Here's to REAL life--and Boxes??

Oh hey, guess what. . .

I am a real kid now. For reals, not fake, or virtual. FOR REALS. It is kind of the most unnerving thing ever. I have so many blogs to write. And so little time.

Graduation was the craziest thing ever. I am still reeling from it. I guess it still hasn't hit me. And I am so blessed to have started a full-time job. I haven't had any time to sit and think about my life. And I think that's ok.

I have hardly been at my new apartment--thank goodness for besties and boyfriends. (And parents too)--for moving me in. I just sleep in my room and then leave. It is because I have work from 8-5. REAL KID STUFF. I hardly have time to even read the scripps. I need to get my life in order though.



I am still living out of a box. I keep telling myself--I will get it on the weekend. Just wait for the weekend. I hope that this is true.

I love my job though. I honestly couldn't ask for more. The environment is fun, the people are great. What I do is cool. It's just perfect for me. People aren't crazy psycho about when you come in--you go when you want--it's just so relaxed. It's so nice. I've already made some friends, and I can't wait to get better at what I do. And here's a little secret, I am still figuring out what my companies does exactly. I can't really seem to grasp it. Cec says it's the next big ENRON, and I sure hope it's not. :)


It's hard juggling everything right now. Even where I live and who I am dating.I love Carlos to death, and I just can't wait to go back to see him after work. But it's so stinking hard. He got himself a custodial job, which I guess is ok, but it is at a crazy time. Everyday from 3-7:30 in THE MORNING. I just hope that he isn't biting off more than he can chew. I am just so happy with everything right now, but can't help wondering if I am just choosing what's easy rather than letting it be hard. Some chaps came over from across the way and started talking to me. I won't flatter myself and say they were there to talk to me (because I am sure they weren't) but, when Carlos came over, they seemingly fled as fast as they could. My mom has told me that I should just get to know other people. But, I don't want to.

I am so glad I am not living at home anymore. I don't think I could do it. I love my parents and my family and everything, but, really, there is a time for everything. It is not my time to be at home anymore. After a weekend with the family, and best friends and boyfriends, I realized that now is not the time to live at home. Is just isn't.

And it's even weird where we are living now. I can't tell if I like it or not. It hasn't even been a full week--so there is still time. It's such a quaint little place.

It kind of reminds me of The Village. Which I want to watch again. Not in a creepy sort of way, but it's just so different than Canyon Terrace.

I am trying to go to bed at a reasonable hour so I don't die at work. That's weird, I am usually the last one up. I went to the store, and they were out of my obsession: Wheat Thin Stix. I was so sad.

This real life is weird, in a good kind of way--I think.

It's weird.

It's weird when you go back to your apartment and you don't feel comfortable.

It's weird when the people you used to so highly respect have conducted themselves in a manner you find child-like.

It's weird how rude some people can be.

It's weird how you can live so close to people, but yet so far away.

It's weird how my life has changed from a year ago.

It's weird how much time I spend searching for lost things.

It's weird how people can pop back into your life.

It's weird how I am graduating.

It's weird how I have never been happier in my life.



It's weird how I think I might have some marketable skills.

It's weird how I can be my complete, my whole-self with my friends.

It's weird how I'd rather listen to John Bytheway than Grooveshark.

It's weird how it's all about the quality, not the quantity.

It's weird how obsessed I am with Wheat Thin Stix.

It's weird how a book can make you re-evaluate your thoughts.

It's weird how someone can make such an impact on your life.

It's weird how I will still be living by campus, but not taking classes.

It's weird how I am taking the LSAT.

Life is weird, find joy in the weirdness.

The first team was first....

This last week has been a whirlwind of emotions.


This is what went down.

We get in the top three, and we delivered. We took some diet Mt. Dew shots and were good to go. We were pumped, we were ready. We get in there, and we go first. We thought we did pretty well.

Then the other teams go. We were shocked. They completely blew us out of the water. We had no chance whatsoever. We thought, "oh well, that was fun. Hopefully we are not last!"

We felt like we were the team that was added on, for pity. I was texting Carlos the whole time telling him, "We lost, we lost. That was dumb."

The judges go out to deliberate, which took FOREVER. At that point, Cecilly, Kristie, Ryan and I just wanted to leave because we KNEW that we had lost. There was no chance.

