Be the Change You Wish to See in the World

     So, I'm taking a class called Leadership for Social Change this semester and it involves training shelter dogs in the Seguin community to help make them more adoptable.  Last Tuesday night a few of the women who work with the Animal Rescue Foundation (A.R.F.) came to talk with our class. They even brought their dogs and everything!
    One of the women, Barbara Upper, said something that made me think.  We were talking about how much they've helped to improve the Seguin Animal Shelter and she said that you get from your community what you tolerate.  A lot of the time we see things happening in our community that we think are awful, or we say, "Oh, that could never happen here."  But the truth is, they can.  And things will only change when we choose to change them.

Happily outside with Emily after his bath!

Sadly stuck in the shelter!

   
















     My friend Harlie and I ended up going to the animal shelter to see their facilities.  They were super crowded since their facilities are so small, and if there are too many dogs then they end up having to euthanize some of them.  That is, unless they can find foster homes.  This is where a lot of the work of A.R.F. comes in.
     These women have dedicated their lives to helping find homes for these animals, doing everything from placing dogs in temporary foster homes to driving halfway across the country to deliver dogs to the Hamptons, to holding monthly adoption drives at Seguin's Barky Park.
     On the day that we visited, we noticed that there were some dogs that really needed to get out of the shelter because they were literally going crazy from being stuck in such small cages with no chance to play or run.  Harlie ended up taking a dog named Tin Can to foster and I ended up fostering one as well.  Otis was brought in by his owner to be euthanized but the people at the shelter decided not to because he was so cute!  This story has a great ending though: it turns out though that my roommate Emily has been wanting a dog and she ended up adopting him just a few days later!
     It's still early in the semester, but I have to say that I'm absolutely pumped to be a part of this class.  Not only are we using positive reinforcement and clickers to train the dogs which obviously interests my psychology side, but we're also doing a lot of good for these animals.  I'm really looking forward to seeing where all of this will lead.

Everything's Changing

Well, the time has come.  Everyone is moving back to campus, settling into their homes for the semester and looking brightly towards the days ahead.  The freshman moved in on Saturday and everyone else began their move in today.  I don't live on campus anymore, but I had writing tutor training so I was on campus anyhow and it suddenly hit me that in a year, this won't be mine.

Yes, Texas Lutheran University will always be my alma mater and the place that I grew up, but the leadership will pass on to the next generation of students.  I will move on with my life and my academic pursuits, but TLU will still be here growing and becoming better for that next round of students.  

My friend Stephanie and I grabbed an early dinner at Hein today and I think that's when it suddenly hit me how different the campus has become just over one summer.  Where there used to be wood paneling there's now bright burgundy paint and where there used to just be grey there are now smiling faces of TLU students along with the phrases "Learn Boldly" and "Live to Inspire".  From filters in the water fountains to flags showing students engaged in a variety of pursuits on every one of the tall lamp posts lining the campus's sidewalks to an entire brand new residence hall--everything's changing.

And I know that it's silly, to think that this place will always be a part of me when I've only been here for 3 years.  But that's just how it is.  This is my home.  This is where I began to discover who I was and who I am and who I want to become.  This is where learned how to forge beautiful friendships and that sometimes those friendships will change and that you just have to accept that, no matter how much it hurts.  This is where I began to learn that I can conquer anything if I believe that I can.  This is where I learned that even when circumstances seem impossibly overwhelming, there will always be someone there to support me and help me and love me.

Tomorrow morning I'll go to my last opening convocation here at TLU.  Then in the afternoon I'll have my last first day of class here at TLU.  And while I'm feeling rather bittersweet about this being the final round, I'm determined to make this the best year yet.

Senior Check-In!!

Just checked in for my senior year at TLU and I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that I was a freshman three years ago! One thing I definitely don't miss: the line wrapping around Tschoepe for check-in before we could just do it online!

And here's a bonus picture of me and the Maddy-kinz!

I asked her how her shirt got so dirty and this was her response: "ICE CREAM AND DIRT!!"

Andrea Gibson

The Nutritionist // Andrea Gibson

Crab Apple Pirates // Andrea Gibson

                        

     As soon as I'm not entirely and wholly too broke to buy books, I'm buying all of Andrea Gibson's anthologies.  I discovered her work a few days ago and I've literally been unable to stop myself from watching videos of her performances.  Her words are so powerful, the way her voice shakes and her body's enveloped by emotion.  You can tell how important all of these little stories are to her, how much they mean.  This is how I want my poetry to be; not something written, something lived.

Introducing...the FABULOUS Warby Parker

A few weeks ago a friend of mine lost his glasses at the beach.  I remembered hearing about a company called Warby Parker that did the whole one-for-one thing (like TOMS shoes) but with glasses instead.  Plus, the style was right up his alley.  Anyways, they have a free home try-on program so he gave it a try. Seeing him model all of his new glasses inspired me to give it a try as well so I went ahead and picked out a few pairs and waited for them to arrive in my mailbox.  I have to say, I am so in love with all of the frames that I chose!  The two pictures are of my favorite frames, though I think I'm going to go with the Sibley's for now.  I still have to get an eye exam, but as soon as that's done these babies are going to be mine!

