My to-do list

This is a list of everything I need to do school-wise before I can leave for break. I broke it down by class and professor. Seems kind of crazy.

Wenos: Development

Portfolio

Research Paper

Exam

Presentations

Russell - Yun: Therapeutic Media

Finish activity (mine is Scrapbooking)

Go to a metal show and write a summary on it

Write up a group protocol

Facilitate group during class

Activity Analysis (write a 30 page paper on facilitation/protocol)

Final

Write up 2 summaries on other group's facilitations

Loveland: Neuroscience Lab

Exam #2

Adaptive Equipment Research Paper

Sunnyside Project (performing assessments on an older adult and writing a paper on it)

Final

Gabriele: Neuroscience Lecture

Presentations on Stroke

Write up Study Guides for Final

Final

Believe it or not, I also have pop quizzes in there and random assignments that appear "magically" on the syllabus. These next 3 weeks are going to kill me. Will it all get done??? Somehow I'll finish it. But I just spend 3 hours studying for my neuroscience lab test for Friday and I feel like I haven't gotten anywhere on it yet. Yuck

But on the bright side, I got a 99 on my neuroscience lecture exam and it was really hard!!! It's actually helping me stay motivated for studying for both the lecture and lab. Well enough time here, I've gotta go get a few more things crossed off the list. Ugh.

Back to the grind...

I may have already used this blog title, but to be honest I can't remember. Thanksgiving break is over as of tomorrow morning at 9:05. I'm so bummed. I didn't do a whole lot of anything over the break (including studying) but it sure went by fast. Highlights? Those include spending exuberant amounts of time with Riley, Bailey, and Mattie, Christmas shopping, Christmas pictures (one set with mom, one set with dad), hanging out with my Soulmates, and spending a lot of time with my grandparents. In my opinion it was a break well spent. Just need to make it through these CRAZY three weeks until I can get home (and then to MAINE!!!). And by crazy, I mean I have 18 papers, tests, presentations, and/or projects due before the 17th. Yuck.

And for a final note, I drove my 3 hour drive back to school today listening to a lot of Christmas music and a lot of Taylor Swift. And I just wanted to share this song with you all. It really is what this time of year is all about. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCwbeiBiOAk

What if ribbons and bows didn't mean a thing
Would the song still survive without five golden rings
Would you still wanna kiss without misletoe
What would happen if God never let it snow
What would happen if Christmas carols told a lie
Tell me what would you find

You'd see that today holds something special
Something holy, not superficial
So here's to the birthday boy who saved our lives
It's something we all try to ignore
And put a wreath up on your door
So here's something you should know that is for sure
Christmas must be something more

What if angels did not pay attention to
All the things that we wished they would always do
What if happiness came in a cardboard box
Then I think there is something we all forgot
What would happen if presents all went away
Tell me what would you find

You'd see that today holds something special
Something holy, not superficial
So here's to the birthday boy who saved our lives
It's something we all try to ignore
And put a wreath up on your door
So here's something you should know that is for sure
Christmas must be something more

We get so caught up in all of it
Business and relationships
Hundred mile an hour lives
And it's this time of year
And everybody's here
It seems the last thing on your mind

Is that the day holds something special
Something holy, not superficial
So here's to Jesus Christ who saved our lives
It's something we all try to ignore
And put a wreath up on your door
But here's something you should know that is for sure
Christmas must be something
Christmas must be something
Christmas must be something more

"My life be like Ooh, Aah"

Well, not really. Don't get me wrong, but nothing really interesting has happend in the past week or so. I came home for Thanksgiving break last Thursday evening and have been busy ever since. There are, of course, a million and one things that need to be done.

Emily and Kim came down Friday and we had a fun-filled weekend. We saw Harry Potter, went shopping, visited my dad, played Wii Sing It, etc. And then Sunday I drove to Richmond (with Kim and Em in tow) and we met up with Becky for the day. We didn't do to much of anything. Some more Christmas shopping - actually I found a few small things for friends.

Monday Riley and I both had dentist appointments. I also spent the day with my grandparents watching game shows and cleaning the house.

Today Riley had a Thanksgiving program at school (only a half day). Now we're just hanging out around the house. I've already finished one scarf and started to work on another one.

Though the days are pretty busy (I've been getting up earlier here than when I have class!!!), I am dreading the break ending. I know there is so much left to do in only the 2 weeks left. Not to mention exam week will be right around the corner.

Tomorrow I plan on sleeping in. And if someone wakes me up early, they will be pay. Haha.

