Post-Initiation

Initiation was so great! I am so glad I joined such a great sorority full of amazing girls. The actual initiation process is a secret, so I can't blog about it. But, what happens afterwords is not so here goes!
After we are initiated, we give our bigs the paddles we made them. Amanda loved hers! The bigs also have great gifts for their littles, it was like Christmas we were spoiled so much! Amanda got me two sweatshirts with our letters embroidered on them, and an embroidered shirt. I also got two "Go Greek" shirts. She decorated a glass jar and filled it with candy for me, and bought me two big boxes of sour patch kids because she knew thats my favorite candy. She gave me a picture frame with a picture of us in it, and photo-cube which had pictures of us on all four sides. I got a panda key-chain, an AOII bulletin board that she made for me, and even panda socks and  a panda note-pad! My two favorite gifts were the hand painted wooden letters that she decorated for me, and my Rose Book. Many bigs make their little a Rose Book, which is like a scrapbook. It is filled with pictures of us, a family tree, and lots of information about our sorority, including songs and information about our founders. I love it because I know how long scrapbooking can take and its such a special gift. I am so happy to wear my letters now and to have such a wonderful big!

Genre Writing

Our latest project in class is to write something in a different genre. My genre is children's books, and I'm actually excited to write one! I went to Waldo Library the other day to get a few examples of children's stories. I got the books Harold and the Purple Crayon (a Classic), Olivia the Pig, and Bella and Bean. I tried to chose books that had a little variety, I didn't want to get all Dr. Seuss, for example, because I didn't think that would give me enough variety. There were tons of books to choose from, and I could have spent much longer in there than I did! I didn't even know that a campus library would have children's books, but they have a great selection for kids to go and look through.
I think I chose a genre that will be easy for me to write, because I like children's books. My mom always used to read to me and my siblings, and I think it absolutely had a positive effect on us. I think it made us all better readers and writers because she spent so much time reading with us.

Crochet like Crazy!

I have a new obsession. I love to crochet.
I've been spending almost all my free time making scarves and hats and now I am starting a light blue fuzzy blanket. My Grandma taught me how to do a few different stitches, my personal favorite is the double crochet. This stitch works for basically any project you could try to attempt. More basic stitches are the single and triple crochets. I also learned how to make a wave pattern and made a small blanket using that.
The best kinds of yarn to use are the thicker ones, or at least thats my preference. They are also going to be warmer if you make a hat/scarf/etc. The reason it is easier to crochet with thicker yarns is because then you are less likely to split the yarn.
I also learned how to make a crochet flower via youtube. If you are looking to start up crocheting or knitting, check out youtube! There are excellent videos that take you step by step through the motions of even basic stitches for beginners. It is a great way to pick up a new hobby. The flower turned out very well and I attached it to a blue and beige headband I made.

I'm making most of these for gifts, and I know everyone will love them because they are home-made.

Initiation

Friday of this week is a big day! It's my initiation into my sorority, AOII. We will have a ceremony friday night and then we are going out to dinner afterwards at Red Robbins (Yumm!). I'm very excited to become a member and learn all the secrets of my house. This week leading up to it is known as Alpha Week, and we have fun events going on each night. Monday was craft night, we had a movie night, and other fun things are going on through out the week. Unfortunately, I have a very busy week and can't attend all of our events. That's okay though, because there will be lots of fun things coming up such as formal that I can look forward to!

For initiation we wear all white outfits, and the new members all made paddles for their big sisters. Decorating the paddles was so much fun! My big used to play basketball, so I made hers orange with basketball stickers on it.

I also really cannot wait to go out to dinner, I'm tired of cafeteria food! Red Robbins has the best french fries and milkshakes. 

This is the paddle I decorated for my big! She will hang it on her wall after I give it to her along with other paddles she's received. After I took this picture, I also added a glitter boarder inside the pearls. It just gave it a more finished look. 

MEME

AWE

Alternate Winter Experience (AWE) is an organization at WMU that takes students on volunteer trips around America to help out different causes. The trip opportunities range from animals, children, elderly, refugees, disaster relief, and terminal illness patients to name a few. I just had a meeting today where I found out what trip I was going on, where that trip would be going, and who would be in my group. My group is going to Athens, Georgia to work with the elderly. I can't wait! As a CNA I love working with elderly people, and the temperatures in Georgia should be a nice change from December in Michigan. Each group goes somewhere else, and they rent vans with stow-and-go storage underneath. We will take turns driving the 13 hours to Athens, and we will be staying at a church. Because we are being generously housed in a church, my group is all girls. There will be six of us total, including our two group leaders. I can't wait to go and make a difference! Especially since it is the week before Christmas. What better way to spread Holiday spirit?

