No Regrets.

This year has been an interesting and very educational experience. I have grown as a student, but more importantly as a person. Going to college was a very difficult transition for me at first, but the moment that I was used to college, as if in the blink if an eye, the year is over. I have made so many new and amazing friends and have met such cool people. I have learned that I have to be strong and stay true to myself despite the pressures to change and be someone I am not. I would be lying if I told you that I haven’t made mistakes this year. For a while, everything about my life seemed to be in order. I had my family, good grades, and an awesome guy. At least, until life threw me some curve balls that I didn’t know how to handle. I made the wrong choices and messed up my next to perfect life. However, I am ok with that. Nothing is perfect. And more importantly I have learned a lot about myself and have become a much more independent and stronger person from my mistakes.
Everyone makes mistakes. Now this I know to be true. However, if one were to go a lifetime without making mistakes, I would feel sorry for them because that person would have gone a lifetime without ever really experiencing life. I feel as if no one really lives until they do something crazy. And most of the time, doing something crazy could mean doing something that you shouldn’t do. I’m not saying that you should go out and do anything illegal or anything like that, but doing something out of your character will help you to find yourself and know who you really are and will help you to stand true to yourself in the end.
And in conclusion, Live Life without Regrets. Every choice and mistake will shape you into who you are. So, rather than regretting the mistakes you have made learn from them and know that those experiences have made you into who you are today.

Normal, Il.

As a freshman, I don’t have a vehicle here and therefore do not venture off campus all that much. So, I would suggest that my friends to the place in which mean the most to me here. I would want to take them to where I have the most and best memories.
First and foremost, when visiting normal Illinois, I would suggest taking a walk on the quad and a tour of the campus at Illinois State University. I feel as if the quad is really beautiful and is a sight that should be seen. If possible, I would go to the quad at night. At the beginning of this school year, I would go to the quad at 11pm when it was basically deserted. It was so peaceful and relaxing. My friends Daniel and I would go sit on the middle of the quad and work on homework and just talk. I have always wanted to take my guitar out there at night and play; just because it is so pretty because you can see the stars and all the trees remind me of home.
Next, I would definitely suggest that for dinner you go eat at Avantis. The restaurant is famous for its bread and everything there is good to eat. I think that when one goes to normal, they just have to eat there at least once. It’s not a place that you go to all of the time, but you definitely need to experience it if you are visiting. That is always where we take our friends when they visit. Plus, it isn’t a bad walking distance from tri towers.
Finally, I would suggest that for my female friends to go to the mall. (Although this might be Bloomington, I am not sure) I would do this, because there are a ton of my favorite stores there and it isn’t ever really that busy. However, if you aren’t looking to not spend money I would suggest going to the tennis courts. Now, I am not saying the courts are any different than anywhere else, but I have a lot of memories there and always love a good game. So, I would suggest that they go and play a game and I hope that they have as much fun and make some cool memories there as well.

Secondhand Serenade Concert!

Last night, I went to the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and the Secondhand Serenade Concert. As soon as I found out about the concert about two months ago, I talked to my closest friends here and ISU about getting a group together to go. So, when February 13th rolled around and tickets went on sale, one of the people going in our group went to get tickets as soon as they went on sale. Phil got there early to get our groups tickets, and there was still a line of 200 people who beat him there. So, despite the long line, we got our tickets and had planned to go to the show on April 2nd. Well come the week of the show, I planned my schedule out to where I got all of my stuff done before Thursday night so I could go to the much awaited concert. This plan works out until, Wednesday morning, when I find out that we were only getting two days notice on a big calculus II exam. So, from the time I found this out, I studying every waking hour so I could still go to the show. Well, after basically only taking breaks to eat, shower and sleep, I studied and decided that I could still go to the concert. So, I went to the show and sat in the 8th row with four of my friends. Ironically though, the original group did not go and I had to find others to take their tickets. Michelle and Katie unfortunately had too much stuff going on and couldn’t go after all. So, I talked a few other friends into it. The group ended up being me and 4 of my guy friends at a Secondhand Serenade concert. It ended up being awesome though and we had a lot of fun. I am so glad that I was still able to go to the show even though I had a calculus test the next morning. I woke up with a sore voice from screaming at the show, and took my test at 9:20am. And to top it all off, I feel pretty confident about the calc exam and I think that I did a lot better than the last one. =]

Double Feature: The Dark Knight and Pineapple Express

Last fall, I believe sometime in November, I attended a double feature night on Campus. The event was an early showing of the two movies, The Dark Knight and Pineapple Express. The movies were not yet released on DVD and theatres were no longer showing them, so I went with a group of friends to the double feature night. I had really liked the Dark Knight when I saw it the first time in theatres over the summer and I had also heard from numerous people that Pineapple was pretty funny and that I would like it if I were to see it. So, we decided to go. That night, our group got to the Capen Auditorium in Edwards Hall, where the movies were being shown, and found seats in the upper balcony to the left. The entire place was completely packed! There were so many people there, that they had to turn some people away and could not let everyone who wanted to attend in the auditorium.
The atmosphere was really fun and upbeat. Everyone was excited about the two movies and before they began there was a loud excited buzz of conversations discussing the movies that were about to start. Then, the lights dimmed and students awaiting the movies cheered for the event. A UPB director made some announcements about upcoming events and then the movie began to play. After the Dark Knight was finished, they turned on the lights and let some more people in to fill the seats of those who left after the first movie. After about a 15 minute break allowing for people to get concessions, the second movie, Pineapple Express Began.
The event taught me that the UPB always have new and exciting events going on all of the time. I hadn’t realized how many on-campus events the UPB organized. The UPB director spoke, as I mentioned before, at the beginning of the event, announced a lot of upcoming events that were fun and exciting to me as a college student. For instance, I am really excited about going to The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Secondhand Serenade concert that is at the Bone Student Center next Thursday.