Luck

I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. - Thomas Jefferson

This is one of my favorite quotes right now. I feel that I've worked really hard in my life to get where I am. I came from a really small town where not a lot of people make anything of themselves. Going to college and getting out of there is something that not a lot of people can do. Even many people who go to college end up back there and still get sucked into the lifeless cycle. The town itself is not so bad, the people there though are really something else. Going to college is actually looked down upon. I know a few people who think that I think that I'm better than them just because I'm doing something with my life. And in all honesty, why shouldn't I? I know that comes off as really bratty and stuck up but I worked my butt off during high school (Governor's School), 4 years of college (with 2 degrees, a concentration, and a minor) and now even into grad school. And up until grad school, I held a job. In high school I worked for my dad's office and then in college I worked a student assistant in the OT program and as a server for a catering company. I got accepted into 2 of the best OT programs in the country and am working really hard to get my Master's through these next few years. I think I'm entitled to feel a little good about myself. It's not something that just happened or was lucky, it's something that I've worked really hard at.

I bring this up because tomorrow I'm going home and I know I'll see many "friends" who have poor attitudes towards my choices and ambitions. I'm tired of feeling like I should be "ashamed" of what I'm doing, because I'm not.

After all, I've had quite a bit of "luck" in my life.

I'm thankful for....

I have to say I am a pretty fortunate person. I have a great family who loves me and amazing friends that stand beside me no matter what I do. I'm really close with my family, especially my sisters. I miss them everyday and am so blessed to have them in my life. Even though we're not close in age, we've become some of the best friends. It's also pretty amazing how your friends become your family. I have some of the greatest friends in the world (you know who you are!) and they are nothing less than family to me. I know if I needed anything, they'd be there for me at the drop of a hat. I am so fortunate to have come across such great family.

I miss my family a lot. And of course those friends who are considered family. I can't wait to see you soon!

Oh yea, and I guess I'm thankful for education (because you're supposed to say that right?)

Beautiful Saturdays

I absolutely love Saturdays! Though they aren't necessarily homework free, it's so nice to have a day off from sitting in lectures and learning new material. Saturday is just a feel good day to unwind. And for me to be productive. Like today for instance. I went and did some Christmas shopping, mailed out Megan and Devin's wedding gift (oops!), studied for my neuro test, researched for adaptive equipment paper, baked some cookies and cooked for the OT Thanksgiving Potluck tomorrow. It was a really productive day! I'm even getting ready to go to a game night. I'm forcing myself to socialize with some friends not in the OT program (which actually is kind of hard!).

I get to go home for Thanksgiving on Thursday evening and then Kim and Emily are coming down for the weekend. I'm really excited. And so is Riley. Though she was disappointed that Bud wasn't coming. She asked me four times if I was sure that he couldn't make it. I think she has a little crush. :) Anyways, I'm excited to spend some time with great friends and good family. And that's pretty much all I got today.

Oh except that I really love this quote right now: "You are braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think".

"I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you"

It's been a while since I've posted so let me catch you all up to speed. Last week I only need two big assignments/tests on the agenda. Monday we turned in a paper on Assessment Tools (which was worth a test grade) and we had our first Neuroscience Lab test. Of course throw in my classes from every day plus the Pediatric OT Clinic Grand Opening at JMU (Thursday and Saturday) and I had myself a very busy week. Things died down towards Thursday which was actually kind of nice. After class Whitney and I decided to watch How to Train Your Dragon. Then we went to the Peds Clinic Opening, grabbed Panera for dinner and watched Toy Story 3. Friday, once class was over, I had a really productive, yet boring day. Ashley, Whitney, Morgan, and I went on a house hunt trying to figure out where we're gonna live next year. We found some good neighborhoods and are inquiring about those townhouses/houses this week. I'm not looking forward to moving again, but it'll be worth not having to pay as much.

Afterwards, I headed to Barnes and Noble and reviewed Neuro material with Joanna. I went home worked on a culture project, did some research on Huntington's Disease (which is for another assignment), did my readings for Monday, and finished my media project for the semester. Saturday morning I went to the clinic grand opening for the public. It was amazing! I played with kids all morning! It was one of those things that really made me feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be in my life. Even my professors said I looked so natural and comfortable with children. It was a huge compliment!

Then I drove to Richmond for the rest of the weekend. Kim and I listened to Taylor Swift, looked at some potential places to live, shopped, saw the Town (definitely worth seeing!) and watched How to Train Your Dragon (yes that was like the 4th time I had watched it this past week!). It was such a relaxing weekend with very little going on. I'm so thankful for friends, especially those who are just as spontaneous and random as I am.

Then I drove back. The normal 2 hour drive took me 4.5 hours! There was a bad accident on 64 and we didn't move at all. It was frustrating. I finally made it back to my apt. about 9:30 and just went straight to bed. The time change really threw me off yesterday!

Then today we got out Assessment Tool Papers back and my group got a 98! It's so nice to have such a high grade on an assignment, especially since she's a tough grader. Oh and did I mention that I go an A- on my neuro test??? Yea, it was a busy week, followed by a fabulous weekend!