5 more weeks!

Yay! Yay! Yay! Only five more weeks of classes and I will be done with my first semester of college. Two more weeks until Thanksgiving break, (Which I'm PUMPED for! Delicious food yumyum) and then after that is the home stretch until Christmas break. This semester flew by, but I'm glad. I can't wait to start taking classes that aren't general pre-req's, full of students who still don't care even though they are at a university. I can't wait to start taking classes that will be about nursing, even though they are going to be a lot harder!
First, I have to meet with my advisor to fix my schedule. Since freshmen make their schedules last, and by ABC order, I had very few options. I took what I could take but couldn't even get into my Biology class, which is super important! I'm bummed out to say the least... I hope my advisor can help me out! If not I'm going to be busting my butt at community college this summer.

AOII

There is tons of new things to experience while you're at college, and Greek life is definitely something to try! While I was unable to go through Rush Week, I was still informally invited to join a sorority. Alpha Omicron Pi sent me a bid and I accepted, and I love everything about my sorority! We have a gorgeous house on a hill, wonderful events, and great sisters! There is always something going on, or if you don't want to do anything, there is always someone home who you can just hang out with. Going Greek is something I think most new students should try out, and if its not for you thats fine, but it is a great opportunity to meet new people, volunteer, and make connections that will last for the rest of your life! If you are interested, go to Westerns website and search Greek life, or just ask around campus. Someone will be able to lead you in the right direction. GO GREEK!

Thesis

Jacob's love of animals, especially Rosie, caused him to spend extra time with her, which is how he discovers that she understands Polish, not English, and saves the circus by creating a start performer.

Jacob cares so attentively for Rosie, that he discovers the language barrier between the elephant and english speaking trainers, and is able to communicate with her by speaking Polish, which brings rise to the new star attraction.

University of Michigan

This past weekend was such a blast despite the horrible weather. I took a train for the first time ever to Ann Arbor to visit my cousin who is a senior at the University of Michigan. My train thursday night was delayed an hour, so I didn't arrive when we expected and so thursday night was just a night spent in visiting with Danielle. Friday was full of downtown Ann Arbor, where we shopped around and had delicious food. We also visited her sorority house (ADII), which is absolutely gorgeous. I finally met her boyfriend, Dan, who has a wonderful personality and is very funny.
The next day we woke up early to get ready for the game. Western and U of M are very different when it comes to football. But then again, it is the big house. We went to Fraternities that were hosting game day parties for all the sororities and the alumni that were there for the homecoming game. I met a lot of fun people, and had a great time before the game. We also had some very yummy hotdogs before the game, and delicious food afterwards at the "little house" where my Uncle Dan, (Danielle's dad), who is also an alumni of Michigan, was spending game day. Due to the miserable weather, we arrived at the little house at half time. But, even the pouring rain didn't stop us from having a great time! By the time we got back, I was exhausted! It was a wonderful weekend and I can't wait to go back and visit again. GO BLUE!

Class Cancelled!

It was about 5:00 pm monday night, and I had just finished up at the library. I didn't see the point in walking all the way back to my dorm just to have to turn around a few minutes after I got there to go back to my 6:00 class. So I decided to kill some time in Dunbar and just wait until my class started. I spent the hour surfing the web and pinning fun things on Pinterest. A few minutes before class, I gathered up my things and went down the hall towards my class room. I waited outside for a few minutes and went in. Only four others were in the room with me, and class would be starting in two minutes. I thought that seemed a little odd, so I checked my email. Sure enough, class was cancelled! I told my classmates and they were happy just like me. I packed back up and headed back to the library for some last minute studying, then went home earlier still that I would have had there been class. I felt like I was back home and I just found out there was a snow day. What a great feeling knowing you can relax. Its a great day to be a Bronco!