The Sibley in Amber

The Reece in Midnight Blue

I think I was in 3rd grade when I first got glasses.  Purple, wire-rimmed, and fabulous.  My mom wore her glasses all the time, my dad and older sister each had reading pairs, and of course my grandparents had theirs.  I was finally a part of this club.

During elementary school glasses were pretty cool, but by the time middle school came around most of my friends who had glasses hated them.  Maybe it was resentment more than hatred.  Anyhow, the time had come and they mostly moved on to contacts.

Not me though.  I stuck with my glasses like an old friend.  I loved being able to choose when I wanted to see the world.  If I woke up in the morning and wasn't quite feeling it yet, I just wouldn't put my glasses on.  I'd walk around in a haze, waiting until I felt like I could actually partake of its activities.  I became pretty shy in middle school, a characteristic which remained with me throughout high school and my first two years of college.  My glasses almost served as a kind of buffer between me and the rest of the world.  I felt like no one could really look me in the eye, which I wanted for whatever reason.

Moving into college though I almost felt like I wanted to try contacts.  After all, that seemed like the adult thing to do for some reason.  I was changing and I didn't want to be who I had been.  Everything around me was new and different and wonderful.  College is when we start to discover who we are and begin to shape ourselves into who we will be.  Maybe I wouldn't be the girl with glasses.  Maybe I'd wear contacts and hide my lack of perfect vision.

It never happened though, and I think I'm glad about that.  I don't think I could live without my glasses.  Trying these new frames on has made me realize how much of my identity is wrapped up in a simple set of lenses.

I am a girl with glasses.  I wear them to see the people I love.  I wear them to read the books from which I learn.  I wear them to write the stories in my heart.

They frame my world.

August 2

Finally got my books for school.  Buying books is bittersweet for me; I love having the new books and paging through them and getting excited about the learning journey that I'm about to embark on, but I also hate having to part with the money.  I got books for just four classes and my bill totaled almost $400.  Way more than the typical college student can afford, but about average from my experience. In case you were wondering, this is what it looks like when you buy $400 worth of text books.

This is what $400 worth of textbooks looks like...and they're all USED! 

I also cleaned out my car (which needed it SO badly) and made Rosemary-Lemon Chicken for dinner. (Of course I forgot to take an after picture!)

I threw it all into the crock pot around noon before I went down to school and then by the time I was done cleaning my car at like six it was ready.  I used boneless skinless chicken breasts and did everything the same except that I added 1/2 cup of chicken broth to keep it from drying out.  Katie also made mac & cheese to go with it, as well as some steamed broccoli.  Absolutely delicious and definitely something that we'll be making again!!

Days like this make me kind of sad that summer's about to come to an end.  I love this feeling of freedom and independence and just being able to do what I want and live.  At the same time though, I can't wait to get back into the swing of classes and for everyone who's not in Seguin to get back.  I'm already feeling like this is going to be one amazing semester!

13 Things Before 2013

     Here's a tip: be careful who you're roommates with.  My one roommate and I spent the last two days getting our old house clean.   Let me tell you, it was AWFUL.  Mostly from the cats that one of my former roommates had, but still.  I haven't lived there since May when my lease was up so at least I didn't have to move any of my stuff, but cleaning was still not enjoyable.  At least it's over now!

Anyways, I also realized today that school starts in less than three weeks! And what does that mean? 

GRADUATION!  And in celebration of that, I decided to finish making my list of 13 things that I want to do before I graduate in 2013.

13 Things Before I Graduate In 2013

1. Take photographs of your favorite places around campus. Our Lady. Try to get at least one shot from the top of a building!
2. Pay off your first car. Put $10 in your savings account every week. Don’t take it out. Create a budget for yourself and STICK TO IT.
3. Fill the fountain in front of Langner with rubber duckies. :)
4. Get new glasses. *cough cough* WARBY PARKER *cough cough*
5. Create a grown up wardrobe. Blazers! Pumps! Pencil skirts! OH MY!! (Okay, this one may partially be an excuse to go shopping. Whatever.)
6. Have a crazy ridiculous (yet safe!) spring break. I smell a road trip in the making...
7. Do a real bell run!
8. Finish all of the games on the sticks that you and Emily made. ;)
9. Go out for a drink with a professor.
10. Vote in your first presidential election!!!!
11. Tailgate at homecoming!
12. Go to the palm reader across from campus on Court Street.
13. Take the GRE. Apply to grad schools.  Graduate. Remember how hard you’ve worked and think of all of the children you’re whose lives you’re going to impact. No one can stop you if you believe in yourself.