Practice Makes Perfect

So, as I may have mentioned in my first blog entry, I really enjoy music and everything about it. Whether I am just listening to it and singing along on the radio, or making it myself, I love it. I really love to sing, I played the flute for four years in my high school’s symphonic and marching band, and I was always really involved with the theatre department’s musical productions. More recently though, I have started to teach myself to play the guitar. I am not really any good at all yet, to be completely honest, but I love to try. It is a fun and entertaining way to express one’s self. Eventually though, I think that with much more practice and dedication I will improve immensely.
The other night, I actually took a break from studying and actually practiced the guitar. My friend Steve came to my dorm after he got out of his band practice around 10pm, and he gave me tips and pointers on what I was doing wrong and what I could be doing better. Then, he began to teach me to play the song “anyone else but you” that is in the movie Juno. It is the song that Juno and Bleaker play and sing at the end of the movie. (If you have ever seen the movie, I’m sure that you know the song) And, we also played “Hallelujah.” This song has many versions by a wide variety of artists including Kate Voegele and Jeff Buckley. However, the songs are simple enough that I am able to play them somewhat. Mainly though, they both help me learn to strum better. They also serve as a good way to practice and improve on switching from one chord to the next. The songs have also taught me new chords that I didn’t know before. In other words, the songs will after much practice, help me to improve the basic skills that one needs to play the guitar well. So, thanks to the help from my friend Steve, I am well on my way to improving.

Rule Number One: Quit School

If I were given the cost of tuition for four years at Illinois State University, and the rule that I have to quit school and go out and spend the money, I would first and foremost, spend the money on the costs to start my own photography business. I would love to be a freelance photographer. I could take family photos, senior pictures, photograph weddings and so on. Therefore, I would spend the money on getting the state of the art equipment and other business necessities. I would need a few great digital cameras, photo editing programs, lights, and props. Then, I would need to buy a space or building for my business. And I would also need to purchase business supplies such as computers, prints for advertising and etc. After purchasing all of the necessary equipment, I would then spend the money on advertising for my business to get my name out there as being reliable and good. I would have to get personal training through other professional photographers. And then, a good amount of the money would have to go towards something to live off of until my business took off and was successful and profitable.
After spending the money on starting my own photography business, I would use the remainder of the money, if there was any, to travel the world with my family and friends. There are so many places that I would like to see and visit before I die. For instance, my dream vacation would be going to Italy. I would love to visit Italy and all its beauties. I think that Italy would be a beautiful place to photograph and capture. This scenic place would be the first place on my list to visit.
Overall, I think that it is safe to say that given the option, I would be a photographer if I was given the rule to quit school. I would definitely start my own business and do what I love to do, and be a photographer.

Surviving College

Rule number one: Do Not Procrastinate.
As an incoming freshman, I was not used to having as much freedom as I have now. I no longer had to be home by a certain time and I could do practically whatever I wanted. It seems as if you have all the time in the world, because now you are only answering to yourself. This freedom caused me to procrastinate. I would go and hang out with friends and get wrapped up in all the social aspects of college, all the while putting off my homework and studying. My freedom was fun at the time, however the night before an assignment was due I would be stressed trying to get all my work done on time. And in college, all of your tests and big assignment’s due dates usually fall on the same two week period. So, I would put off studying and end up completely stressed struggling to find the time to do so. So therefore, rule number one is this; do not procrastinate, in the end you will regret it.

Rule number two: Bring a backup umbrella.
As an ISU student, you will walk everywhere. Most freshmen do not get parking spots and even if you are lucky enough to get one, your car will most likely reside in the farthest parking lot from your dorm. One morning I woke up, got ready, and left for class grabbing my umbrella on the way out the door. I began walking to class in the pouring rain, safely underneath my protective umbrella when all of a sudden, a huge gust of wind took me by surprise. The next thing I knew, I was standing in the rain holding a misshaped umbrella that was no longer serving its purpose. The metal that held my umbrellas normal shape and helped to shield me from the rain had snapped in two. And being a freshman, I hadn’t a car to make a trip and buy a new one. So, the moral of the story is this. Rule number two; bring a back up umbrella.

Rule number three: College is not high school.
When you get to college, you are coming to a completely new and unfamiliar place. You will be surrounded by new people, each having their own history and past. In college, people do not care if you were the star of your football team or if you were the valedictorian. No one knows the person that you were in high school, and neither do they care. Be mature and leave the drama at home. I say this because no one cares for immaturity and stupid high school drama. So don’t start it. Therefore my rule number three is as following; College is not high school, so be mature and forget the drama.