One team (that consisted of all boys) had awesome ideas, they were all innovative, and very tech-savy. They kind of made our presentation look like a fourth grader had put ours together. Then the next team had a graphic designer, whose graphics were clean and just so awesome. They also had an awesome idea for the Crunch Stix. It was an awesomely designed tub. The next team had a really simple and clean idea. There was NO WAY that we would win. NO WAY.

Pat, the guy from Kraft, came back to announce the winners. We all looked at each other, we didn't even think we had a chance. I just didn't want the all-guy team to win. Kristie and I had our own lil' bets.

Whilst we were waiting, I got to know the other competitors, and man they sucked. I realized how ALIKE I am from some of them. I realized that maybe I would be ok at Business school, I am very driven and am to no-mercy approach. But W.

We just wanted it to be over.
We all held our breath.

"The first team was first".

OK, well, we know we got last, who won?!?! WHO WON??? Pat kept on talking and everyone looked to each other and thought, who won? One of the professors turned to us, and assured US. That. we. had. won. Wait, what?!?!?
Guess what....
WE WON. WE WON THE CASE COMPETITION.

The feeling was so exhilarating, so awesome. I couldn't believe it. My heart was racing. I felt so awesome. Hey, guess what, I don't even attend the business school, Take that. Fool! We all ran out of there, WOWO. We are so cool. Could you even believe it? WE Won! WE. WON. We all kind of started running around like chickens with their heads cut off. We didn't know who we were, what we were doing. We all decided to meet back up and go have lunch (yes--I missed class--yet again. I only went to a total of 3 classes that week--I usually have 11 classes a week) But it was totally worth it.

It was one of the best feelings in the world. Beating out all of those people. Knowing that you were the best.

And although they changed the price from flying us to New York, we got a cash prize of $2000, and tons of free dinners. We also get to network with tons of different people. And even if it doesn't amount to my getting a job. It's ok--it's just got me thinking about what I can do with my life.

It's hard to believe it's been a week since we presented our case (as semi-finalists)--now look at us. We deserve a pat on the back.

What the h@$#, check your email.

Here's what I have learned.

I am NOT normal.

I will NEVER be normal.

EVER.

And neither will my two best friends, Cecilly and Kristie. We don't stop. Ever.

Cecilly and Kristie entered in a Case competition for Kraft. I have actually never heard of case competition until now. And here's the great part. I got to really use my design skills to the max. I designed a bag, heck I designed about 3 or 4 ads for the FRIGGIN Wheat Thin Stix.

And I realized how much I care for design, how much I will do anything for things that I hold dear to me. We all joked about how we are blowing off school to do this Kraft competition. And guess what, it totally worked. We got top three.

NO WAY RIGHT?!?!?!? NO FREAKING WAY. We we suprised that we made it to top 12. Sure we designed some good slides and had some cool ideas, but top three?

Kristie captured the moment perfectly, "What the hell, check your email."

We were rocked. Everything that could have gone in our presentation, did.

Never know what you'll find

Yesterday I went to the restroom and I was minding my own business, (aka thinking about how much I needed to do in a short amount of time, and how I was going to accomplish it--aka focusing on ME)

Then, out of nowhere, I heard a small voice, "How are classes going for you?"

I almost bolted out of there because I normally hate talking to people anywhere, especially in the bathroom.

I looked and it was an elderly woman, with a sweet smile waiting for my response. Grreeeat. Now I HAD to talk to her. There was no getting out of this one. Poop.

Then, I decided that I may have something to learn from this elderly woman, and if not, why not enhance my people skills? So I took the leap, and I did go out of my comfort zone.

And guess what? I learned something from this sweet, old lady. We ended up talking for about 15 minutes. I never found out her name, but I just learned some little things, I learned to LOVE school, to always follow my dreams, and to never pass up an opportunity (no matter how small it may seem).

She had just graduated from Humanities because she had never finished school. She made me promise to always go forward with my dreams. To never let anyone get in my way. And I think the boy I've found will always be there to help me in my dreams, even if I make him wait. And that makes him all the more attractive to me.

And that really inspired me, I have a renewed sense and desire to go to law school. I honestly don't care where, I would love to go out of state, anywhere. But I think that this year of no school will benefit me in ways that I can't imagine.

This friendly lil' chat really made an impact on me. It's so interesting to realize how seemingly simple conversations can really change you--for the better.

BIG BREATH...INHALE...EXHALE....it's over.

HUNGER . BANQUET. IS. OVER.

Countless hours of work, stress levels that have sky rocketed, and learning oh-so-much, has finally ended. HUNGER BANQUET 2011 is over. And it was successful--more than 2 people went! It was more like 700! And for a BYU event, I would say that is pretty gosh-darn good.

