Freshmen

Well it is the end of the semester and I am definently ready to enjoy Christmas break. I learned so much this semester, and what they say about learning outside of the classroom is so true. I truly learned about the man that I am and the man I want to become.As a matter of fact, I believe that the most valuable lessons that I learned were outside of the classroom, from sticking to commitments to learning how to handle undesirable situations, to just being a good friend. I think this is what truly makes college great, for it is the first time in life when you can really begin to discover yourself. Up to this point, so much of who one is is based on who the influence of their parents and people they are around. While this is not a bad thing, it is also a tremendous experience when one gets to truly explore who they are, and that is what college provides. I am so thankful that I am at TLU and want to give all the glory to God in leading me through this semester, and I look foward to the semesters ahead!!!

So, I'm finally done with my first semester of college. I finished, and I survived! I came home last Wednesday afternoon and now it's break until January! I am enjoying the idea of a break without any homework or papers and other school-related work. It is a nice feeling not having any homework; I've always had homework over the break for as long as I can remember!

I am extremely happy that finals are over because it was a crazy week. My schedule was all different, and I had to study, study, study! When my last exam was over I was extremely happy (I was especially happy that I made it through my first semester)!

But for now I'm going to enjoy the break and look forward to next semester. Plus Christmas is coming, and I came home to a decorated house! I love Christmas! Anyway, all I'm going to do is relax (and work....) and enjoy my time off, because I know that I'll be busier than ever next semester.

Have a very, VERY merry Christmas and an even happier new year!

Well, today was back to normal as the Thanksgiving break ended. I had a great time over the break. I went to the movies with my family, ate way too much turkey and cranberry sauce, and went Christmas shopping with my mother.

But my break wasn't all fun; I had work I needed to get done as well. I find it much harder to focus on work at home than when I am in my dorm room (I don't know why... maybe just because there are more distractions at home with family and cats and stuff), but Saturday afternoon I sat in the living room with my laptop and got work done. It helped that I was the only one in the house for a little while, so I could just put on some Christmas music (yes, it is that time of year.. yay!!!) and wrote papers and worked. And I finished it. I have gotten much better at focusing and finishing work quickly and efficiently. It's something I've learned this semester.

And now it's back to school, although we only have a couple more days of lecture left. Then begins the real craziness that are final exams. I'll probably end up spending a lot of my down time studying, but exactly one week from Wednesday I will be done and I can go home for the break. I am looking forward to that. It is a great feeling to be finished with my first semester of college (and knowing that I survived it)!

Just a little bit longer... yay!

Well Thanksgiving break is here and I must say that it is going to be a much needed break. I have to openly admit that I have reached a burn out in terms of school.I have worked really hard to get the grades that I have, straight A's, in order to put myself in a good position for finals. That combined with the stress of athletic training, which is something that I will not be doing next semester, have worn me down. However, this is not a pity parade for yours truly, because I wanted this. I have a great desire to be the best of the best, and that is why I have tried so hard to get good grades. So this is not me complaining, just explaining how it is. I know, nonetheless, that this break will give me time to recover and go roaring into finals.

Also, I am very happy to announce that I have gotten a position as a Residence Assistant for the spring. This is exciting for me for various reasons. One, it is a position of responsibility that holds great potential for me to prove myself as a leader not only in the TLU community, but the world as a whole. I know that sounds a little bit overzealous, but every great leader began with taking that first step, and this may be mine. Moreover, it means that I will not have to take out any student loans due to my losing the athletic training scholarship that I am giving up. This will most definently take a lot of stress off of my shoulders next semester, because I won't have to worry about paying loans back.

As it all winds a down, I have experienced many ups and downs, some which I have told you about and others which I will be keeping to myself. But one thing that I must say is that I see myself growing into the man the Lord above desires me to be here at TLU. There are so many great people, ones who really care about you, and so many oppurtunities, more than I can name. As I look toward the spring semester, I am most definently going to try and get more and more involved in the community, for as much as it has to offer me I believe I can offer it. This school has taught me that the possibilities for me are endless.

It is finally the time of year for food, shopping, decorating, and having a good time with family and friends.

Yes, I LOVE the holidays. I know that it's before Thanksgiving, but my roommate and I decorated our room. We've actually had it decorated for a couple of weeks now. We have lights up and wrapping paper on our door, making it look like a giant gift. It's so wonderful. Everything looks so festive! This week is Thanksgiving, and I'm looking forward to going home tomorrow and seeing my family and celebrating the holiday with them. Unfortunately, after coming back next week we have finals... then it's Christmas Break!!!

I have been looking forward to a much-needed break for a while now. However, the days I have off for Thanksgiving are going to be filled with not only spending time with family and friends at home, but also they are going to be filled with homework and writing and studying. I guess it won't be much of a break from me. Oh, well. As long as the work gets done. But I find it hard to work at home sometimes... I guess my family will just have to leave me alone when I say that I have to study.

Have a very, very happy Thanksgiving!