So with the first week of classes almost over I realize that I really need to prioritize. I have to manage classes, observation hours, a new job, a social life and extra activities. I feel like I didn’t really have this problem much during the first semester but now it seems to be a major issue.
Of course my classes are the most important thing because after all that is what I’m here for. After that I feel like I really need to focus on my observation hours for Athletic Training. I need to get 150 hours done by the end of this semester and right now I only have about 16. If I don’t do well in my classes or get my hours done then I will not be accepted in the Athletic Training Education Program which will put me far behind in my major. Then of course I need to focus on my job because no one likes to not have any money. My social life is pretty important to me as well because everyone needs friends. And then I guess whenever I have time I can do other extra things.
Well I guess part of life is just prioritizing.

So everyone always has mixed feelings about coming back to school. I know I do! While I did enjoy doing absolutely nothing over break it did get very mundane and boring very quickly. I felt like I laid on the couch playing with babies for the last 2 weeks of break. But anyways I was way too excited to come back to school. It’s hard to have fun when there’s snow everywhere making everyone scared to drive. But on campus it’s so convenient when all of the people that you want to see are either right next door or just a 10min walk down the street. Of course my excitement to be back at school quickly wore off once classes started. My classes aren’t too bad but still no one really likes to do work. Well speaking of work to do I have to finish reading this Pyschology chapter. until next time…

So last week everyone has been complaining about how it was definitely the worst week of the semester. FINALS WEEK!
I am way to happy about that finally being over. I was so busy these past 2 weeks that I though I would go crazy! I had 2 10 page papers to write, along with an oral presentation, a few smaller 5 page papers to get done, and alot of studying to do. It took so much energy out of me to get everything done on time that needed to be. I wanted nothing more than to sleep, but of course just like all other college students there was 0 time for sleeping, there wasn’t even enough time to get done everything that I had to get done. I wonder who’s bright idea it was to only make 24 hours in a day.
But now that the most dreadful week is over. It’s time to breathe. Going home for Christmas break with absolutely nothing to do is the best feeling ever! I can wake up when I want to and when I get tired there is nothing preventing me from falling asleep. I love it. That plus the home cook meals makes me wish that I never had to go back to school, as great as B-W is.

So I’ve been working since the day I moved in on campus, actually because of my job with the football team I had to move in early. While my job was something that I loved very much, it took up so much time. There were some days when I would go to class, then work, then meetings, and not get a chance to take a break until after 9 at night. My job kept me busy and it gave me something to do with my life. But now football season is over and I don’t have a job. For a couple days I had no idea what to do with myself. I actually took a nap for like the first time (which has since then became my new favorite hobby). Even though I won’t have as much spending money as I would like until next season, there are some positive aspects of not having a job for now.
I HAVE SO MUCH FREE TIME! There are so many organizations and clubs that I can now join because at first I did not have the time to go to the meetings. Now I can join my friends on the weekends when they decide to go out, because I do not have a football game to attend in the morning. I have so much free time it’s ridiculous! Now I just have to find something to do with it!!

Today’s forecast in Berea, Ohio: 70 and sunny. It is such a beautiful day. It is days like this that makes me truly appreciate the bipolarity of Ohio’s weather.
I did not think that I would get a chance to enjoy this beautiful day because of the amount of work that has to be done. I had to go to work this morning and then I needed to get a head start on some papers that are due soon (I guess I finally learned my lesson about procrastination lol), and later I have to go to the anatomy lab so that me and a friend can study some cool cadavers. It made me sad that it was going to be such a nice day and I would have to work right through it. But then I got a great idea. After I got off work I could easily walk down to Coe Lake and work on my papers there.
The lake is so peaceful and calming. Not only did it provide me with the relaxation that I desperately needed, it also allowed me to focus. The lake is an overall nice spot and is free from the clutter and busyness that the college life can cause. It’s like the break room of life and on top of that it is beautiful. One of the many great things about going to Baldwin-Wallace is that you don’t have to go very far for an escape.