Cheap at College

All week I've been looking forward to going shopping this weekend! I even made a simple list to stick to so I wouldn't go crazy after being deprived from the mall for so long. I haven't been shopping for anything besides groceries since I've been at college. I really only needed a few things, but it take strong will power to not buy everything! I needed a pair of classic black heels, a white dress for my initiation, and some dress clothes. I didn't go too overboard, and can say I'm proud of myself so only barely going over my budget! I'll have to work on sticking to it better, though. I'm just a poor jobless college student after all! 
Some of the best places to go shopping on a budget are Marshals, TJ-MAXX, and Forever 21. (Those also happen to be my favorite stores! Who doesn't love a good deal?) Target and Kohls are also full of good bargains. Don't be afraid to shop the clearance section either. Thats where I find the best deals, and I am nothing if not frugal! I love shopping as much as the next girl, but I certainly know how to pinch a penny. I cant get more clothes, shoes, or accessories than any of my friends with the same amount of money to spend because I know how to find a good deal. (Which leaves me with more money left over to spend on more stuff!!)

Carrie-Not-So-Scary

I had no idea that in class we would be watching a movie! I thought movie days in class would end with high school. I was excited to watch a movie in class. But, I was not thrilled when I found out it was technically a "horror" story, because I usually try to avoid scary movies at all cost! I was nervous for it to start, I didn't want to be afraid of a movie in front of my entire class. However, as soon as it started, I quickly realized it is not your typical scary movie. While I have to admit there were some very creepy scenes, it was nothing I couldn't handle. The worst part was the last few minutes of the film, up until then it was just about a Matilda-like girl being bullied at school.
The ending though, was kind of just weird. The mother in this movie was by far the most outrageous character, and it makes you feel bad for Carrie that she has to live like that. If she had been born into a normal family, I bet things would have been very different. I also don't think the high school girls were very realistic. Just because you didn't like someone, would you really try to run them over with a car? I don't think so.
The movie is from the 70's, and you can tell based on the clothing and video quality. If they re-made this movie with todays technology, I think they could make it 100 times scarier, easily. (But then I would DEFINITELY never watch it!)

Vera's Big Baby!

         Whats the hottest trend around campus? Everyone seems to have gone to their local Hallmark store and stocked up on Vera Bradley bags, backpacks, wristlets and purses before school! I know I did. It's such a popular style with different patterns and colors to match anyones fashion taste. While some items can be a little on the price-y side, you can find very affordable pieces to show off your style. It makes a perfect gift, just in time for the holidays!

The new fall line recently came out with deeper colors that compliment the season. My personal favorite from the new collection is the dark brown Canyon pattern. Perfect for a fall and winter bag! The latest pattern is the first of their winter collection called Ribbons, and is absolutely adorable! They also still have out other lines from past seasons with gorgeous patterns such as Mocha Rouge, Rosie Posies, Summer Cottage and Pricilla Pink. Those are a few of my personal favorites, but everyone likes something different!
 Check out the website and find your Vera Bradley style!

 http://www.verabradley.com/

Literate or not?

Trying to start my Literacy Narrative is going to be the death of me! 

Where/when has reading and writing influenced me? I just can't say. I can't think of a time when it has impacted me in such a way as to be memorable. It certainly has been a big part of my life, especially during school as English was always my favorite subject. I love reading in and out of school. There is nothing better than escaping reality and being submerged into a whole new world that is drastically different from your own. But one single moment? Or one single book? I can't quite say there was one that was so special. I've been putting a lot of thought into what I could write about and have some vague ideas, but they are small events and I might have a hard time turning it into a narrative without being too unfocused. I'll just have to keep brainstorming! Hopefully I can keep it interesting without getting too off topic, because that is something I need to improve on. 

Feeling Crafty?

I can't tell you how many times I've had people ask me if these shoes were TOMS! The answer is no, they are not. They are from Payless Shoe Store, and look just like TOMS but the cost is less than half. These were a gift from my creative sister, who found the shoes there for a great price (about $16), and then went to Michael's craft store and bought fabric glitter spray. All she did then was spray the glitter right onto the canvas shoe, it sticks right on and theres no glitter mess left over. 

On the Official TOMS website, this pair of shoes costs $54, while mine cost only about $20! They look pretty similar too, huh? Not too bad for a DIY project. So before you buy that name-brand item next time, look around and see what you can do yourself for a fraction of the cost. (And buy a second pair of shoes with the money you save!) 

Good Reads

Contrary to my "two truths and a lie" ice breaker that we did in class, I actually love to read! I do not, however, love public speaking, which is how my nerves got the better of me and made me jumble up my thought-to-word process.

