don't be afraid to branch out.

Shout Out!

There's a girl out there who blogged about college back in 2012 (or at least that's all the posts I've been seeing lately are the ones from her Spring Semester back then). She has some amazing posts that can't share my own experiences about yet simply because I have yet to be able to move all of my stuff into my future dorm room. So, in anticipation of my next haul (most likely to come shortly after Spring Break), check out The College Prepster's post about her dorm and organization!

Senior Year: Homework

This may sound intimidating for future Seniors to come: the load of homework and general crap we have to worry about is absolutely annoying and overwhelming. And it's not even like we even get that much, but the Senioritis/ADD/I-Don't-Care-Anymore makes this molehill seem like Mt. Everest. I mean, what sort of cruel person would expect a second-semester Senior to read a section per week of Crime and Punishment? How could you even ask an S-Cubed to analyze the meaning of Luzhin's bitterness and anger toward Raskolnikov as well as Sonechka's anxious and awkward state while receiving financial help from the narcissistic Luzhin? If you really wanted to know, you should have asked me last semester when I truly was like, "Yes! I can tackle this year!" rather than right now when every last Senior (none of us remain standing; most of us are hardly still on our hands and knees) asks on a daily basis, "Can we just graduate already?" I'd quite honestly rather have three hours of math homework than three hours of trying to comprehend translated Russian - at least with math you feel like you've gotten somewhere in the end. With this whole literature crap that we're working on here it's really just going in circles making up a bunch of hullaballoo (<--- I'd like to point out that this word is spelled correctly. Points).

"The significance of Sonya's awkward state when sitting in private conversation with Lizhin reveals her inability to relate to people around her. Despite her occupation as a prostitute, she is described to have anti-social tendencies that separate her from those around her. Because she does not recognizes when is the appropriate time to part from company, it is revealed that she is ultimately mentally unable to appreciate the company of those around her. Additionally, it is revealed that Luzhin's narcissistic tendencies reveal themselves through his state of mind and personal opinions, not only of women (particularly Dunya and Pulkeria), but of others around him, as well. Luzhin believed that he should have given Dunya more money so that she wouldn't have left him; however, had he given her more money, he wouldn't have been able to maintain the 'Superman' persona that he believes he held to Dunya and her family."

The previous paragraph that I have written is the kind of crap that ask us to produce on a weekly basis. What kind teachers have we, yes?

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm done with Senior year.

Parent FYI

For those parents new to life with a college-bound child, especially when said child happens to be female, anticipate heavy attitudes of I-really-couldn't-care-less and Please-shut-up-because-you're-stupid. And please don't take it offensively. As a Senior, the very last thing a normal kid wants to do is spend all their waking hours at home with Mommy and Daddy. Sure. They'd rather be at home than at school, but quality time with the parents is the last thing a kid wants. They're this close to freedom: the last thing your kid needs to see is you doubting yourself and the values you've instilled in them. So, unless you're aware of any drug or alcohol abuse that your kid has been going through, the likelihood of them going AWOL is fairly low (don't take me as an excuse to not care about your kid; I claim no responsibility for the future actions of your children).

Now, none of this is to say "Give up all hope of your kid loving you anymore, you're a stupid old fart that nobody cares about." No. Good grief, no. Your kid loves you. You know, as long as you've done your job of being a non-abusive parent, you're gold. They don't care if you're not perfect, you were their childhood hero. But everyone has to walk their own path, and clinging onto them for dear life like you're a Koala Bear on a tree isn't quite going to fly too high with them. Give them a little space. They need to fly from the nest some time.

The more relaxed you remain in front of them about letting them go to college (even if you're a nervous wreck on the inside), the more likely your kid will be willing to tell you when they're having issues. Going over the deep end right before you send them away isn't really an indicator of, "You can tell me anything." It tends to come across more as, "Yeah, I'm nuts and super on edge, so tell me stuff, but proceed with caution 'cause I'm a ticking time bomb."

On another note, if your Senior seems to be taking "easy" classes, don't push them. During my Senior year, I'm taking a teacher's aide class, three elite choir classes, Advanced Placement Spanish 5, Advanced Placement English Literature, and Honors Pre-Calculus. I can just hear some parents: " 'Elite' choir? Oh, come on. What do you do? Dance while you sing?" The answer to that - ...only at our last concert.  My point, however, is that the three choir classes I'm currently in are all auditioned. We have three or four concerts just in the spring, along with Regional and State competitions. Last year, we also went on a trip to Colorado for another, more competitive competition and ended up placing first in two of our choirs and second in our third choir. That's hard work. Believe me; singing isn't some field day.