What girl doesn’t love to feel appreciated? Yesterday was the 1st annual African-American and Latina Female Appreciation Dinner hosted by an on-campus male support group M.I.A. (Men In Action), and I must say that the guys did a fabulous job. The invite to the dinner stated that dress was business casual so all of the girls got all dolled up and beautiful. Everyone looked so nice! As each female arrived she was greeted at the door by the guys who were all holding roses. A guy then came up to the girl, handed her a rose, and escorted her to her seat. They were acting like real gentlemen and made each girl feel so special. As the evening progressed the men had various ways of expressing the appreciation that they have for the women in their lives. They made a video and the Vice President of the group gave a touching speech.
This event was so great because it was not only a chance for everyone to get dressed up, but it also made many people feel important. Overall the night was an amazing event and everyone could really feel all the love! <3

So the goal of almost every college student is to graduate in 4 years. 4 years seems like a really long time, that is until you start planning for them. My college 101 class required that we create an 8 semester plan for the classes that we would take during our time here at Baldwin-Wallace. My majors are Pre-Physical Therapy and Athletic Training. A lot of the classes that I needed are very similar, except for the Pre-Physical Therapy requires a ton of science. As I did my 8 semester plan I realized that if I wanted to graduate on time then I would have to take a natural science course along with a lab every semester, and for two semesters I would have to double up on the science. That does not include all of the other Health and Physical Education classes or the classes that I have to take to fulfill the college core requirements. Suddenly those 4 years did not seem like enough time.
However if you plan for it then it is extremely possible.

Preparing for next semester is a fun yet stressful time. It is so exciting to finally be a real grown-up. Before freshman year you really don’t get much say in the classes you take. The advisor chooses the classes and tells you the times. For the spring semester the classes that you take are both you’re choice and you’re responsibility. You have somewhat of a say as to whether or not you have any morning classes and what topics they are in. It feels good to have some control over life.
But the fun fades away once you realize how stressful it is. You have to make sure that you have enough credits so that financial aid is not affected but not too many so that you do not overload. Sometimes the classes that you really want to take become unavailable because they fill up before it is you’re turn to register. It is also important that you choose classes so that yo are able to graduate on time. So though it is fun and exciting to register for classes it is still important and can be very stressful if you wait till last minute. I guess its that whole procrastination thing again.

I’m sure that at some point in life I was told something about procrastination and how it’s never really a good thing. Now I really wish that I would have listened to whatever wise person told me that. Last week I was really stressed about one of my mid-terms. It was for a class that I wasn’t doing very well in and I need to pass with at least a B in order to pursue my major. The mid-term was on Thursday, I didn’t start studying until Monday. I ended up doing pretty good, but waiting until then to study caused a lot of stress.
Now I have 2 papers due tomorrow, 2 more due on Friday, and an Anatomy test on Friday that I really need to study for. I planned on doing them over the weekend but here’s what happened. Friday I had lunch with one of my friends and we decided to go to the movies. It was fun, but the last 10 minutes of the movie kept messing up so we got free tickets to another movie, so we stayed and caught another movie. I had to get up early for work in the morning so there was no way I was going to stay up studying. I figured I could do it tomorrow. Saturday I didn’t get back from work until about 8. I thought about studying and getting some work done, but then a friend called and I decided that it would be more fun to go out. I would just study tomorrow, but that plan didn’t even start to sound good. I didn’t get to sleep until 3:50 a.m. and had to be awake at 5:00 a.m. for another job. I got back from the second job around 6 p.m. I was so tired that it was ridiculous. I attempted to start some of the work that I still had to do, but my body disagreed with me so I fell asleep. I could just get it done tomorrow.
So now it’s tomorrow and I have a ton of work to do. So I guess I’ll get it started now. But for future reference, don’t wait. Just get the work done, fun will still be there tomorrow!

I once heard someone say that laughter is perhaps the best medication ever. I never realized just how true this statement was until last night when comedian Mike DeStanfano came to the B-W campus. I was required to do to this performance for my College 101 class. At first I was dreading it. Wednesdays are already my busiest days. I have classes from 8:15-1 then straight from class I go to work and right after work I have choir rehearsal, on top of all that I had a Mid-Term that I needed to study for and a play to go see in the 45 minutes of free time that I did have. Finding out that I had to go listen to this guy talk about drugs and HIV just ruined my day. Some of the teachers tried to make it seem like it wasn’t going to be that bad because the speaker was a comedian. But really, how funny can HIV and drugs be?
Well anyways I left choir early and went to the speaker and was just really shocked. The guy was actually hilarious. He told us his life story, talked about some really serious topics, and made us laugh the whole time that he was doing so. The hour and a half that I sat there listening to the guy was probably the best part of my day. I found almost every joke he told to be genuinely funny and could not control my laughter. He taught us some valuable lessons and made us smile, this guy is priceless. It wasn’t until after I left and went to start studying again that I realized how effective the speaker really was. Sure he taught us some things, but more importantly he relieve some stress. No one can be stressed out and sad or upset while they’re laughing. Go ahead and try it. It just doesn’t work.
So with that being said, laughter is truly an amazing thing!