My favorite author is Nicholas Sparks, I'm a sucker for a good love story. I also made it through Sarah Dessen's list of published books, the Twilight saga, and the Hunger Games series. I am currently reading 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James (I tend to pick up the trending books) just finished the first book in the series of three last night . My favorite book to this day is Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, but I'll read anything that catches my eye. These are all great reads, I would definitely recommend opening them up if you like a good romance novel.

Aside from reading about the interesting life style of Christian Grey, I am also currently reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. This is the Campus-read here at Western Michigan University. I started reading it over the summer, and while the plot really pulls me in, it can be a bit hard to follow with all the medical terminology! I am nearly finished with part two of the book, and really need to try to get myself back into it (if I hope to pass English 1050 that is!) The bottom line of the book is such a controversial and interesting topic, I would also recommend this book to anyone out there, don't let the big words scare you off.

Henrietta's cells, known to the medical world as "HeLa" have changed modern medicine as the world once knew it. They were taken without the permission of Mrs. Lacks or her family, and while they had no knowledge of it in the beginning, these cancerous cells became the first cells to reproduce themselves, allowing for an infinite amount of testing to be done. The book is about how Rebecca Skloot, the author, gets down to the nitty-gritty and tells Henrietta's story to the world. You really form an opinion early on about how you feel towards the Lacks family and towards the scientists, researchers and doctors who took, grew and studied Hela cells.

Out To Sea: Adventures in Sailing

With all the different clubs, teams and groups at WMU, how can you not be tempted to try something new?
Well, this weekend I took a big step (more like lunge!) out of the box and went out on the water with the sailing team. Luckily, Ann Marie, my roommate was right there with me, so I wasn't the only newbie. With absolutely no sailing experience under our belts, we were paired together with one instructor/ team member to teach us the ways of the waves.
As with anything new and different, we were a little bit scared. Our biggest concern was tipping - after all, these were not the big sail boats we had imagined. Three people in one small boat was a tight fit! However, once we were reassured that we would be safe with Mike, our "Skipper" and one of the most experienced sailors on the team, we put on our life jackets and climbed in.
Once we got out on the water, we had a blast! Sailing was so incredibly fun and when the wind dies down and you start to float a little slower, it is the most relaxing feeling. We were told our instructions as the "crew" and practiced until we felt comfortable doing our jobs.
There were about 5-10 small sailboats out with us, and of course the day simply wouldn't be complete with out a little competition. The goal was to make it to the island then once everyone was there, race back. The wind picked up and we were off to a good start, with only one boat near to us. We were picking up speed and cruising along, when Mike told us to "tack" which meant we (Ann Marie and myself) turned the front sail in the opposite direction and moved to the other side of the boat while doing so. We had already done it about five or so times earlier, so we went ahead and tacked the sail. But, being beginners, we moved after we adjusted the sails and not before, causing the boat to capsize.

And who would be the only one to fall out of the boat? Me.
Somehow, Mike climbed onto the other side of the boat and was able to flip it back over (after i was already in the water) and Ann Marie, who was nearly dying of laughter, managed to stay seated where she was. My youth size life jacket (the only size they had left) had managed to keep me afloat, but I now faced a big challenge. How would I get back in the boat? There was no handle or anything to grab on to, and everything was slippery and wet. Well, with little effort Mike pulled me right into the boat where I flopped on board like a fish. When everyone finally was able to stop laughing, we headed our now-full-of-water sail boat back. Believe it or not, we weren't in last place either! Once ashore, we tried to warm up our soaked selves, with little luck. I was ready to go back to my room and make some hot chocolate for Ann Marie and I!
Sailing was such a wonderful experience, and I can't wait to go back out on the water! Although, this time, I wouldn't mind staying IN the boat.

Hi everybody!
My name is Angela, welcome to my blog! I'm from a small town in Michigan called Armada, about an hour north of the D. I am currently studying away at Western Michigan University, and enjoying my first year here! My goal is to study my butt off to get into the Nursing program here; and I would like to eventually become a Nurse Practitioner or a Physicians Assistant.
I love to travel, read, cook, craft, and be outdoors. I'm terribly addicted to Pinterest, and will probably post many ideas that I find from there! Along with my English posts, you can find yummy looking recipes, cool crafts and maybe a story or two!

Updates soon :)

- Ang