Considering everything that happened, we did it. WE DID IT.

It all started when the speaker died. I am not even joking. DEAD. Kaput. Along with our theme of the hunger banquet. We started scrambling for a theme, then it hit us. PIECE BY PEACE.

Fitting.

We thought we were ready to go.

Then, the unthinkable happened, the person that was supposed to be in charge of the logo dropped off the face of the earth. Great. What were we going to do now?

This is where people's true colors came to light, and I discovered so many things about myself. I have found out that I am a task-master. I enjoy being in charge, I like to do things my way. But, I am also good at getting people to help me. I enjoy working with large crowds that I am in-charge of. I discovered that Cecilly, although she gets tired, doesn't give up on things. She is very practical and knows when enough is enough. And I discovered that Carlos is someone that I respect beyond words, he is someone that is true to his word and will not let me down. I discovered that Andrew Galloway is a patient and caring person (who has creative ability beyond comprehension). I discovered that Andee Gempler is a hard-working girl that is very dependable.

I found out that the combination of people was a recipe for success.

We pulled an all-nighter and we created a logo. The logo was truly done piece by piece. We got about 30 freshmen to help us create a puzzle (1500 pieces) and most worked all night.

Then, we found that the place where the Hunger Banquet had been held was not going to be able to host our event. Crap. We started scrambling for a venue. Then we found it, but to our dismay, 'twas only ONE night. (The hunger banquet is usually two nights). But we thought we could beat it--we could do this.

THEN, we find that BYU didn't even want us to have the event. SERIOUSLY??? So we could not start advertising because what if the event got cancelled?

This was all happening about 2 weeks before the Hunger Banquet was to go on. Advertising was hurting--real hard. We printed off 10,000 fliers---to our dismay---we found that instead of two events, we were going to cut down to just one.

Then the price was upped to $9 bucks. That was ridiculous. NO way is a BYU student going to pay that kind of money. I fought to drop the price to $7 and we compromised at $8. I think that made a difference--let's hope.

After all of that--we had about a week and a half to advertise. Ten days.

And you think it's over--NOT. We had Brigham Square reserved for an event that we were going to put on--o guess what? Our event was cancelled. We could not hold it in the square. SERIOUSLY????

THen we find that our tickets could not be sold at the Wilk info desk--they had to be sold at the Kennedy Center. Poop.

After all of these things--I got to enjoy a wonderful event. It actually happened.

After the countless hours--I got to sit back and see the awesome event. It was so cool to realize what people can accomplish when they work together. Especially students. We were all doing this on the side. This was a extracurricular thing that everyone devoted time to--we all had school, work, and other things going on. Being able to see all that we had accomplished was amazing.

*Lights dimming, music playing*
We came out carrying rice and beans, hot dogs and chips, and salad and lasagna; representing the lower, middle and high class. It was awesome.

I will never forget the feeling of accomplishment that I felt when it was over. The relief that I felt and the sadness that I felt.

I was so happy to learn the things about myself. And it was just such a building event.

Here's to Peace by Piece.

Realizations

I forgot why I love swimming so much, it helps me think, when I swim, my body takes over on auto-pilot and I can just think I had some pretty awesome realizations. Well, they weren't awesome, they were just, kind of sobering.

1) I hate the way I look right now. I hate hate hate it. I hate the way that I feel when I walk outside, I just hate everything about it. I hate that when I get ready, I don't feel like I am good enough.

2) I HATE my major. I know I can't get over it, but it was the stupidest decision ever.

3) I feel bad being around Carlos because I look so gross all of the time.

4) I feel inadequate compared to everyone around me. I don't stand out at all.


Now, how am I going to fix this?

According to one of my friends, I am going places. This is cool. Cecilly doesn't know how much that meant to me.

Well, things are looking up, I am got a job as a sports counselor . And as of an hour ago, I just got an internship for a Internet Safety Project. !!!

Things are looking up!

But, how am I going to fix myself?!?!? I HAVE ONE MONTH!

Ok, well, less. I HAVE 35 days to look my best for graduation. THIRTY FIVE DAYS!!!!!

What am I going to do in the 35 days?

1) NO SWEETS


2) MONDAY WEDNESDAY FRIDAY: workout in the morning (do cardio) and at night do gym. Tues and thursday, work out

3) NO SNACKS after MIDNIGHT (which is a pitfall)

I am going to be looking good for graduation! HERE WE GOOOOOO!