As well, when you are given an Honors Pre-Calc final with 80 minutes to complete 60 3-5 part questions, you don't exactly pass. At least not with flying colors. Senior year is so stressful; you'd be surprised at what kids have to be thinking about these days so young. There's scholarships (which you never find out about until late March at earliest), College applications, College auditions (if your kid plans to be in choir, band, orchestra, etc.). You've got foreign language kids who have to take placement tests, AP exams, finals. Throw in those who participate in the plays/musicals in AND outside of school, those who do sports, or clubs, or any other extracurricular activity, including working ('cause some kids do that). Take all of that and add on expectations of not only doing well, but the expectation to take a full senior year? It's no wonder why some kids go insane (and no, I will not elaborate on that).

So before you decide that your kid must be Superman (or Superwoman, if you'd rather), consider literally everything they have to go through during this very important and VERY stressful year of their life. Consider that when your kid starts lashing out that s/he doesn't necessarily need the punishment as much as s/he needs the love. Naturally, there are some instances that need enforced punishment; however, you won't always be there to be scolding your kid when s/he does something wrong, so do remember to let their punishment be from natural consequences. There are many instances in which you will feel like you've lost absolute control, but always remember that you are a parent and, of all things, you know your kid. Keep them in mind during this last year that they will be right there close to home.

Non-College Related Post: Long Distance Relationships

If anybody has seen hard times in a relationship, it is those people who are in a long distance relationship. I, for sure, would know. After being in a relationship with my boyfriend for a year, I give little pity to those who are separated for a few hours between text messages. That being said, my boyfriend and I are faithful to each other. People often ask me how I am so sure that he is. And while that is a valid question, it is society's fault for the question's existence in the first place.

My very amazing and loving boyfriend and I talk every. single. day. without fail. On Skype, on the phone, via text. All of the above. We're not always in constant communication like many others; however, we are fairly inseparable considering the distance.

The only major problem we've had thus far is... Well... My mother. She was unaware of his existence until about six months after we started dating. It was my choice, honestly. She's never been a rather accepting person to say the least.

She often threatens that she won't pay for me to go to college whenever she and I fight and then blames my actions upon my meeting my boyfriend.

So what is my point in telling the world all of this information?

I do not suggest getting into a long distance relationship. They cause a lot of heartache, loneliness, and confusion. They cause a lot of tension, and they cause horrendous stress among everyone involved.

That being said, my boyfriend and I do plan on getting married in the next few years. He is my absolute best friend and favorite person in the world. We have our ups and downs, but one of the many qualities that I love about him is that he can always make me feel better when I'm upset, even with him. He never just walks away from me when I'm having a problem. Even if he can't solve it for me, he still manages to cheer me up, every time.

So, some of you may be thinking, "So why don't you recommend it? You're being a hypocrite!" Well, it depends on the person. Being in a long distance relationship has shown me that I am much stronger than I ever would have thought I was. It showed me what hard work, commitment, and loyalty means. It showed me that long distance is not for everybody and most definitely shouldn't last longer than absolutely necessary. I did everything in my power to try to cut the 'long distance' out of our relationship so that we could just be in a normal relationship together in the same area faster. God said no. You can only imagine how hurt I was at that one. Being separated from the love of my life showed me that prayer is absolutely essential to success. It showed me that  no matter what, everything will happen in time - but not my own time. God's time was the only way I'd get to be with my boyfriend faster. Which honestly isn't very fast most of the time. But God's time never stops. It always keeps moving. That's why it's already February.

So if you're finding yourself falling for somebody hundreds of miles away, believe me. You're not going to find your answer of whether it's right or wrong anywhere on the internet, in any of your friends, or even in your parents (as long as he's not serial killer material. In that case you may want to listen to your friends and family and let that bus pass on by). The only person that can tell you if this is right or wrong is God. He is all-knowing, and He will bring you through everything. He won't give you anything you can't handle. Though you absolutely will be tested. Don't ever think that God knowing that you'll make it through hard times means it'll be easy. Because it won't ever be easy. It'll only be worth it and eventually one day everything will make sense.